Water Bills

[vernonk]

Anyone out there living alone who has questioned an extortionate water bill and been told you're using enough water for a family of five? Seems to be a stock response from water companies to try and justify their extortionate fees.

[factor-fiction]

Hi vernonk. I am certainly no representative of a southern water company and in fact I have written several letters of complaint to MPs and cabinet ministers (under the last government and this) complaining about the charges for unmetered water services as the basis of those charges seemed extremely arbitrary - ours seemed to be double that of larger families we knew were going up by double the rate of inflation every year for no apparent reason. I was arguing for stronger regulation as there is little if any competition. But no-one in government seemed to want to change anything other than recommend a meter.

in the end I decided the only way to achieve a fair price in our case was to go for a meter. And it worked because our bills fell dramatically. As a result we are also much more careful to avoid wasting water (2 minute showers not 10 minutes ones, turn hosepipe off while shampooing the car, use collected rainwater to water the flowers, etc).

So to me a meter is great, but the savings were maybe higher than some people will get because our unmetered charges were particularly excessive.

However, getting back to your original question, it's essential you get your meter checked. Good luck

[Dodger666]

I have an eighty one year old neighbour living on his own. He refuses to have a water meter fitted for some reason. His annual water rates are around £800.00. We have two people in an identical house and we pay around £300/year on a meter. I have tried numerous times to get him to have a meter fitted to no avail. Even telling him he can have one fitted free and if he doesn't like it he can revert to water rates after a year has no affect. He really is pouring money down the drain.

[woofgang]

wrong thread emmie

[janbee]

I have had a water meter for approx 6 years and then I was paying over£380 per annum. Now, I pay around£150 . Big difference. I regret never having had a meter installed earlier.

[factor-fiction]

A lot of people, particularly elderly, are reluctant to make changes like this. I've had same issues with mum/mum in law and previously with grandparents regarding changing energy or phone supplier or paying by monthly direct debit ( and enjoying lower rate) rather than waiting for quarterly bills. I suppose with water it's made worse because there is a worry they will scrimp and save on water use and still make no savings.

[Svejk]

Pensioners can afford to pour money down the drain,Dodger.

[emmie]

not so, i was simply commenting that my water bills are relatively low, but the idiot phone/broadband/line rental is a rip off.

[Dodger666]

"Pensioners can afford to pour money down the drain,Dodger".

I don't agree with that Svejk for one second.

[DaisyNonna]

Southern water must be making a fortune. Compulsory water meter. No bill for a year after, but regular queries. Still paying previous D.D. Eventually got a refund. Meter apparently in the street. No way of knowing how to check usage or indeed whose is whose.
At least I can access electric and gas meters.
Bill supposedly every six months? Why so long if all the meter readers have to do is drive past each meter?

[factor-fiction]

Twice a year isn't bad- I'm lucky if my gas and electricity meters are read once a year by meter readers. But at least with the energy meters I can and do read them and submit readings myself online as often as I want (at least monthly) whereas my water meter, like yours, is inaccessible to me under the pavement. I'd rather have regular access so i can spot a leak early

[DaisyNonna]

ff always read my own gas and electricity meters. Would I could read the water meter. The thought of an unknown leak frightens me.

[Jeza]

We can't have a water meter fitted, no explanation as to why though even though we have asked.

[gingejbee]

My father has a water meter outside under a cover in the pavement. I read it for him - lift up cover, remove another plastic cover and there it is. Ten seconds. Why are you not able to read it?

[DaisyNonna]

It is not marked. Four flats share one frontage.

[cupotee]

Our are also in the footpath at the end of the block of apartments. No way of knowing which if for what property. Living the opposite end I have never caught the meter reader to find the answer.

We have had a water meter for almost 20 years. Our bill prior to that was £33 a month. Almost 20 years later we pay £26 so still in pocket.

That's for 2 people, washing, showers, usual day to day usage.

[Dodger666]

DasiyNonna

I would advise you do find out which is you water meter and check it from time to time. We have two incoming water feeds to our house for some reason. The water company chose to fit two meters inside the property. One feeding an separate toilet and the other the rest of the house. I also had a tap fed off the toilet supply for car washing purposes. This meter measured relatively small amounts of water used at first. When the water usage started to increase I kept an eye on it and soon saw it was counting water usage when non was flowing. The meter was changed and I agreed a refund based on previous usage.