Water bill doubled...

MORPH3US

Hi folks,

I'm on a water meter with Severn Trent water and have just had my 6 monthly water bill.

It seems to be double the cost of the last bill for the previous 6 months and I wondered if this is usual or if they have done it wrong. Nothing seems to be amiss on the bill.

Having checked back the same period last year is a similar figure, e.g.

(aprox figures)
March 08 - Sep 08 = £120
Oct 08 - Feb 09 = £60
March 09 - Sep 09 = £120

So come on people, do your water bills double like above or are they prety similar and what could be the problem.

I am guessing it could be using the washing machine more in summer (as clothes dry easier, although skimpier clothes so more in the machine at once). We very rarely use tap water to water plants (have a water butt), wouldn't say we shower / bath more in summer, once a day whatever the weather....

MORPH3US

Just checked online and these are the recent bills:

16/09/2009 (9th Feb 09 - 15th Sep 09) 107.32
09/02/2009 (23rd Sep 08 - 9th Feb 09) 63.36
24/09/2008 (7th Feb 08 - 23rd Sep 08) 105.64
08/02/2008 (13th Sep 07 - 7th Feb 08) 69.81
14/09/2007 (12th Feb 07 - 13th Sep 07) 99.81
12/02/2007 (8th Sep 06 - 12th Feb 07) 93.81

Very strange....

Gothicfairy

Not all that strange really.

Depends on what are the estimate reads and what are the actual reads> You might have been over estimated and then the actual read has pushed your bill down or you might have been under estimated and again the actual reads have corrected that.
The amounts really mean nothing without the reads. As long as the bill you have in your hand now has the right read it doesn't matter all that much how it is broken down in the year.
By that I mean.....Start read is right..Middle read wrong......End read right. You are still billed to the same amount no matter how you get there.

jolouise1904

Hi,

I have had excatly the same problem with severn trent!

Its a long story but turned out they didnt actually read the meter, and just made up a number. After what seams like a million phone calls they took the meter reading over the phone and i was sent a bill for £100 less!!! However, they still wanted to take the higher payments each month. I am still waiting for a revised direct debit statement!!

Wookey

You should take a monthly reading of your meter, this will allow you to spot any potential leaks/problems that much faster. Once you have a few months data you can work out your daily/weekly average. Most meters measure a cubic metre of water ie.1000 litres.

Johnny_Doe

I have a similar problem, although my other half now lives with me so I was expecting some kind of increase but check this out:

Previous Bill for 6 months £70
Current Bill for last 6 months (other half only there 3 mths of this) £232!!!!! so if I carry on like this it's £460 per yr for 2 in a 2bed terraced lol

OH does take a bath everyday but used to in her old hse also and never had a bill this high? Water rates have also increased a bit but this is ridiculous!!!

Possible water leak?

PS I'm now taking meter readings every week to monitor the situation..

MORPH3US

Just to clarify... my most recent bill was made up of two actual readings... so no estimates. I even checked the meter and the readings were correct.

jolouise1904

my water meter is behind the washing machine, so bit difficult to take reading every week.

jolouise1904

when i first moved into my house (2 yrs ago) the water meter was explained to me that i would recieve a bil every 6 months and then would pay that bill of over the next 6 months so all ways in arrers.

However, after my recent troubles they have change there policy so not only do you have to pay off the water you have used, you also have to pay for the water you are going to use as well!! hence the increase in bills!!

Hope that makes sence to people.