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Lrage family/water meter

Before anybody starts at me for the size of my family live and let live!

We are a soon to be 7 and have just moved house, southan water see this as a reason to put in a meter,( new house holder means water meter!) we were paying less than £30 a month over 10 months now we have been told we will have a water meter and that they think it will cost over £60 a month in water.

Now I know we should pay for what we use BUT this is water something we all need to live and this will be doubling our bill even tho we do try and use as little water as possile when you have 4 kids with sickness in one go you can imgine the increase in water useage, etc, I have been told that there is now way we can appeal, does anybody have any ideas of what we can do so we dont have this meter?

TIA
Vxx
Debt free and plan on staying that way!!!!

Comments

  • Altarf
    Altarf Posts: 2,916 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    You won't get the meter removed, but you may be eligible for a special tariff. Have a look here -

    https://www.southernwater.co.uk/customerservices2006/payingyourbill/assistanceWithMeteredBill.asp
  • cosmile
    cosmile Posts: 355 Forumite
    Before anybody starts at me for the size of my family live and let live!

    We are a soon to be 7 and have just moved house, southan water see this as a reason to put in a meter,( new house holder means water meter!) we were paying less than £30 a month over 10 months now we have been told we will have a water meter and that they think it will cost over £60 a month in water.

    Now I know we should pay for what we use BUT this is water something we all need to live and this will be doubling our bill even tho we do try and use as little water as possile when you have 4 kids with sickness in one go you can imgine the increase in water useage, etc, I have been told that there is now way we can appeal, does anybody have any ideas of what we can do so we dont have this meter?


    i have a large family of 6 and we are getting a water meter soon,my monthy charge for unmetered is £47,i also qualify for the vunerable tarrif,so we will be better off with a meter as the max i will pay a yr is £250 a yr(thames water)
  • mummytofour
    mummytofour Posts: 2,636 Forumite
    Thats very useful info thank you so much, It does look like I would be able to get that tarrif as I have 3 school aged children and we do get tax credits at more than the family eliment, so hopefully we wont go bank rupt just yet!
    Debt free and plan on staying that way!!!!
  • mummytofour
    mummytofour Posts: 2,636 Forumite
    Had some great news this Morning, the water board cant feet a meter due to a problem with the foot path at the front of the house ( no idea why they cant do it) so I am a VERY happy Mummy.
    Debt free and plan on staying that way!!!!
  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Posts: 21,383 Forumite
    Car Insurance Carver! Cashback Cashier First Anniversary First Post
    So you could get an assessed charge.

    Copied from the OFWAT site here:

    If you cannot have a meter fitted you can ask your company to base your bill on an assessed charge. Some companies calculate an assessed charge based on the number of occupants, some use the type of property (flat/maisonette, semi-detached or detached), some use the number of bedrooms and some on the average household charge. You will need to compare the assessed charge with your current bill to decide if you will save money. Your water company will be able to give you more information.
  • Do McDonald's do anything similar?

    Be great if you could have as many burgers as you like for a low, fixed, annual fee subsidised by the rest of the country. It's not your fault you have so many kids.

    :)

    GG
    There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those that don't.
  • raymond
    raymond Posts: 465 Forumite
    Before anybody starts at me for the size of my family live and let live!

    Why would anyone "start" on you for the size of your family.

    Its your choice to have a big family, but its YOUR responsibility to pay for it.

    Why would you expect small families and couples to subsidise YOUR choice ?
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