'We're suing Severn Trent over compensation'

A couple plan to take Severn Trent to court for compensation after a digital water meter fitting was "botched."

David and Tracey Bradley, who live near Newport, Shropshire, said compensation offered by the water company did not cover the expenses they incurred.

In May 2024, they were left without water for more than a week after the installation of a digital water meter.

The firm said it had "no further contact with Mr and Mrs Bradley since September after we offered them compensation totalling £1,280, and have not currently received notification of a legal claim."

The couple said a revolving door of contractors visited their home, but the problem persisted and took months to fix.

Mr Bradley disputes that the money offered constitutes compensation, as he claims the £1,280 includes covering mediation fees and "free water" - he described their offer as "laughable."

He said the firm offered "£500 for three months of utter misery, while our out of pocket expenses came to £600 and the damage to our kitchen is estimated to be at least £1,000."

He added that the company told them it was not liable for damage caused by sub-contractors.

"I'm frankly speechless. It's immoral, and it's unfair, particularly on Tracey," he said.

Mrs Bradley is an end-of-life care nurse who works night shifts, so she had to drive to Staffordshire to stay with family in order to sleep and wash her uniform.

She said she was "amazed" by the company's handling of the situation.

"I couldn't do my job and give the same sort of attention and care that they give, it's just appalling really," she said.

"We just feel so let down by a big company that's made these promises."

Mr and Mrs Bradley now believe the digital water meter would never have worked in the first place due to the rural area's poor signal - leaving them feeling that their months of stress were for nothing.

He added that he wanted a "reasonable and fair offer to compensate Tracey for what she went through."

"I'm just worried that somebody not quite as vocal as us could have to go through this, and couldn't put up a fuss," said Mrs Bradley.

"We've got to have some standards brought back, surely."

A spokesperson for Severn Trent said: "We have apologised to Mr and Mrs Bradley for the issues following the meter work and want to work towards a positive resolution with them."

Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.