Water Bills questions and comment

jakx_2

Many thanks Cardew, very useful link... :cool:

jasetec

on a metered supply what is 'water supply' mean on a half yearly bill?.

my used water is less than water supply....don't get it?.

Gothicfairy

Water supply = Clean water that enters your property

Used water is less because less is returned to the system, IE you can take a pint of water and drink half of it and throw the rest down the sink...Thus used 1 pint, returned to the sewer 1/2 pint

Some companies charge 100% used for clean but at a lower rate and others charge say 80% of the water but the same price

Marcus1981

Hi,

I've bought a one bedroom flat with my gf which we've moved into 3 months ago. Our first bill is in at a few £'s under £200. We were shocked as all the posts and advice is around £30 - £50 a month. We hardly waste water, never leave anything running. We wash up by hand rather than dishwasher. We're out all day at work so we only use it in the evening.

We have a power shower used 10 times a week, no garden and I dont wash the car at the flat.

We're with Thames Water and always assume London is more money, but £200 for our first quarter seems a lot.

Maybe it's our heating as we keep radiators on in this weather?

Going to look at how to conserve water but I cant think we're wasting any. We even top the steam iron up with water collected from the de-humidifier.

We do have a water meter.

t0rt0ise

The cost of water varies greatly across the country so nobody can really say if a sum of money is a lot so you're better saying how much water you have used so that others can compare.

gwr100

We are all forced to use one Water Company (In my case, United Utilities). My wife and I are on a meter and pay £430 approx per year (in two instalments) and are modest users of water.
Is there no forum/organised lobby to encourage either SOME competition, or moves to Nationalise water ??
It does seem to me that there is no incentive for U.U. to become more efficient and certainly no interest in giving a proper service to the customer.
Can one obtain a breakdown of salaries and the expenses paid to senior staff ??
:j

Gothicfairy

Marcus1981 wrote: »

Hi,

I've bought a one bedroom flat with my gf which we've moved into 3 months ago. Our first bill is in at a few £'s under £200. We were shocked as all the posts and advice is around £30 - £50 a month. We hardly waste water, never leave anything running. We wash up by hand rather than dishwasher. We're out all day at work so we only use it in the evening.

We have a power shower used 10 times a week, no garden and I dont wash the car at the flat.

We're with Thames Water and always assume London is more money, but £200 for our first quarter seems a lot.

Maybe it's our heating as we keep radiators on in this weather?

Going to look at how to conserve water but I cant think we're wasting any. We even top the steam iron up with water collected from the de-humidifier.

We do have a water meter.

First question really must be..Did you supply a meter reading when you moved in ? and is the bill based on a actual end meter reading or an est ?

Gothicfairy

gwr100 wrote: »

We are all forced to use one Water Company (In my case, United Utilities). My wife and I are on a meter and pay £430 approx per year (in two instalments) and are modest users of water. Have you actually checked that the bill is right ? IE matching meter readings and meter serial numbers ?
Is there no forum/organised lobby to encourage either SOME competition, or moves to Nationalise water ?? This is often talked about with the water companies and OFWAT and I do think it will happen but it might take some time
It does seem to me that there is no incentive for U.U. to become more efficient and certainly no interest in giving a proper service to the customer. What service are you not getting ? I ask because there is indeed incentives. OFWAT do fine water companies and there are a whole list of DG guidelines that must be met, also the profit is agreed by OFWAT so they can not make more then their 5 year plan allows and some water companies did reduce their bills this year as part of that plan.
Can one obtain a breakdown of salaries and the expenses paid to senior staff ?? One can if one is a shareholder but you can hardly ask a supermarket etc to supply a breakdown of salaries and this is really no different. A private company and the salaries are again agreed with OFWAT as part of the profit forcast. You can write and ask but I should think you would not get anything in return.
:j

you can of course write to OFWAT and the consumer council for water but again not really sure what you would get in reply unless you can detail the lack of customer service and any DG's that might have been broken etc and even then they would pass you back to UU first

bridgettoomey

Is anyone else having the same problems that we are having with Thames Water and the water pressure?
We have recently noticed over the holiday period that our water pressure had dropped.
This used to happen on a regular occurrence and when we called Thames Water they sent an engineer out who put something on the mains to monitor the water pressure.
We were then told that the legal limit for water pressure is 1bar and that Thames Water were putting all their water to 1bar in the New Year.
We are also told when we phone up that there are areas with a lot of leaks and that may be the reason for the drop in pressure, but fundamentally Thames Water are complying to their legal requirement of 1bar and they won't be doing anything.

This has an effect on us in two ways;
1. We are all encouraged by the govt to install a combi boiler to save water. We did this and the bosch worcester installed and is lovely. However on speaking to bosch it transpires that the boiler needs over 1bar to work properly. What do we do as Thames Water are only putting the pressure up to 1bar.
If our boiler goes wrong then are Thames Water liable.

2. It now takes longer for us to have a shower. This will cost us money as we are now using more water - actually not only in the shower, but in general. Again when the meter is read Thames Water will probably increase our direct debit, which I am not happy about paying.

So, all in all, Thames Water have a monopoly on us and the water pressure, but what about our boilers and the damage that it might be doing to them?

Does anyone know the water pressure legal minimum in Germany. Bosch Worcester are a German company now, so maybe their boilers are made to German specifications, which is not the same as the UK.
When we speak to Bosch about the boiler, we are told that they will run at their best at 2 - 3 bar which is obviously higher than the rate that Thames Water use.

Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks all.

Cardew

bridgettoomey wrote: »

2. It now takes longer for us to have a shower. This will cost us money as we are now using more water - actually not only in the shower, but in general.

Welcome to the forum.

Why does it take longer?

When you have less hot water from a combi, doesn't it save money?

I can understand your annoyance at low water pressure, but not the extra cost.