Water Meters

[leahbee]

Does anybody know if it will work out cheaper for an elderly couple to have a meter installed. What is the cost and is there much inconvenience? Thank you.

[emeritus]

Most Water companies will install free of charge and I would say you would definitely save money.

There are just the two of us and our bill halved after the meter was installed.

[emeritus]

Some information here

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/heating-water-and-electricity/guides/switching-to-a-water-meter/

[bookbinder]

I can't tell you the cost, because our water meter was installed by the builders of our house (in 1994). I do not think that there is much inconvenience, as the meter is installed outside the house, at the end of the driveway, or some such place that is convenient for the water board. As regards the "running costs", yes, it is relatively cheaper for a two-person (not necessarily elderly people!) household to pay for water via a meter. The usual rule of thumb goes something like this:
the fewer people in the house, the cheaper the water is. My wife and I did not have a meter in our previous house, but, since moving to this house (with a meter) we are paying less for our water.

[LazyGun]

I would echo that - The Utility company should install it free of charge - and if you are a relatively low user then it should certainly work out cheaper.

As far as the inconvenience goes - When mine was installed, I think the mains supply to the house was turned off for an afternoon whilst they fitted the meter on the avenue outside my house, and that was it.

[frugalfred]

It's installed for free. You can opt to have it removed after one year if you so wish. (Severn Trent - don't know about other companies) Once the first year is past, it's there for "ever". The general rule is that if there are more bedrooms than people in the house, having a meter is good sense. Obviously it depends on use of shower or bath; washing machine; dishwasher, car-washing, garden watering, etc. I have 3 water butts for the latter two jobs.

[craft1948]

My sister and her husband had one fitted and they reckon to have saved a lot of money. They don't even have to come out and read mine as I had a smart meter fitted.

[factor-fiction]

By switching to a meter we cut our bill from £70 a month to £30 a month and this has since been reduced again. We have 2-3 people in the house for most of the time. We are careful with water but have baths, use the dishwasher and use the washing machine most days and have showers every morning.
The only way I can see anyone losing out is if they fill a swimming pool or water their garden regularly with a hosepipe

[Georgiesmum]

We were amazed how much we saved by changing to a water meter.I consider we are quite high users too. My washing machine is on most days and we have baths and a dishwasher that goes on every day.

[deggers316]

and ours has the reading transmitted by wireless so the bloke doesn't even have to come to read it,

[woofgang]

My bill is now less than half. I haven't changed my lifestyle at all, in fact during the last wet summer and winter, my washing machine ran every single day, sometimes twice because I have two large muddy dogs.

[HAVEY]

There won't be much mess...most water companies want to fit it externally as its easier to read but if this isn't practical they will go for a fit under the kitchen sink or somewhere similar. If they cannot fit meter at all the couple can enquire about an assessed charge which is cheaper than normal unmeasured charges. Generally meters are cheaper for older people as they don't have as much washing/dish washing/showering than families with kids etc. if a meter is fitted the couple can request to revert to unmeasured charges after 12 mths if their bills don't reduce.

[askyourgran]

My SIL is a widow, she still lives in the same three bedroomed house but has had a water meter fitted outside and she has saved quite a lot of money. She still does washing every day (for an elderly neighbour) and uses the shower. The only time she worried when her daughter and 2 sons came to stay, using the bath and shower a lot. Once a meter is fitted I understand that it cannot be reversed I may be wrong.

[woofgang]

Havey, not here in Hampshire you can't. They are now installing meters here compulsorially (is that a word?) and when i had mine done, I requested it but if it had cost me more they wouldn't have removed it again.