Renting and problem with water bill.

Jami74

When we moved into this property a water meter was fitted. For the first two years it worked out at about £300 per six months (small terrace house, very water conscious family of four). I recently asked around and found that most people seem to be paying less than £400 a year! Our last bill was for £750 (for six months) and we queried this. Someone from the water board came out and confirmed that there was a leak somewhere but couldn't find the stop !!!! (is that the right word?). We think we have found it now and have re-informed the water board, and are waiting (with the next bill due in just a couple of months). I am worrying myself stupid about this bill as we don't have the money. We haven't paid anything yet because I didn't know if by paying some we were somehow agreeing to the full amount.

But...

If the leak isn't between the stop !!!! and the water meter then we are liable to pay the bill. When we moved in we thought there was a leak in the bathroom and informed the agents but nothing came of it. They are lousy at replying to letters and it was quite hard work getting them to organise a builder to investigate the water running down our lounge wall a couple of months ago. I have a feeling that there might be a leak somewhere between the water tank in the airing cupboard and whatever is in the roof because in the middle of the night in the bathroom I can hear what sounds like a running tap.

So my question is this: Does the landlord or agents have any responsibility towards our huge water bills if the leak is inside the house? On the contract it says that the landlord is responsible for maintenance but we are responsible for things like electric and water. Is there any other way of getting the water bill reduced? Or do we need to just accept that we are liable and there is nothing we can do. The rent is high (goes up annually) and we are struggling to pay it as it is.

Sorry it's long.

clutton_2

if you have lived there for several years and you hve been hearing water running in the middle of the night - then i would say this big bill is down to you - neither the agent nor the LL could possibly have heard this noise, and so i think you should have made much more fuss about the leak years ago - after all - you always knew you were on a water meter.

Jami74

The leak sound is new, it now sounds like a running tap but this has just been in the last few days.

clutton_2

if you can hear water - is there any water coming out of a pipe which sticks out of the external wall adjacent to the roof space ? (this is an overflow pipe from the roof tank)

flutter_2

It could also be coming from your boiler. I had a problem in my rental property a while ago where we noticed water was continually flowing out of the boiler overflow pipe thingy outside. It turned out our water pressure in the central heating system had become too high, due to a very slightly open valve. As such it was chucking out this water. This would explain the sound of running water now and the seemingly gradual onset of the problem.

Hope you get it sorted.

flutter

Jami74

Thanks all. Flutter it sounds like it could be what you describe. We are waiting to hear back from the letting agents about them organising a plumber. We can't reach the boiler because it's right inside, a pity really because we could really do with turning the temperature down. The water comes out boiling.

We're not trying to get out of paying our water bill, just not sure how we can pay it and wondering if it would be reasonable to expect the landlord to help or reduce the rent while we are trying to pay it off.

clutton_2

""would it be reasonable to expect the landlord to help or reduce the rent ""

unless the landlord is directly responsible for the leak - then this large bill is nothing to do with him - if you cannot pay your bill why should he subsidise you ? Landlords are not banks.

Jami74

Okay, sorry. I'm not sure who is directly responsible for the leak. I just know that we don't have that kind of money and am panicking about how to pay it. Moving out would probably be our best option but if we could afford to do that then we'd be able to afford the water bill. Lets hope we don't have to wait too much longer for it to be fixed.

clutton_2

"" Moving out would probably be our best option ""

but you would still owe the money and the water board would send debt collectors after you and you would end up with a CCJ.



you have to establish where the leak has been coming from before you can identify whose liability this leak is - if the leak is inside the property then i would suggest that you may have a case against the landlord for dereliction of his repairs obligation. if it is outside, then the water board are responsible.

if the bill does end up as your responsibility - then think of this "leaking pipe" as a money-pit - and i would take much stronger action NOW (rather than wait for the next bill) against the letting agent to get someone out sooner rather than later.

GrammarGirl

You can arrange to pay your water bill in monthly installments, rather than all at once. We're not on a meter and still have a ridiculously high estimated usage, so we pay £69 a month. That's with Yorkshire Water but I'm sure each company has a similar option.

Wickedkitten

GrammarGirl wrote: »

You can arrange to pay your water bill in monthly installments, rather than all at once. We're not on a meter and still have a ridiculously high estimated usage, so we pay £69 a month. That's with Yorkshire Water but I'm sure each company has a similar option.

What council band are you in? When we were with Yorkshire Water, we were in band B and our water rates were around £15 a month.