Removal of Water Meter

1philipp · 23 May 2017 at 5:29AM

I have just taken over occupancy of a house where the previous occupant had died. The house has a water meter which was installed in July 2015 at the request of the now deceased occupier.

I understand that when a water meter is installed there is an option to have it switched back to an unmetered supply within 2 years, so I contacted Welsh Water regarding this and they advised that any rights for removing the water meter discontinued upon the death of the previous occupant, even a personal representative has no rights. I clarified this with the Consumer Council for Water and they confirmed water meter removal rights are not passed on to subsequent occupiers.

I understood that under the Sale of Goods and Services Act that rights and guarantees for services are supposed to be passed onto subsequent owners. Does anyone know why water companies do not need to comply with this or if there or if there is any way to get a water meter removed?

Thanks

macman · 23 May 2017 at 8:29AM

The supplier can impose a meter upon change of occupancy, so no, you have no choice but to accept metered billing. The reversion you refer to is for the occupier who had the meter installed
PS: the meter is never removed, it is simply disregarded.
From a legal point of view, you bought the property, not the water supply contract. You will start a new account and so a new contract.

Cardew · 23 May 2017 at 10:22AM

Welcome to the forum.

Above is correct. If you want a long and boring read try wading through The Water Act 1989 and dozens of amendments! http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulated-companies/ofwat-industry-overview/legislation/

Since April 1990, when metering was introduced, water companies were empowered to fit a meter on change of occupant; and indeed it was the intent that gradually all properties would be metered. Some companies didn't bother as given the unique funding of water companies it made no difference to their revenue or profit if a property was metered. e.g. if X thousand properties paid lower charges by being unmetered, they simply increased charges to the rest of their customers to compensate and raise the same revenue authorised by the Regulator.

1philipp · 23 May 2017 at 12:02PM

Thanks for the replies. It still seems unfair that rights are not passed on to subsequent owners and that people do not have the choice of metered or unmetered supply, but it looks like there is nothing we can do!

matelodave · 23 May 2017 at 12:12PM

IMO it's unfair that anyone doesn't have a meter.

Perhaps there'd be less waste if people were paying for what they used and realised the value of it.

Cardew · 23 May 2017 at 1:46PM

1philipp wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. It still seems unfair that rights are not passed on to subsequent owners and that people do not have the choice of metered or unmetered supply, but it looks like there is nothing we can do!

Cannot agree with you.

All properties built since April 1990 must have a meter.

Why should properties built before this date have the choice of metered or un-metered. Especially as un-metered properties have their charges based on the notional rent(the Rateable Value-RV) that the property could achieve in1973(for the majority of properties in England and Wales)

Surely it makes sense to pay for the water you consume? If unmetered properties pay low water charges it simply means that other consumers are subsidising their charges

macman · 23 May 2017 at 9:59PM

1philipp wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. It still seems unfair that rights are not passed on to subsequent owners and that people do not have the choice of metered or unmetered supply, but it looks like there is nothing we can do!

So you would want such rights to transfer in the case of water, gas, electricity, and telcoms contracts as well? That would make no sense.

Norman_Castle · 25 May 2017 at 9:48AM

1philipp wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. It still seems unfair that rights are not passed on to subsequent owners and that people do not have the choice of metered or unmetered supply, but it looks like there is nothing we can do!

The current system of optional meters with two years to revert is generous. Paying for what you use is fairer and encourages economic use.
Water charges based on rateable values is nonsensical and often has no relation to the service provided.

redux · 25 May 2017 at 10:00AM

Perhaps you might research your likely bill if it is possible succeed in your protest.

When this house was metered (at our request) the annual bill dropped from about £720 to about £225.

teddysmum · 30 May 2017 at 2:52PM

I'm about to request a meter as I didn't know how much we could save, as I was wrongly assuming that the sewage factor stayed the same, whereas it is based in actual usage.

tenchy · 3 June 2017 at 11:17PM

Could I just correct a couple of points. Our house was built in 1997 and doesn't have a meter, in common with a large number of other nearby houses. I don't think there's any such thing as a contract for your water supply.

Removal of Water Meter

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