General Chat

Jennifer Your water rates must be very low then, if you think you wouldnt save any money. My neighbours, two adults with frequent visiting kids home from Uni, went onto a meter and cut their bill in half, from £700 to about £350. I don't know anyone who hasn't saved money. OC

you can ask for a leaflet from your water authority, they issue a payment comparison chart for house size etc and what you pay now to what you could ,using that i calculated we would save about £2 per yr, 2 bed house ,2 adults,needless to say im not going onto a meter.

LLC Unmetered water is charged on the old rateable value of the property, so it depends on where you live, as to what you pay - that is why my unmetered water bills were so high, I live in an area with high rateable values. METERED water is priced per unit, and everyone who gets their metered water from the same company will pay the same unit price. OC

my mum who is on her own and uses the littlest amount she can pays £6 a month we are nt on a meter and pay £339 this year. What I wonder is like the water rates now if you live in a higher council band rate then your water rate is higher but if you have a meter is the unit you used charged at the same rate as a person in a different council band ? Do you see what I mean? Difficult to explain

Its worth checking to see when the meter is running. My son found out that his supply was joined to next door's!!! He lives alone - they are a family. I'm not sure of the figures but the water board did put him back onto unmetered water while they sort it out. (Which seems to be taking months and months!) Anne

Unless you live in an area where water rates are exceptionally low, you can hardly fail to SAVE money by having a meter. All water companies allow you to have a meter for a trial period of one year - you can have it removed any time during that year if your costs go up. If you are three or fewer people in the household, you will almost certainly save money. I don't stint on water usage, but I don't waste it either - was extremely cross to find, about two hours after some visitors left today, that their little dear had left the tap running in the downstairs loo.......the hot tap, too! OC

hi deana ,had a meter for 6 years .it cost us (2)£180 per year .showers not baths .never use tap water for any outside jobs ,car wash ,watering garden etc as we have 3 water butts .i think its cheaper than before meter .

We in NI were about to have water charges imposed on us if Ian Paisley & Gerry Adams hadn't formed a government by the 26th March. Our estimated bill for this year was £130 going up to approx £260 next year & £390 the third year. That's ON TOP of our rates which are approx £1100 for our house for 2 adults & 3 children. Thankfully, the water charges have been postponed for a year. Apparently it would be too expensive to fit all houses with water meters here although pensioners have the right to have one fitted or if you are building a new house you can have one fitted. All farmers here have them. Ails x

When I had mine fitted, I insisted that they install it under my sink, so that I could easily read it myself. This has the added advantage of: leaks their side of the meter are their responsibility, leaks my side are my responsibility. As my water supply runs under the house before it comes INTO the house (for some reason best known to the builders) then any huge upheaval will be their cost, not mine. It sounds to me as if they are trying it on - they tried it on with me, wanted to treble my monthly payment. I pointed out that my usage averages 30 units per quarter and that my current payment level already has me in credit. They backed down immediately. If your UNIT consumption has gone up a lot, then I agree, you have a leak! But I suspect they have just sent a bog standard request to increase your payments, in the hope that you won't argue. They only need 10,000 people to be £100 in credit and they have a million quid to play with! Also - on the back of my bill is a bit about help with payments, if you really are using this amount. This is money they have set aside for the purpose out of their profits, so don't be shy - claim your share, no forms to fill in, instant decision on the phone. OC

Might be the answer....a leak, but it is so difficult. I'll get allan to look tomorrow....of he can get to it, he is digging up the garden!!! Thanks to all you lovely ladies for trying to help me. Deanna X

Deanna, check you haven't got a leak. My neighbour has a meter, she lives in a 3 bedroom semi with her husband. Is very careful with water, but her costs were more than when un-metered. She checked the meter and it was whizzing round when no taps were on, called the water board and a leak was found. Sue

Got one fitted for my Dad Two bed bungalow, washer on twice a week, shower (no bath) and for the first full quarter and an extra month it has come in at £77.00 with waste If I had left him on the normal rates it would have been just shy of £400 per year

Okay mum.....I promise I will. Can't go without water and can't afford that bill. Deanna XXX

No it wasn't in Spam!!! Just read it. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! It's got to be wrong. Lots of hugs J xx

YES indeed love. I did e-mail you back....is it in the SPAM box again?? :-0) Deanna X

Deanna Have your read my latest email???? Jill

Thanks girls. That was very helpful of you all. We are also frugal with our water, and were long before we had a meter. I just don't know how much water they think we need to live on, because we do try hard to save it! Tina.....you must just be so lucky! well done getting a house that the *water board can't tie your pipes up!* :-0) Deanna X

HI Denna, Having just read all the replys, I have been blessed with a stoke of luck. We have just moved home, and it is, apparently, complusory to have a water meter fitted when a new account is set up. (Essex and Suffolk). This was going to cost me in the region of £35/month. To my joy, I have received a letter from the company stating that they are unable to fit a water meter to my property as the pipe work is not suitable. I have received my bill for the coming year...£141.46. I am frugal with water, but £15.72/month is far better than £35/month. Water meters don't always save money. Tina x

We arent Deanna but are very careful with water, Caz xxx

Deanna, Is the water meter in a place where you can read it regularly to see how much you are using, is it possible there is a leak? I don't pay monthly, just when I get the bill once in 6 months. 2 years ago was paying £750 a year so changed to meter and saved £500 in first year. There are 2 of us in a large bungalow most of the time, but have family stayiin from time to time. We save all the 'cold' water run off before it gets hot, to water the garden, only use dishwasher when large gatherings, showers instead of bath. Have heard prices gone up, but bill due sometime this month, would have gone up with rateable value anyway. Most of a metered water bill is made up of standing charges, which you pay whether you use water or not, so a family that uses double the amount of water, won't pay double the charges.