Why are water bills so different?

joseph_2

Hi all,

The other day i was comparing utillity bills with a friend, I pay around £350 a year for my water (not metered) where she is paying around £180 a year. After asking around more why is everyones water bill so different?

Joseph

pageee2004_2

The way water bills are worked out is that every house has a rateable value provided by the council/rating office, which was the way set up when water bills many years ago were paid directley to the council.
2 houses next to each other can have a different rateable value as if one house is nearer a bus stop than the other, or town, shops etc, also if one has a garage or larger rooms....
It is all based on the old rates for houses.

It really also depends on what facilities are in your towns, if you live in a large city your rateable value will be more so your bills will be more than if you live in a small town.

Hope this makes sense and helps you to understand why you would pay more?

Have you thought about a meter can be cheaper sometimes depending on people in the house.

We used to pay just under £400.00 per year before our meter, with just me and the OH living here and since meter installed still using same amount of water paying ave of 10.00 per month.
This is for showing/bath, washing machine, dish washer, garden etc.

Cardew

Metered charges were introduced for all houses built after 1989(with a couple of minor exceptions)

As the post above states the unmetered charges for pre 1989 properties are based on Rateable Value.(RV) The RV was assessed on the notional renting potential of the house and the criteria for this varied widely across the country.

In general terms modern houses had a much higher RV than older properties. I know of huge old Farmhouses with several acres of land that have a lower RV than a modern estate semi; yet would sell for 10 times the price.

joseph_2

Thanks guys,

Some good explanations there, I really should think about getting a meter if the saving can be that much!

Joseph

Cardew

joseph wrote:

Thanks guys,

Some good explanations there, I really should think about getting a meter if the saving can be that much!

Joseph

Metered Water charges vary widely across the UK and even within a water company’s area there are several different charging zones. Surface drainage and, obviously, consumption are other factors.

Most people are better off with a meter but those in properties with a low RV and/or high consumption are sometimes better to remain on un-metered.

The average consumption is 160 litres per day*, per person(0.16 cubic meters) so you can work out your savings using that as a guide.

I suggest that pageee’s charges – see above - are well below the average; there was a thread on this. I pay close to 400 pounds a year for 3 people in the Severn Trent area and my consumption is not much more than average.

The good thing is that you can change to a meter and you have a year to change back if you find it is not advantageous.

* originally put per year - see posts below

[Deleted User]

Two adults. £360 water bill. New house with a meter, same council district and bill is now £220

valmiki

Cardew wrote:

The average consumption is 160 litres pa, per person(0.16 cubic meters) so you can work out your savings using that as a guide.

isn't this per day not per annum?

calleyw

valmiki wrote:

isn't this per day not per annum?

I should think so. For people who don't know 1000 litres is 1 cubic meter. And between April and december last year I used 24 cubic meters.

But if it was a 160 litres per annum per person then there is something wrong with my meter big time


Yours


Calley

Cardew

valmiki wrote:

isn't this per day not per annum?

Whoops, Whoops! Sorry I did mean per day. (approx 60 cubic meters per year per person!) Mind you my Grandfather used to tell me war stories about being in the desert and managing on a canteen of water a day! - but he didn't pay for his water!!!

I will amend my original post.