Affinity Water is the UK’s largest water-only company, supplying clean water to around 3.8 million people across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Surrey, parts of Greater London, and areas of Kent. When someone who was an Affinity Water customer dies, the executor or next of kin needs to notify the company so the account can be closed, transferred, or held in the estate’s name during administration. This guide sets out exactly how to do that, what to have ready, and what to expect from the process.
One important point worth knowing from the outset: Affinity Water supplies drinking water only. Sewerage and wastewater services in its area are handled by a separate company – Thames Water in most of the region, Anglian Water in the east, and Southern Water in a small area to the south. If you are dealing with the estate, you will need to contact both companies. That process is explained in the sewerage charges section below.
Quick reference:
- Bereavement line: 0345 359 5929 (Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 8am–2pm)
- Online form: affinitywater.co.uk/billing/notifying-us-of-a-bereavement
- Do not cancel the direct debit until you have received and confirmed the final bill
How to notify Affinity Water
Affinity Water has a dedicated bereavement notification process. You can contact them by phone or through their online form.
By phone: Call 0345 359 5929, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 2pm. Ask to speak to the bereavement team. The team will take the relevant details and confirm what happens next. This is not a freephone number – from a mobile, calls typically cost up to 45p per minute depending on the plan, though many inclusive minutes tariffs cover 03 numbers.
Online form: The notification form is at affinitywater.co.uk/billing/notifying-us-of-a-bereavement. You can complete this at any time, at your own pace, without needing to make a phone call.
Via a third-party notification service: Free services such as Life Ledger and Settld allow you to notify Affinity Water alongside banks, insurers, and other utilities in a single process. Both are free to bereaved families.
Once Affinity Water receives the notification, the bereavement team will: pause any direct debit from the deceased’s account, record a closing meter reading, calculate the final balance, refund any credit to the estate, and issue a final account statement for probate purposes. Source: Affinity Water bereavement page, verified June 2026.
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone (bereavement team) | 0345 359 5929 – Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 8am–2pm |
| Online form | affinitywater.co.uk/billing/notifying-us-of-a-bereavement |
| Post | Affinity Water Ltd, Tamblin Way, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9EZ |
| Third-party notification | Life Ledger, Settld (notify multiple companies at once) |
Documents and information you will need
Water companies have lighter document requirements than banks or insurers. For most notifications, you will not need probate upfront. What Affinity Water will ask for at the point of notification:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Deceased’s full name | As it appears on the account |
| Property address | The address the water account covers |
| Date of death | Used to date the final bill correctly |
| Account number | Found on any water bill; the property postcode is usually accepted if you do not have this |
| Meter reading | Taken on or close to the date of death – a timestamped photo of the meter is the most reliable record |
| Your name and contact details | As executor, solicitor, or next of kin |
| Your relationship to the deceased | How you are connected to the account holder |
| Property status | Whether someone is continuing to live there or the property is now empty |
| Death certificate | A copy is sufficient for initial notification; a certified copy may be requested before a credit refund is released |
You do not need everything in hand before you make contact. Affinity Water will accept an initial notification and follow up for supporting documents.
If you need more copies of the death certificate, each certified copy costs £12.50 in England and Wales – order them through the register office at the time of registration or later via gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate.
For guidance on probate and what authority executors need to deal with different types of account, see our full probate guide.
What happens to the account
Affinity Water accounts are tied to the property, not to the individual. This shapes how they are handled after a death.
If someone is continuing to live at the property
When a spouse, partner, family member, or other occupant will continue living at the address, Affinity Water will close the deceased’s account and transfer it to the continuing occupant. The meter reading from the date of notification becomes the closing reading for the old account and the opening reading for the new one. Any credit balance is refunded to the estate; any outstanding balance becomes a debt of the estate.
Joint accounts
If the water account was in joint names, it typically continues in the surviving account holder’s name. Affinity Water will update their records to remove the deceased – the surviving account holder does not need to open a fresh account.
Empty property during estate administration
This is the situation most executors face. Once you notify Affinity Water that the property is empty, the account can be held in the name of the executor or the estate while affairs are being wound up. Charges – the daily standing charge and any metered usage – continue to accrue from the estate’s assets until one of the following happens: the property is sold, a new occupant moves in, or the account is formally closed.
Notify Affinity Water promptly that the property is unoccupied. This allows them to note the account status and ensures billing is addressed to the estate rather than the deceased.
Final bill and credit refunds
After notification, Affinity Water will issue a final bill for the period to the date of death. If the account was in credit – common where direct debits ran higher than actual usage – the balance will be refunded to the estate. Ask the bereavement team specifically about any credit balance rather than waiting for it to arrive automatically. If nothing has come through after four weeks, follow up.
Do not cancel the direct debit until the final bill has arrived and confirmed a zero balance. Cancelling it early means any outstanding amount must be paid separately, creating unnecessary extra administration. For broader guidance on handling direct debits, see our guide to what happens to direct debits when someone dies.
Empty property policy
If the property is empty throughout estate administration, standing charges continue. Unlike some other water companies – United Utilities waives charges for 12 weeks, and Welsh Water can suspend them for up to 12 months – Affinity Water does not publish a standard void period waiver. The standing charge continues daily from estate assets.
What you should do:
- Notify Affinity Water as soon as possible that the property is empty and provide a forwarding address for the estate
- Take a meter reading at the point of death and again periodically to confirm there is no unexpected usage (a slow leak on an empty property can run up a significant bill)
- Ask the bereavement team specifically about their empty property process and whether reduced charges apply in your circumstances
Legionella risk. Water sitting stagnant in unused pipes for more than a few weeks can develop legionella bacteria. If the property will be empty for a prolonged period, run all taps and showers periodically to flush the system. The Health and Safety Executive has guidance at hse.gov.uk.
WaterSure and financial support
WaterSure
WaterSure is a national scheme that caps metered water bills for eligible customers whose water use is unavoidably high. It is relevant to surviving household members taking over the account – not to the estate itself.
To qualify for WaterSure with Affinity Water, the household must:
- Have a water meter installed
- Receive at least one means-tested benefit (Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Working Tax Credit, or Child Tax Credit)
- Meet at least one of the following: three or more children under 19 living at the property, or a medical condition requiring above-average water use (such as incontinence, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, home dialysis, desquamation, or a weeping skin condition)
WaterSure is a personal entitlement and ends with the account. If a surviving occupant takes over the account and believes they qualify, they should apply in their own right. To find out more and apply, visit affinitywater.co.uk/billing/watersure or call the Payment Assistance Helpline on 0800 697 982 (freephone). Source: Affinity Water WaterSure page, verified June 2026.
LIFT (Low Income Fixed Tariff)
Affinity Water’s LIFT scheme reduces the clean water bill for customers on a low income. You may qualify if your household income is below approximately £18,725 per year (with a higher threshold for London Boroughs – around £21,749 at the time of writing) or if you receive certain benefits. To apply, visit affinitywater.co.uk/billing/lift-apply or call 0800 697 982. Source: Affinity Water on X/Twitter, September 2024, verified June 2026.
A note on sewerage charges
Affinity Water is a water-only company. It supplies drinking water to your tap, but it does not manage drainage, sewerage, or wastewater services. Those are handled by a separate company – and the executor needs to notify that company separately.
The sewerage company covering your property depends on where you are within the Affinity Water supply area:
| Area | Sewerage company | Bereavement guide |
|---|---|---|
| Most of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Surrey, Greater London, and Kent | Thames Water | Thames Water bereavement guide |
| Eastern Essex (Tendring peninsula and surrounding area) | Anglian Water | Anglian Water bereavement guide |
| Parts of the south of the area | Southern Water | – |
The quickest way to confirm which sewerage company covers the specific property is to check the most recent Affinity Water bill. The second page typically lists any sewerage charges and names the wastewater company. Alternatively, visit digdat.co.uk to find the wastewater operator for any postcode.
Failing to notify the sewerage company separately is one of the most common gaps in utility bereavement administration. The two accounts are billed separately and each company needs direct notification.
For a broader overview of water and sewerage companies, see our guide to notifying your water company after a death.
Priority Services Register
Affinity Water’s Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service that provides additional support for customers in vulnerable circumstances. Services can include:
- Meter readings for those who find it difficult to read their own
- Bills in alternative formats (large print, audio, or translated)
- Priority notification in advance of planned supply interruptions
- Support for customers dependent on water for medical reasons
PSR registration is linked to the individual account holder. When the registered customer dies, their PSR status does not transfer automatically to anyone else.
If a surviving occupant takes over the account and would benefit from Priority Services, they should ask to be added when the account transfers into their name. To register or update PSR details, visit affinitywater.co.uk/priority-services or call 0345 359 5929. Source: Affinity Water Priority Services page, verified June 2026.
How long does it take?
For a straightforward notification, most Affinity Water cases complete within one to three weeks from the point at which all required information has been provided.
The main variables that affect the timeline are:
- Whether the property is occupied or empty
- Whether there is a credit balance to refund to the estate
- How quickly supporting documents (particularly the death certificate) are submitted
Keep a note of when you made contact, any reference number given over the phone, or the confirmation received after submitting the online form. If a final bill has not arrived within four weeks of submitting all documents, follow up using the bereavement number.
Things to watch out for
Take a meter reading as early as possible. The reading on or close to the date of death is the closing point for the deceased’s account. Delay means Affinity Water will estimate based on average usage, which may produce an inaccurate final bill. A timestamped photograph of the meter display is the most reliable record you can keep.
Do not cancel the direct debit before the final bill is confirmed. This is one of the most frequent administrative mistakes with utility accounts. Keep it running until the final bill shows a zero balance. Cancelling early means any outstanding amount must be paid separately.
You must notify the sewerage company separately. Because Affinity Water covers water only, the estate also needs to contact the relevant wastewater company – most likely Thames Water or Anglian Water. Two separate notifications, not one.
Tell Us Once does not cover water companies. Tell Us Once notifies HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the Passport Office, and your local council when someone dies. It does not cover utilities. The water account must be handled directly with Affinity Water regardless of whether Tell Us Once has been used.
Automated letters may arrive after notification. Executors sometimes receive routine payment reminders after notifying the bereavement team, while the notification is still being processed internally. If this happens, call the bereavement line with your reference number to confirm the bereavement has been logged.
Standing charges continue on empty properties. Even if no water is being used, the standing charge accumulates daily. Over several months of estate administration, this is a real cost from estate assets. Notify Affinity Water promptly that the property is empty.
Summary
To notify Affinity Water after a bereavement, call 0345 359 5929 (Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 8am–2pm) or use the online form at affinitywater.co.uk/billing/notifying-us-of-a-bereavement.
Have ready: the account number or property address, the date of death, a meter reading if the property is metered, and your contact details as executor or next of kin. Affinity Water will pause the direct debit, record a closing reading, and issue a final statement. The full process typically takes one to three weeks.
Remember that Affinity Water covers water supply only – you will also need to contact the relevant sewerage company (most likely Thames Water or Anglian Water) separately.
For broader context, see our guide to notifying your water company after a death, our probate guide, and our guide to what happens to direct debits when someone dies.