Could ants have interfered with our water meter?

deanos

You say est and actual ?

So some of your bills were estimated ?

TomandBarbara

units used from nov 2000
58
58
41
20
14
36
38
107 this is the bill in question!
39
36
25
27
25

The last reading before was 1650 and they estimated 1688 but the actual reading was 1795

mute_posting

at what intervals are those readings? (there are too many to be yearly and not enough to be 6 monthly)

Is it possible that the high reading was just for a longer period than the others? i.e. if they were equal periods there is wild variation up and down IMO (based on a set number of people living following a normal routine)

How many people live in the house?

MP

TomandBarbara

mute_posting wrote: »

at what intervals are those readings? (there are too many to be yearly and not enough to be 6 monthly)

Is it possible that the high reading was just for a longer period than the others? i.e. if they were equal periods there is wild variation up and down IMO (based on a set number of people living following a normal routine)

How many people live in the house?

MP

ok, Will check the bills later and see.

just the two of us in the house!

WestonDave

suzynick wrote: »

units used from nov 2000
58 March 2001
58 Sept 2001
41 03/02
20 09/02
14 03/03
36 09/03
38 03/04
107 this is the bill in question! 09/04
39 03/05
36 09/05
25 03/06
27 09/06
25 03/07

The last reading before was 1650 and they estimated 1688 but the actual reading was 1795

I've put in guessed bill dates in red - now if that is true you appear to be missing a bill for September last year - did they do one and did you pay it. If not its pretty obvious why the recent bill is double - because its for a whole year rather than for 6 months. That may be worth checking into.

Also there are some wild variations in usage which either suggest a massive leak or daft estimations - varying between 14 units and 107 isn't possible unless something serious has happened.

If I were you I'd start looking at usage on a weekly basis for say 4 weeks (pick normal weeks when you aren't away more than normal etc and go and read the meter on a set day and time each week) and work out what your average 26 weekly usage should be, and then see how that compares with the averaged out usage from above which comes to about 40 units per 6 months.

My guess at this stage is that they aren't overcharging you but also aren't doing proper readings regularly which is leading to some low bills and some bigger ones to catch up when they do get round to reading the meter.

TomandBarbara

Here you go...

58 units from nov 00 - jun 01
58 units from jun 01 - dec 01
41 units from dec 01 - jun 02
20 units from jun 02 - dec 02
14 units from dec 02 - jun 03
36 units from jun 03 -dec 03
38 units from dec 03 - jun 04
107 units from jun 04 - dec 04
39 units from dec 04 - jun 05
36 units from jun 05 - jan 06
25 units from jan 06 -jun 06
27 units from jul 06 -dec 06
23 units from jan 06 - jun 07
25 units from jul 07 dec 07
25 units from jan 08 jun 08

TomandBarbara

Sorry just realised I mucked up the bills the first time round!

whatatwit

You didn't happen to change a washing machine or dishwasher during the period of the big bill.
Just wondering if maybe there was a faulty water inlet valve and water was running through the machine.

TomandBarbara

No absolutely no change in circumstances, still got the same washing machine and no dishwasher!

Its so frustrating there is just nothing at all that makes sense of it.

whatatwit

I suppose all you can be thankful for is that after the 'blip' your usage returned to normal and if anything you have managed to reduce it.
Are you able to access your meter to take a monthly reading in case it suddenly goes up again?