House has two meters?

fatJock_2

Quick background - used to pay £35 metered for four bed house, two kids, washing machine and dishwasher never off.

Now live in three bed [for my own for a year] and now subsequently with partner. Both work full time - no dishwasher, not so much washing, both shower - now pay £45 per month.

I thought this was a bit high and have argued it down with Anglian Water on the basis that they upped it based on projected use which we are nowhere near. Now down to £30 per month which I still think is a bit high but more reasonable.

Now, in the course of my investigations I have found two distinct meters which allegedly serve my house. One is in my back garden and the other is on the public highway at the front. Both have different install dates, different job numbers and different meter numbers.

Anglian Water say they are reading the one at the back which, based on the readings, seems to tally. The one at the front however is more than double that reading despite having a job ref allocated to it with a date of some three years later [back meter 1999, front meter 2002]. I have lived in the property since Dec 2006 so vastly outside those dates.

OK - the block of houses I live in [three terraces] was originally one big house. I live at an end terrace [number 14] and the remaining occupants are number 16 & 18. Immediately to the right of the meter supplying my house at the front is another meter with a different job number and a tag saying it supplies numbers 16 & 18.

When I turn the front meter off my water stops and neither of the meters associated with my house turn. When I turn the back meter off it's the same. However, when I run water both the meters associated with my house turn. Anglian Water have no record of the meter at the front.

Anyone have any ideas what this set-up is and/or have any comments on whether £30 per month is typical?

Dharri5

fatJock wrote: »

Quick background - used to pay £35 metered for four bed house, two kids, washing machine and dishwasher never off.

Now live in three bed [for my own for a year] and now subsequently with partner. Both work full time - no dishwasher, not so much washing, both shower - now pay £45 per month.

I thought this was a bit high and have argued it down with Anglian Water on the basis that they upped it based on projected use which we are nowhere near. Now down to £30 per month which I still think is a bit high but more reasonable.

Now, in the course of my investigations I have found two distinct meters which allegedly serve my house. One is in my back garden and the other is on the public highway at the front. Both have different install dates, different job numbers and different meter numbers.

Anglian Water say they are reading the one at the back which, based on the readings, seems to tally. The one at the front however is more than double that reading despite having a job ref allocated to it with a date of some three years later [back meter 1999, front meter 2002]. I have lived in the property since Dec 2006 so vastly outside those dates.

OK - the block of houses I live in [three terraces] was originally one big house. I live at an end terrace [number 14] and the remaining occupants are number 16 & 18. Immediately to the right of the meter supplying my house at the front is another meter with a different job number and a tag saying it supplies numbers 16 & 18.

When I turn the front meter off my water stops and neither of the meters associated with my house turn. When I turn the back meter off it's the same. However, when I run water both the meters associated with my house turn. Anglian Water have no record of the meter at the front.

Anyone have any ideas what this set-up is and/or have any comments on whether £30 per month is typical?

Please dont take what I say as gospel but from my knowledge of the water industy here is what I think may have happened.

Firstly do you know when the house was originally converted into three houses?

My theory is this, the meter at the back of your house is potentially the meter for the actual old house (pre conversion). When the house was "substantially altered" and converted into three houses Anglian would have had to visit the plot and install new meters to all the new properties to ensure each property is billed correctly if not one occupant would get the bill for all properties.

It sounds like the water that supplies your house still flows through the old meter but is perhaps also connected to the new meter at the front. The water might flow from the mains > though the new front meter > through the old back meter > Into property. This ties in with what you have put regarding the flow etc.

You can easily check this by writing down both of the current meter readings (front and back), waiting two days and then checking both meter readings again, my hunch tells me they would have moved exactly the same (with a small margin for mechanical error). If the two drastically differ then its another problem and I would advise Anglian Water of this.

I dont know much about the actual design of water meters but I dont think they can be reset. which is why the one at the back of your property has a lower reading, it nay have been around the clock! This would explain the higher reading of the younger meter. (this is unlikely)

Another reason may be the younger meter was installed as part of a meter exchange (perhaps a second hand meter) and already had consumption recorded. When a meter is installed the engineer simply tells the billing team the new reading on the meter, as far as I know this might not always be zero.

As to why another meter was installed in 2002 its a bit strange only Anglian would really know this looking back for installation history and engineer notes. It could be they had a job raised to install three meters (in line with the conversion) so fitted three meters, then found out one of the properties already had a meter and instead of having to change the billing meter just carried on taking readings from the older one?)

In terms of your bill, as long as Anglian are taking readings from the correct meter, and the flow is correct then the bill will be accurate so nothing to worry about, £30 sounds perhaps a little high but you will only know this once you have had a few bills based on exactly how much you are using. If you have overpaid you will be able to ask for a refund which they must action within 5 days.

Im guessing the house you previously lived in was also billed to a meter and not just billed on Rateable Value?

Sorry its a bit lengthy but as you described it sounds quite complex!

deanos

As long as the meter in the back supplies your property only then its not a problem, i think the one at the front would have supplied the one property originally, if AW have no record of it then you are not being billed on it, it was probably removed from the system when the house was converted but they did not physically take it out the ground like they should do.

If you are still unsure ring AW and ask for a CSR (Customer Service Representative) to come out and have a word with you, they will be able to unravel the mystery for you.