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Cheaper Water Bills Article Discussion

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  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    hey guys. quick question as i know NOTHING about this... i've moved into a student property and just got our water bill through. it works out as just over £45 per month, and there are 3 of us living here. is this excessive? a lot of my other friends living in privately rented student properties were shocked and said they're paying a LOT less than that... :\ we're on a water meter already. (unfortunately, as one of my flatmates takes hour-long showers...)

    Water charges vary tremendously across the UK, for instance the South west pay over double the charges in some other regions. Therefore cost alone is not the criteria to judge if you are using too much water.

    For UK average consumption, three people should use approx 15 cubic metres in total per month. If it is more than that amount you are using too much.

    Hour long showers will not only up your water bill, but will have a bigger impact on your fuel bill.
  • Cardew wrote: »
    Water charges vary tremendously across the UK, for instance the South west pay over double the charges in some other regions. Therefore cost alone is not the criteria to judge if you are using too much water.

    For UK average consumption, three people should use approx 15 cubic metres in total per month. If it is more than that amount you are using too much.

    Hour long showers will not only up your water bill, but will have a bigger impact on your fuel bill.

    thank you :) i rang them up today and the guy said he thought it was v excessive and let slip that what they'd said was an actual reading on the bill was actually just an estimate - they're estimating it's 48m3 we've used in two months. so i'm taking meter readings today and in ten days' time - but i have a quick (naive) question to ask - on my bill, the meter readings are just three digits like 474 and 522; on the meter itself it's like a seven digit number, do they just go by the last three digits then?
    Comping since August 2022
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  • MrGreen44
    MrGreen44 Posts: 190 Forumite
    My Mum has just got her water bill, Anglian Water now want to take £43 a month. She lives on her own so just cannot see why bill is so high.

    I have told her to cancel the debit and just pay the bill when it comes, is this the right thing to do?

    MrG
  • Hi,

    We're an average household of 3 living in a 4 bedroom detached house. Just received a water bill that is estimating we will use close to a £1000 next year. We've already been charged £400 for the last 6 months usage. Is this excessive or is this the price of water nowadays?

    Thanks for any help.
    David
  • daynurse
    daynurse Posts: 136 Forumite
    we have a average size 3 bed house our water bills are high they are telling us we are using water for a familly of 5 there are only 2 of living here both work full time done the tests advised a lady came this week to check the meter looked at it said it was fine??? im really not happy what can i do about it ever since me moved in to this house the bills have been ridiculous they want to put my monthly payment up to 85.00
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    wong2659 wrote: »
    Hi,

    We're an average household of 3 living in a 4 bedroom detached house. Just received a water bill that is estimating we will use close to a £1000 next year. We've already been charged £400 for the last 6 months usage. Is this excessive or is this the price of water nowadays?

    Thanks for any help.
    David

    Are you metered or being charged on the rateable value?

    The biggest factor is where you live as the charges vary tremendously across the country.

    For instance in the South West their charges are well over double some other areas.

    A family of 3 should use on average 180 cubic metre per year. Look that up on the website of your water company and see what that will cost.

    If you are not metered you will be charged on the Rateable Value of the property and there is nothing you can do about charges - except get a meter of course.

    If a meter doesn't turn out to be cheaper you can always revert back to your old charging system in the first 12 months.
  • I bought a flat in October 2006, niavely thinking water bills were covered in my service charge. Over 3 years later in January 2010 Thames Water decide to send me a bill back dated three years for all the unpaid water bills.

    Do I have a case to argue that I should not have to pay for their mistake in not billing me for three years?

    Any help or advice appreciated.

    Thanks
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    Stato7 wrote: »
    I bought a flat in October 2006, niavely thinking water bills were covered in my service charge. Over 3 years later in January 2010 Thames Water decide to send me a bill back dated three years for all the unpaid water bills.

    Do I have a case to argue that I should not have to pay for their mistake in not billing me for three years?

    Any help or advice appreciated.

    Thanks

    Welcome to the forum.

    No you have no case.

    It is you that has made the mistake in assuming your water charges were included in your service charge and not notifying Thames that you were in residence.

    Properties remain unoccupied for years and a Water company have no way of knowing when someone moves in, they can hardly be expected to send people round every few weeks to see if someone opens the door.
  • I live in a 2 bedroom terraced property and live on my own. I have a water metre and my water is provided by Anglian Water. A family member lives in a 2 bedroom property and also lives alone. Their water is provided by Severn Trent. Their bills are based on the rateable value of the property. They do not have a water metre. They have unlimted water usage at no extra charge. I pay for the water I use via a water metre.

    I pay approximately £468.00 per annum. They pay approximately £170.00 per annum. Can anyone explain why I pay twice as much?

    :(
  • Gothicfairy
    Gothicfairy Posts: 3,060 Forumite
    Miss_Poppy wrote: »
    I live in a 2 bedroom terraced property and live on my own. I have a water metre and my water is provided by Anglian Water. A family member lives in a 2 bedroom property and also lives alone. Their water is provided by Severn Trent. Their bills are based on the rateable value of the property. They do not have a water metre. They have unlimted water usage at no extra charge. I pay for the water I use via a water metre.

    I pay approximately £468.00 per annum. They pay approximately £170.00 per annum. Can anyone explain why I pay twice as much?

    :(


    In a nutshell..their Rateable value is less then your water consumption. My RV works out (at this years figures with STW) about £250 for 2009-2010 so that is my bill regardless of how much I use whereas if you are on a meter you pay per cubic meter used.
    You use about £468 per year where your family member pays a fixed rate for the year.
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