Moving into a new property - compulsory water meter being installed

jimbugalee

I have read some of the posts of this about people asking whether they should have a water meter installed but I live in an area where if you are a new tenant it is compulsory to have one fitted.

This is our first house and wondered whether I could have some advice on the benefits/implications of a water meter and where we will need to be careful?

How does it work? Do we pay a set amount per whatever it is of water (a bit like gas and electric?) I had a look on the website and it looks like this is £0.8407 per cubic metre.

Trying to think of all the areas where we use water and whether you need to watch any of them carefully?
Toilets, showers, baths, dishwasher, washing machine hose, taps ..... anymore?

Also - is it better to pay a monthly direct debit where they estimate the amount you use so your payment remains the same but you may be paying more/less than you need to?

Any advice appreciated!! Many thanks

Cardew

That £0.8407 will be for water, sewerage is usually slightly more than that - so around £2 per cubic meter plus some standing charges + surface water drainage if liable.(sorry to bring bad news!)

The average consumption is 60 cu mtrs per person, per year, so for a couple £300pa is a ball park figure.

You pay for water in advance - 6 months in April and 6 months in Oct.

I believe it is just simpler to pay by monthly DD - they normally have 10 payments in a year. They will probably start the payment at £30 and adjust when they get a pattern of your consumption.

Whilst it is obviously important to not waste water, you don't need to go overboard about saving every drop.

uncovered

at the moment the water company i work for are being overwhelmed with requests for water meters, although tbf April is always the busiest time of year for meter application, we normally have 400 a month, but now have about 3k.

Part of the info I give to my customers when doing the meter survey is this. You pay in advance for water (If you're DD that is) so initially we will estimate how much we think you will use. We do this by looking at the average consumption for the amount of occupants in your house. We then split that into 10 payments.

We would read the meter every quarter and send a statement out every quarter just for information. This will show the amount of money you have paid to the amount of water consumed. This is just so you can manage your account and if the payments don't look write you can phone in and adjust.

We would re-assess your payments at the end of the first 12 months. Then we would say, last year you paid us £250 but you used £230 of water then we would owe you £20 and the following year your payments would be reduced as we would base your next years consumption on how much you used the previous year, if that makes sense.

If you choose to pay quarterly then you don't pay in advance. Basically we would read the meter, send out your quartely bill and you pay as you go, not many people are informed of that as the companies prefer DD as they are gauranteed the imcome.

Cost wise I always say to people not to be over careful. It depends on your water companys tariff but mine (northumbrian) charge roughly £1.70 per cubic metre (water and sewage) So in monetry terms flushing the loo is a penney, filling the sink is a penney. Using the wachine machine is 17p, bath 15p etc. In reality people think nothing of buying a can of pop for 60p, but then worry about how much water they are going to be charged for when on meter.

I am on meter, have been ever since i bought my first house back in 1997. It wasn't through choice but because the properties have been new builds and automatically on meter. Anyway I have my wife and two kids, 8 and 6. I pay £22 a month. best thing I have ever had.

jimbugalee

Thanks both .... I feel a bit more comfortable now! I try and save as much money as I can but I really don't like having to think about saving ... in this case every drop.

I live by myself in a flat currently (not on water meter) and pay £29 a month so looks like it'll be about the same but of course it's divided by 2 people. We may pay slightly more as we have a lodger ...although doubt he'll do any washing up!! I also work from home so use the loo during the day hehe

Thank you both for taking the time to explain ... really helpful

Gothicfairy

Your company reads each meter once a quarter wow the meter readers must be busy.
A lot of companies though only read once a year as that is all they are required to do by ofwat and also quite a few only bill once every 6 month.

There are little things you can do to cut down the water usage. Get a water saver from your supplier to add to your toilet cistern.
Don't leave the tap running when brushing teeth and done waste water by waiting for it to run hot in the sink use that water for filling the kettle etc..

But as has been said don't panic think, about how much water you could buy from a superstore for £2.00 say and then think that would be a good average (from water companies) for a cubic meter of water (waste and clean) and a cubic meter is 1000 litres and that is a lot of water

deanos

Gothicfairy wrote: »

.
A lot of companies though only read once a year as that is all they are required to do by ofwat and also quite a few only bill once every 6 month.

Some are billing every 3 months now and only reading the meter once a year

Gothicfairy

It was more the reading every quarter that shocked me. But then I guess it depends on how many meters that company actually have to read..

I know some do bill every quarter and I know a couple that did but have now changed it to every six months

Holophyte

Reply to this;

I'm am in the process of buying a new build property with Barratts. It is compulsary that a water metre is fitted. On looking at the general costs of having a water metre, how can anyone on here say it's beneficial? At the moment, my home is yearly billed, which is £320 per year. Around £30 per month direct debit. Once I move into the new property, I have done a calculation on the United Utilities Web site.
There will be 5 occupants in total, my wife and I plus 3 children aged, 8 years, 5 years & 2 month old. On giving all the relevant information, my yearly bill on a metre will be approx £570, and I was also congratulated for being below national average!!..So being below national average, I'm still £240 worse off with a water metre. My wife has suggested, we use the same bath water, not wash the car, not water the plants, flush the toilet less.....All well and good, but why should WE have to live like that? By doing all the things above, it would reduce my bill by around £50, so forget that!! Having a water metre should be benefical not a hindrance, like shall we give the baby a bath today? No we'll do it next week to save £10. As for the post from the guy that works at a water company who claims having the water metre was the best thing since sliced bread.....Discount for working there maybe???? Having a water metre is not and never will be a better option unless you live alone, and work all day, hence never in your property to use any water!!!!....I'm now in the understanding, as it's a new build we can not ask for this metre to be taken out and replaced with a yearly bill as there is no RV any more.....Also would a water company really want you to take a water metre out, if they are getting on average £250 per year more from each occupant..NO! This isn't about CO2 or your carbon footprint usuage oh no, it's all about substantial profits for something that comes down from the sky free...I understand we need to pay for the cleaning and wastage of our used water, but £250 per year additional to someone 3 streets away with the same amount of occupants, rob Peter to Pay Paul...i'm outraged...When I do phone UU's up to ask why I cannot have a yearly bill, I'm sure they'll have a script to adhere to, to make it not an option to someone wanting to live in a brand new energy efficiant property, I mean after all, what I will be saving on heating bills will be ploughed straight back into a water bill!. Anyone have anything to add to this scandal?

Gothicfairy

What scandal ? You pay for what you use and it is cheaper then gas or electric. Also the profit any water company can make is fixed by OFWAT and if they reduced the metered bills then the standing charges would go up or the amount of drainage for companies would go up. They are allowed a fixed amount of profit and can make it from anywhere

Holophyte

Gothicfairy wrote: »

What scandal ? You pay for what you use and it is cheaper then gas or electric. Also the profit any water company can make is fixed by OFWAT and if they reduced the metered bills then the standing charges would go up or the amount of drainage for companies would go up. They are allowed a fixed amount of profit and can make it from anywhere

I pay for what I use? Yes it would be cheaper if I was 75, living alone and was in the pub all day...When there are 7 in total in my house, then no it will not be cheaper will it...This is my argument, We should be allowed to choose which method we want, not what a water company decides we should have!! I just think it's a joke in this day and age...You need to work not to buy nice clothes but to pay for bloody having a bath!

escortg3

Holophyte wrote: »

Reply to this;

I'm am in the process of buying a new build property with Barratts. It is compulsary that a water metre is fitted. On looking at the general costs of having a water metre, how can anyone on here say it's beneficial? At the moment, my home is yearly billed, which is £320 per year. Around £30 per month direct debit. Once I move into the new property, I have done a calculation on the United Utilities Web site.
There will be 5 occupants in total, my wife and I plus 3 children aged, 8 years, 5 years & 2 month old. On giving all the relevant information, my yearly bill on a metre will be approx £570, and I was also congratulated for being below national average!!..So being below national average, I'm still £240 worse off with a water metre. My wife has suggested, we use the same bath water, not wash the car, not water the plants, flush the toilet less.....All well and good, but why should WE have to live like that? By doing all the things above, it would reduce my bill by around £50, so forget that!! Having a water metre should be benefical not a hindrance, like shall we give the baby a bath today? No we'll do it next week to save £10. As for the post from the guy that works at a water company who claims having the water metre was the best thing since sliced bread.....Discount for working there maybe???? Having a water metre is not and never will be a better option unless you live alone, and work all day, hence never in your property to use any water!!!!....I'm now in the understanding, as it's a new build we can not ask for this metre to be taken out and replaced with a yearly bill as there is no RV any more.....Also would a water company really want you to take a water metre out, if they are getting on average £250 per year more from each occupant..NO! This isn't about CO2 or your carbon footprint usuage oh no, it's all about substantial profits for something that comes down from the sky free...I understand we need to pay for the cleaning and wastage of our used water, but £250 per year additional to someone 3 streets away with the same amount of occupants, rob Peter to Pay Paul...i'm outraged...When I do phone UU's up to ask why I cannot have a yearly bill, I'm sure they'll have a script to adhere to, to make it not an option to someone wanting to live in a brand new energy efficiant property, I mean after all, what I will be saving on heating bills will be ploughed straight back into a water bill!. Anyone have anything to add to this scandal?

With 3 children that you are claiming child benefit for, your eligible for it to be capped. My understanding is any house which meets this criteria only pay £240 per year. someone will correct me if i am wrong

Capped water meter bills

Industry watchdog the Consumer Council for Water says some people who have a water meter can request a capped bill if they receive specific benefits or tax credits and can’t avoid using a lot of water because they have three or more dependent children.
This also applies if you have a medical condition specified by the government - contact your water company for more details.