Water Services Act 2007

Recovery of sums due.

52.— (1) Where a sum is due to a County Council or a City Council, acting as a water services authority, the water services authority, or any other person acting jointly with it or on its behalf, may recover the sum, and any expenses incurred in its recovery by the water services authority, or any other person acting jointly with it or on its behalf, as a simple contract debt in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(2) Where the sum referred to in subsection (1) is recoverable from the owner of a premises by a County Council or City Council acting as a water services authority any outstanding amount of the sum and any expenses incurred by the water services authority, or any other person acting jointly with it or on its behalf, in its recovery may be made a charge on the premises.

(3) A County Council or a City Council acting as a water services authority to whom money is due under this Act may as an alternative to recovering the sum as a contract debt or making a charge on a premises offset the sum due against any grant or other payment due by the County Council or City Council in any capacity to the person concerned.

(4) The Minister may make regulations for the administrative procedures to be followed for the purposes of this section.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4), regulations under this section may include provision for—

(a) the issue of notices,

(b) notice periods, or

(c) any matter consequential on, or incidental to, the foregoing.

(6) The Minister may prescribe another person to which the power under subsection (1), (2) or (3) to recover costs shall apply in relation to the recovery of sums due to them.