Do I really need to pay the application & inspection fee on a site with existing services?

[Meabh]

Hi

 

We have demolished an existing bungalow and started groundworks for our new build. We are using the existing mains water connection (just replacing/extending the pipe from the boundary box into the new house) and the existing waste water (connecting our new drains onto the existing clay pipe on our driveway which runs into the sewer).

 

I had to contact Scottish Water as part of our warrants and they want to charge me an application & inspection fee for both water supply & waste water even though we are really only changing the parts on our land and not the connection to Scottish water assets. They also refuse to zero rate the VAT on these fees.

 

I've had them remove things like infrastructure fee (argued we are not an extra house but a replacement one) but they won't budge on the application/inspection fees or the VAT.

 

Do people normally pay these fees when the connections already exist? 

 

 

[MR10]

We're similar, checked with Scottish Water (couldn't find their stop valve) and since it's not a new connection to the site there are no fees to pay and no inspection required. 

You should consider keeping them out of the loop as it's not a new connection and the replacement infrastructure is within your property, keeps things simple in my opinion.

 

[Meabh]

12 minutes ago, MR10 said:

We're similar, checked with Scottish Water (couldn't find their stop valve) and since it's not a new connection to the site there are no fees to pay and no inspection required. 

You should consider keeping them out of the loop as it's not a new connection and the replacement infrastructure is within your property, keeps things simple in my opinion.

 

Thanks - only contacted them as building control requested proof of contact with Scottish Water.

 

This is exactly what I thought re the fees - we aren't touching their assets and we aren't making any new connections