Labour has recently told a trade magazine that it is thinking about introducing legislation making landlords hand over tenants' details to help reduce water debts.

The water companies, as are all utility providers, attempting to stamp out bad debt.

According the magazine a Labour spokesman that if they are successful at next year's election, then once in office it may legislate that landlord's would have to pass on their tenant's details. These would be, the landlord's address, the tenant's commencement of occupancy date,  name and date of birth.

Labour believes that if these details are given to the water companies then it would reduce the level of bad debt, and make sure that those who are able to pay....do so.

A water company stated that bad debts costs the industry around £1,635 million every year.

The Labour spokesman said: “These reforms will focus on finding new ways to support those who cannot pay their water bills and pursuing those who can pay but choose not to - this means tackling ‘bad debt’ or ‘non-payment’, which adds around £15 on to everyone’s water bill.”

The Welsh government is introducing a similar scheme that starts in the beginning of next year whereby landlords will have to, by law, supply these types of details. Failure to do so will mean that the landlord will become jointly liable for the water bills at the tenant's rented property.

In Autumn 2013, the government said it was planning to launch a voluntary database for landlords to provide tenants' details to water companies.