Water Meters- will it cost more?

dottiepeas

Hello!...

We are FTB and got our hip pack recently and noticed that the house we are buying is on a water meter.

We are a family of 3 and I would say we use alot of water probably- with daily showers/baths, washing machine about 4-5 times a week...and flush the loo everytime! I have read many posts online, to avoid having a water meter, as it will cost MORE for a family. (but you will save if you live alone or only have 2 of you living together)

Since we can't change back to normal billing- I am wondering if I can re-negotiate on our offer on the house, we were were not informed by the EA that it was water metered. (Only found out when we got the HIP)

With costs of living ever increasing, I feel this is making the house less attractive to us- as as it might cost us more in household bills......and I read online that houses with water meters can decrease the value of your house, as most people prefer not to be on one.

Do you think it's reasonable to make a lower offer from the one accepted?...based on the fact the house is water metered!?.....

adandem

Hi, we are a family of 4, I do 1/2 loads of washing a day, we all shower at least once a day and have the occasional bath.

I have a water meter and pay way less than we did before. It does make you consider what the water gets used for. I get quite mad when I see people leaving hoses running for hours on end when washing cars and gardening etc.

Any house build after a certain date will have a meter so I don't agree with that it will de-value a house tbh. I think that eventually all water will be metered as it's the only utility which isn't.

Personally, I think the vendors will think it very strange if you lower your offer based on the water meter, I know I would. If the cost of water is the make or break, can you def afford the house??

dottiepeas

Thanks for your reply Adandem!...

You're really the first post I've come across who as a family of 4 that saves money on a water meter! I've read other posts online, most saying that if you have a large family, you would be better off with normal billing!?...

Perhaps it is a little strange to make a lower offer on the one accepted....but in hindsight, I would not have offered what I did, if I had been told the house was watered metered. Probably would have offered something less if you know what I mean......

I guess I am miffed that that option had already been taken away- because once it has been switched to metered-you can't change back! Not like other utility companies like gas/electric, where you can switch and save!!....

Hmm...not sure, maybe I am making it more of an issue that it really is....

loki13

I think that you should have checked if it was important to you before making an offer. If I was selling I wouldn't entertain the thought of lowering the price I had accepted, when the information was easily available in the HIP. As a family of 3, we are better off on a water meter, but then we are used to droughts and water restrictions.We used the adage "if it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down" during the day at home.

dottiepeas

Loki13- Haahaa!...loving that adage of yours!!....maybe I should follow that mantra in our house!!....

But yeah- I did ask when I viewed about the water meter, but the EA said she wasn't sure as it was in the HIP (which she didn't have at the time), the situation is abit more complicated in that the house is vacant and is owned by a company as opposed to say Mr and Mrs Smith, so I'm guessing the EA didn't have that info easily accessible at the time?...I think I should have made more of an effort to find out before....but as it was a 1930's house, we did assume that it wasn't!....Doh!...

adandem

dottiepeas wrote: »

Thanks for your reply Adandem!...

You're really the first post I've come across who as a family of 4 that saves money on a water meter! I've read other posts online, most saying that if you have a large family, you would be better off with normal billing!?...

....

Our water bill is £27 per month. That's way less than we paid at our last (and much smaller) house. We flush every time too!!!

I'm afraid I still don't get why you would lower your offer tbh? In my view, the house is still worth the same, it's just that your running costs MAY vary. It's not like finding it you need a new boiler/roof etc. There is no extra initial outlay is there?

If it's the house you really want, I wouldn't worry to much, I think it's a minor detail.

Antispam

We are a family of 4 (2 teenage kids), we pay £27 which is just increased to £33 per month as we accrued some debt abet small

We moved house two years ago and we now pay less for water now before. We are careful though but we do on some occasions water garden (normally watering can when water butt is empty) and we wash car every other week bucket and hose down. We dont have a big bath nor does the toilet flush very well due to not using much water

McKneff

I wouldnt think you could renegotiate on the price of a house regarding a water meter. You will probably find that it is cheaper than a bill.
You do learn to live with it and take steps to help yourself.

Dont have the tap running while brushing your teeth.
Put a block in the cistern so less water is used when flushing.
Never leave a tap running in the kitchen.
Make your laundry loads slightly bigger.
Use your washing up/waste water to water the garden
Get a water butt.
There are countless other ways wich after a short time become just a part of daily living.

Barneysmom

We do all the things that anniehanlon suggests, our water meter bill is now £19 a month.
I think it's been better for us as it has taught us caution with water the same as gas/electric.

GaryS

We moved nearly 6 years ago into a new-build 4 bed 3 bathroom metered property from a 3 bed 1 bathroom unmetered one.

The old unmetered water bills were in excess of £360 per year, the cost since moving to a metered property has never reached that total to date.

Water meter gets my vote.

helen_roberts_2

We are a family of 4 - 2 small children so lots of washing, mopping, baths etc - we had a meter fitted last year, our water is now HALF it used to be best thing we ever done!!