SMALL businesses are calling on utilities regulators to step in and save them from large bill rises.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has met water companies and their regulator, Ofwat, to warn that above-inflation increases will have an adverse impact on small firms.
Nationally, the average water bill rose 13 per cent at the start of this month, with further rises before inflation of 12 per cent expected over the next five years.
It follows increases in gas prices for smaller firms, which rose nearly 30 per cent in the 12 months up to last October.
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