Water Meter Help

Markee

When I moved into my property approx 18 months ago I contacted Thames Water to set up an account.

They informed me that I would need to have a water meter installed and would send round an engineer to carry out a survey.

I was happy with this as I live on my own in a 3 bedroom flat, so didn't want to pay a fixed rates type value.

The guy duly turned up, had a look around outside and said I couldnt have a water meter as I was on a shared supply with the other flats in the block.

Around 3 weeks ago I had cause to call out an emergency plumber as I had a leak and my internal stop !!!! was seized open. They asked where the outside stop !!!! was and insisted I MUST have an individual !!!! for my property. They were right, I have a dedicated meter pit for my property with a connection for a meter. I have re-contacted Thames Water and have now had a water meter installed. The original guy completley missed this.

Now, it is clear I have been overpaying for my water after Thames Water incorrectly told me I couldn't have a meter. Can I claim compensation or a refund? Would Ofwat help? Surley water meter facilities are only installed for/by the water authority and it would be reasonable to expect them to know where they are and that they exist?

I did contact Thames Water and ask to claim compensation and was told they would look into it once the meter was installed.

Any help or advice would be most appreciated.

epsilondraconis

I would send off a letter of complaint informing them that you are giving them 28 days in which to resolve it. At least this way the complaint is logged with them, plus you can see what they come back with. If nothing is resolved, after 3 months, or whenever you receive your first bill, calculate the amount of water you used in that time and then calculate pro-rata how much you were over charged from the time the guy said you couldn't have the meter installed, until the time it was installed.

That's what I would do; however I'm sure someone will be along with a better approach.

Good luck anyway.

Cardew

Were you told in writing that a meter was unable to be fitted?

As you were unable to have a meter fitted, you should have been offered an assessed charge based on an average charge.

Did this happen, or did you remain paying charges based on your Rateable Value?

Provided Thames water have a record of the visit 18 months ago, you have a clear case for compensation. They normally will get you to check your readings for a trial period and then assess what your consumption would have been over the 18 months - so be very sparing with water until it is sorted.

Water companies did not have any responsibility for meter facilities when your property was built as it must have been before 1989, but it is reasonable that they should know how to locate the supply and where a meter could be fitted.
The shared supply is not normally a reason for being unable to fit a meter as it is possible to fit a meter inside the property in many cases - mine is!

Thje Consumer Council for Water are the people to contact if you do not get satisfaction from Thames, but they will not take up your case until Thames have dealt with your complaint.

Markee

Thanks for your help, guys.

Excellent advice as usual!

I will post up progress as it happens.

Markee

Update:

Thames Water agreed things have been badly handled.

Water Meter has been installed, and based on usage over a month they calculated what I should have been paying had I had a water meter when I moved in (Not when I requested a water meter, some 6 months later...).

It also transpires I was being over charged for non-metered water rates (which they owned up to).

Refunded £548!!!