Water Bills questions and comment

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  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
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    Presumably you had the choice of having a meter fitted 3 years ago. If so a refund is highly unlikely.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    Hi Everyone!

    I have just bought my first home, and the water rates are £268.44 for the year with Yorkshire Water, now my parents think I am best getting a water meter but the Low Usage for 1 person is showing as £209 for the year. Is it really that little of a saving? and is it worth taking the risk?

    Thanks in advance!! :D
  • Chipmunk1
    Chipmunk1 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Hi

    Have just been advised by southern water that I cannot have a water meter fitted ( I have never requested a meter, but they insisted on visiting to assess for an 'internal fit' for a meter as it cannot be fitted at the roadside ).

    I am currently on a rateable charge of approx £280 per year ( 2 bed terrace, 2 person occupancy ). I understand they will now look at offering an 'assessed rate', which, looking at the charges will be substantially higher than what i am currently paying - can I refuse this and insist on remaining on a rateable charge?

    Thanks
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,037 Forumite
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    Chipmunk1 wrote: »
    Hi

    Have just been advised by southern water that I cannot have a water meter fitted ( I have never requested a meter, but they insisted on visiting to assess for an 'internal fit' for a meter as it cannot be fitted at the roadside ).

    I am currently on a rateable charge of approx £280 per year ( 2 bed terrace, 2 person occupancy ). I understand they will now look at offering an 'assessed rate', which, looking at the charges will be substantially higher than what i am currently paying - can I refuse this and insist on remaining on a rateable charge?

    Thanks


    Yes, you are offered the choice of assessed or remaining on your current RV charging system.


    By 'rateable charge of £280' do you mean your charges are approx. £280 a year, or your Rateable Value is £280?
  • Chipmunk1
    Chipmunk1 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Cardew wrote: »
    Yes, you are offered the choice of assessed or remaining on your current RV charging system.


    By 'rateable charge of £280' do you mean your charges are approx. £280 a year, or your Rateable Value is £280?

    Oops!, yes, meant £280 charge per year - thanks for the quick response
  • D-Howard
    D-Howard Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Our water, from a very small water company (it supplies only six families) has had some dozen episodes of infected water in the past four years, and the local authority have taken note. The company which has other interests and has assets of several million, wants to charge us each several thousand pounds p.a. to cover the costs of repairing and maintaining the private water supply. Is this legal or ethical? Currently, and it excludes sewage, the charge is about the same as your figure of just over £200. p.a.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,037 Forumite
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    D-Howard wrote: »
    Our water, from a very small water company (it supplies only six families) has had some dozen episodes of infected water in the past four years, and the local authority have taken note. The company which has other interests and has assets of several million, wants to charge us each several thousand pounds p.a. to cover the costs of repairing and maintaining the private water supply. Is this legal or ethical? Currently, and it excludes sewage, the charge is about the same as your figure of just over £200. p.a.


    About 1% of properties in UK are not supplied with mains water from the Regulated water companies.


    This is the Government guidance on private water supplies.


    http://dwi.defra.gov.uk/consumers/advice-leaflets/pws.pdf


    If a private company, which presumably exists to make a profit and is not a charity, needs to spend six times 'many thousands of pounds' to repair and maintain the private water supply, the money obviously will have to come from another source by way of a grant or a levy on the 6 households.
  • Ltillyj
    Ltillyj Posts: 1 Newbie
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    I was just wondering if any one could help me! I'm a newbie and can't figure out how to post a new post forgive me! Basically I'm with United utilities, I live in a one bedroom rented flat and applied for the single person rate as I live alone, they told me I am not eligible for this as in 2009 (in which I was 14) and lived 50 miles away they came to assess the property for a water meter and the previous tenant did not answer the door, I have spoke to my landlord about a water meter and he has said he DOES NOT want a water meter fitted, I told them this and they said as I am on a 6 month roll over tenancy contract I was entitled to have a water meter fitted against my landlords wishes, but I do not want to do this as my landlord is very accommodating he has fitted new heaters, extra plug sockets, painted the flat to my liking and allowed me to have a dog when it's in my tenancy agreement not too with the risk of the other 27 flats in building also getting pets all free of charge, he's even offered me a job, I risk loosing my £870 deposit and will have to pay for the removal of my water meter and any damage caused, yet they refuse to put me on the single person rate which would mean a payment of around £21 a month compared with just over £34 which I pay now, so far I've been paying the £34 a month for just over 5 months, as I don't want to end up out of pocket £870 deposit plus any costs for removal and repairs of a water meter, is there any way I could get them to give me the single person rate that I deserve? If not long term ( as I don't intend on moving for the next 5 years) will it be cheaper to loose the deposit and pay for damages and pay over £10 a month more? Could really do with advice! I know £10 a month is not a lot in the grand scheme of things but that's £120 a year which is two weekly shopping bills! Feel like I'm being ripped off all for showing respect to my landlords wishes and trying to be a responsible tenant whilst also trying to think about the long term cost effectiveness of my water bill in this property! Thanks.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,037 Forumite
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    is there any way I could get them to give me the single person rate that I deserve
    ?

    Welcome to the forum.

    The answer is no!

    You are referring to a single person 'assessed rate'. An assessed rate is only given if the occupant has applied for a meter and for technical reasons a meter cannot be fitted.

    As you state, the landlord cannot prevent you getting a meter fitted. Also once a meter is fitted it cannot be removed* by you or the landlord.

    You have either got to apply for a meter and upset the landlord, or put up with the present situation.

    * If a meter is fitted, you can apply to revert to your present charging arrangements within 12 months - but the meter remains in place and subsequent occupants will pay metered charges.
  • chrisw99
    chrisw99 Posts: 359 Forumite
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    Over the past few months I have been sorting out every aspect of my monthly outgoings I can, and got nearly everything either cancelled or cheaper.

    One thing has always remained though and I've never really thought much about it, the water bill which is direct debit at £51 a month currently.

    We've been in the house 13 years and I think it was £30 a month when we moved in and has just gone up either £1 or £2 every year.

    We have 2 kids, 6 and 9, who use a *lot* of water. I tried the water meter calculator and it almost tripled the price, so I don't want to go there just yet!

    So - is £51 high, average, low? I'm in the SK8 area of Stockport, 3 bed semi-detached.

    Is there any way of getting this down as it seems to be the one monthly outgoing I'm stuck with no option of altering.
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