[steve123]

It looks fairly serious in the east this year and I see no way of us avoiding a hose pipe ban and most likely a drought order.

How do we stand as far as the law?

Has anyone such as the fed done any work to find out our rights?

Will I need to break out the ladders?

Will one man bands fair differently to those who employ?

Where do I go to answer these and loads more questions I have?

[tom cronin]

Its different for people registered for commercial usage

[gary999]

not necessarily there has already been talk of restrictions for business
usage in the south east and if drought orders are issued ib certain areas and
domestic customers have water restrictions  put in place .cleaning windows
by splashing water about will pee customers off no matter how you try to reason it.


glad i live in the seven trent catchment area where it has already been decided
there wont be any hosepipe bans this year

[Scoop]

The sickening thing about this is that plenty of water falls on the UK. We just don't catch enough of it. Add the billions of litres that are lost daily through leaks and no wonder they can drum up a shortage and blame us.

UK suffers from a chronic shortage of investment in infrastructure. Roads, railways (spending the whold budget on a new line from London to Brum), water, even mobile phone networks are better in Germany than here. It's all about squeezing the max from the consumer whilst keeping supply at one notch above chaos levels. Not surprising when our utilities are maily french and german-owned. And don't forget that the population has increased by 10% in the past 20 years whilst the supply has stayed virtually the same.

And as usual Mrs Bloggs will be hydrating her roses with bathwater in May and we'll be the new Satan. At least you boys can trad. Not easy to trad a wheelie bin 

And the twenty trillion litres of water that should be sat safely in non-existant reservoirs will be diluting the North Sea.

Does anyone remember the time when water was unmetered and included in the rates? A lot of extra money has been extracted from us since they started charging, and in return for some pretty amazing bonuses for the water companies and their shareholders - I'll bet they're glad we're all after the bankers.

[dazmond]

just carry on as normal.if there becomes a drought order you could just clean upper windows with the pole and trad the rest.

dont worry what people will think.most people wont say a word as they know you need to make a living.

hose pipe bans dont affect business.a drought order could but i would flout the law anyway and just carry on and use as sparingly as possible.

youll never be so grateful as when your  working in the rain from now on!!!

[gary999]

just carry on as normal.if there becomes a drought order you could just clean upper windows with the pole and trad the rest.

dont worry what people will think.most people wont say a word as they know you need to make a living.

hose pipe bans dont affect business.a drought order could but i would flout the law anyway and just carry on and use as sparingly as possible.

youll never be so grateful as when your  working in the rain from now on!!!

i do wish you would stop reassuring people on here...its so much more entertaining
watching the panickers flap their wings

[steve123]

just carry on as normal.if there becomes a drought order you could just clean upper windows with the pole and trad the rest.

dont worry what people will think.most people wont say a word as they know you need to make a living.

hose pipe bans dont affect business.a drought order could but i would flout the law anyway and just carry on and use as sparingly as possible.

youll never be so grateful as when your  working in the rain from now on!!!

i do wish you would stop reassuring people on here...its so much more entertaining
watching the panickers flap their wings

Gary I am not panicking, I just want to know where I stand legally so I can be prepared. I don't want to find myself in a position where I am wondering how I should proceed, instead I want to be ready with a plan on how I continue to trade if the water companies declare a drought order.
So my question is.... has anyone in this industry actually looked into the legal requirements of how we can or can not operate if it were to happen. and if so where is the information?

[Londoner]

A drought order doesn't affect registered businesses. But as most of us are not registered as business users with the water company now we are already breaking the rules and liable to be fined.

[Klean07]

http://www.stwater.co.uk/conWebDoc/2196

[gary999]

just carry on as normal.if there becomes a drought order you could just clean upper windows with the pole and trad the rest.

dont worry what people will think.most people wont say a word as they know you need to make a living.

hose pipe bans dont affect business.a drought order could but i would flout the law anyway and just carry on and use as sparingly as possible.

youll never be so grateful as when your  working in the rain from now on!!!

i do wish you would stop reassuring people on here...its so much more entertaining
watching the panickers flap their wings

Gary I am not panicking, I just want to know where I stand legally so I can be prepared. I don't want to find myself in a position where I am wondering how I should proceed, instead I want to be ready with a plan on how I continue to trade if the water companies declare a drought order.
So my question is.... has anyone in this industry actually looked into the legal requirements of how we can or can not operate if it were to happen. and if so where is the information?

the answer is you adapt and even if it means and i know its a swear word for most of us
me included use ladders and pick up a squeegee if worse comes to worst you do whats necessary
to keep going

simple really isnt it

[CLEANCARE WC]

A drought order doesn't affect registered businesses. But as most of us are not registered as business users with the water company now we are already breaking the rules and liable to be fined.

I dont want to sound like an idiot here (although i am  ) but if im on a meter surely im paying for what i use anyaway? whats the difference? it costs them the same to supply me with water as the chinese takeaway down the road?

[mike roberts]

Think some investigation is reqd as government have or were looking to change the rules 

Not sure if it has been 'signed off' yet they looked at amending policy in 2007. With a drought order their intentions are to stop use of WFP and pressure washers even if you are a business.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Thewiderenvironment/Climatechange/DG_196517

[Deangsi]

i will fill my tank up with water from a large stream  then di vessel it also collect rain water at all frainds and familys hoses lol anyway i bath every day and im fat so i wreken i get through 200 litres bath water everyday  well thats what id say haha

[Bryan_Dolby]

For all window cleaners

Yes the FWC is looking it to this again

I belive it might it more areas than expected

We are allready in talks with the effected areas

We might need  window cleaners to do a phone survey

Bryan

[H2GoKent]

Every year we get this in the south east and every year some joker comes on here and tries to troll and wind people up.
Given that the water companies lose 20% or so of the water thru leaky pipes due to underinvestment yet still pay billions out to shareholders they wouldn't dare drive us under.

Are u aware that even under a drought order you can still a swimming pool or hose down garden furniture? Put the furniture on the lawn and water the grass 

I've not a single customer mown about water usage.

[rg1]

Think some investigation is reqd as government have or were looking to change the rules 

Not sure if it has been 'signed off' yet they looked at amending policy in 2007. With a drought order their intentions are to stop use of WFP and pressure washers even if you are a business.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Thewiderenvironment/Climatechange/DG_196517

It says 'using a hosepipe to clean windows' not wfp

[matthewprice]

somthing we dont have to worry about up here we are not standing but swimming in the rain hardly had a dry day since oct but   i was wondering could you use sea water then purify that through a ro bit of pain but a least you could work

[supernova77]

I have been window cleaning over 6 years now, and every year this subject comes up on the forum.

It has never effected us, and I don't think it ever will.

Andy

[andyM]

If anyone asks just tell 'em you are using rainwater   

[Londoner]

i will fill my tank up with water from a large stream  then di vessel it also collect rain water at all frainds and familys hoses lol anyway i bath every day and im fat so i wreken i get through 200 litres bath water everyday  well thats what id say haha

Well technically, the water company owns all the water in its area irrespective of where it comes from or how it got there. So all the schemes come to a sticky end.