Help! Advice desperately needed!
MXW
Posts: 563 Forumite
in Water bills
Hello everyone,
I hope someone can give me some advice, I'm near to tears and don't know what to do or think.
I live with my teenage son, and my eldest son is at uni so is only home in the holidays. Every 6 months I get my water bill and it is going up and up! I don't skimp with water, but I'm certainly not extravagant and am mindful of what I use.
When I got my bill 6 months ago, it had gone up again and my direct debit was put up to £47 per month. I rang Severn Trent about this and they asked me to take a meter reading, I tried on several occasions but the viewing window was dirty and full of condensation.
I insisted that someone came out to read the meter, which they did. The water was turned off, a reading was taken and then turned on again. He told me there was no leak as there was no leak as there was movement on the meter (not even a dripping tap). He wasn't here for very long, and then left.
I have just got my bill today and it's £621.13 for a 6 month period! And my direct debit has gone up to £105.24 per month!
I rang Severn Trent who are sending someone out on 12th February to do a water flow check and they have put a freeze on my account.
I don't know what to think! What if they come out again and say there is no leak? What do I do? I asked if the meter was at fault and he said no. Do they mean there's no leak from their side, or mine too....or is there no leak from their side, but there could be a leak from mine?
If my pipes are leaking underground and they have to be dug up, is this covered on the insurance. I haven't got this kind of money!
I apologise for rambling and probably getting ahead of myself, but I'm just in a panic! In 6 months my water consumption has gone up 105%!
Any advice would be gratefully received!
Thank you in advance.
Michelle
I hope someone can give me some advice, I'm near to tears and don't know what to do or think.
I live with my teenage son, and my eldest son is at uni so is only home in the holidays. Every 6 months I get my water bill and it is going up and up! I don't skimp with water, but I'm certainly not extravagant and am mindful of what I use.
When I got my bill 6 months ago, it had gone up again and my direct debit was put up to £47 per month. I rang Severn Trent about this and they asked me to take a meter reading, I tried on several occasions but the viewing window was dirty and full of condensation.
I insisted that someone came out to read the meter, which they did. The water was turned off, a reading was taken and then turned on again. He told me there was no leak as there was no leak as there was movement on the meter (not even a dripping tap). He wasn't here for very long, and then left.
I have just got my bill today and it's £621.13 for a 6 month period! And my direct debit has gone up to £105.24 per month!
I rang Severn Trent who are sending someone out on 12th February to do a water flow check and they have put a freeze on my account.
I don't know what to think! What if they come out again and say there is no leak? What do I do? I asked if the meter was at fault and he said no. Do they mean there's no leak from their side, or mine too....or is there no leak from their side, but there could be a leak from mine?
If my pipes are leaking underground and they have to be dug up, is this covered on the insurance. I haven't got this kind of money!
I apologise for rambling and probably getting ahead of myself, but I'm just in a panic! In 6 months my water consumption has gone up 105%!
Any advice would be gratefully received!
Thank you in advance.
Michelle
0
Comments
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Can you not just back on the set rather than metered? Other thing is do you have an outside tap?:T:T :beer: :beer::beer::beer: to the lil one
:beer::beer::beer:0 -
dawyldthing wrote: »Can you not just back on the set rather than metered? Other thing is do you have an outside tap?
I have to have a meter, I bought the house from new and it had the meter installed. I have a tap in the garage.0 -
Post your actual usage in cu m from the bill, with dates. £££'s tell us nothing.No free lunch, and no free laptop
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How long have you been in this 'New' house and has there been any building work around you ?
It's not unkown for a W/meter to be supplying more than one property0 -
How long have you been in this 'New' house and has there been any building work around you ?
It's not unkown for a W/meter to be supplying more than one property
The house was built in 1991 and I have been in it from new. The last few bills I had have increased by 5-9%, I have contacted Severn Trent on several occasions, but they told me that my usage was average.
When my last direct debit increased to £47 per month, I asked for a water flow check ( I couldn't read the meter because it was scratched and there was condensation on it). When the guy came out he assured me that there were no leaks. I said I had been worried that there was a leak underground, and under my drive....he said that there would be evidence of the leak if that was the case. My drive is block paved so I assume he meant that the blocks would look darker because of the damp, he also said the grass at the side of the drive would be wet/damp.
I have contacted my insurance company for some information about my policy and have been told that if there is a leak, if it's in the house I'm covered, if it's outside then I'm not!
A work colleague mentioned that if it was a leak (using more than double my normal water), then the water pressure would go down and it hasn't.
I'm going to ring Severn Trent up later and try and get an earlier appointment if possible... I just need to know what the situation is.0 -
Also...if I have been proactive in trying to establish a leak and have been told there isn't one, surely they would be liable for the amount of debt outstanding because my direct debit hasn't covered it?0
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He told me there was no leak as there was no leak as there was movement on the meter (not even a dripping tap). He wasn't here for very long, and then left.
I assume you mean 'No movement on the meter'??
The commonest form of leak in a house is a toilet cistern silently overflowing into the basin; this can be intermittent.
It is simply not acceptable that you cannot read your meter; and thus are unable to check for leaks. I would insist that Severn Trent rectify the situation.
If you cant read the meter, could it be that the meter reader couldn't either and just guessed or estimated.0 -
Yes, no movement on the meter. He told me there was no leak inside or outside. I thought my meter was electronically read, but Severn Trent have confirmed today that it isn't. You may be right that it has been read incorrectly!I assume you mean 'No movement on the meter'??
The commonest form of leak in a house is a toilet cistern silently overflowing into the basin; this can be intermittent.
It is simply not acceptable that you cannot read your meter; and thus are unable to check for leaks. I would insist that Severn Trent rectify the situation.
If you cant read the meter, could it be that the meter reader couldn't either and just guessed or estimated.0 -
You really need to deal in m3, doubt if you use much more than 2-3 m3 per month. This would result in a far smaller bill than received. The meter is their's, possibly withhold payment until they replace it with one that can be read.0
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