moving home,enforced meter query

telboy_3

Hello,this is my first thread on this site so please go easy on me!
Have just moved into my new home(built 1930),very pleased until a letter dropped through my letter box from essex and suffolk water telling me that I was having a water meter fitted and I had no say in it.The previous occupiers did not have a meter and I do not want one(there are 2 adults,3 kids in my house!).Can they do this bearing in mind this is not a new property(or nearly new).They tell me it is their policy to install water meters in all homes with new occupants.What can I do?
Any help greatly appreciated.

dmg24

Companies can compulsorily meter properties where there is a change of occupier.

Sorry!

catsneel

hi,
have the meter installed as believe me, you will pay less for your water usage.We have just moved and requested one fitted, i know we will save money

oldwiring

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=5056&page=4 pst #80 by Cardew has an estimate per person. Hopefully the estiamte compared with what you'f be charges under RV basis will comfort. Another member has mentioned that cos can tell you what various wayer usages consume as well.

telboy_3

thanks for your input guys,only time will tell as to my saving money or not.The cynicist in me says nothing is done for the consumers benefit,only the utility.

shelly

We have found our water meter to work out much cheaper than having a bill but then there is only 2 of us. That said, when my friend moved to her new property she was dubious about having to have a meter but glad she has now as her bills are a lot less. In her house there are 2 adults and 4 kids.

msmicawber

Hi - this may encourage you. I moved about 18 months ago to a 3 bedroom semi with my 2 children and found a water meter in place. I'd been paying £380 pa in water rates and was dreading metered bills, especially as I did a lot of decorating when we moved in. My metered bills come 6-monthly and the highest (for the decorating period) was £80! Since then, they've been £60 even though we don't do anything specifically water saving, so I reckon being metered has saved me about £260 per year!

melbury

Meters are a good thing - they make you aware of water usage and keep you on your toes trying to keep it down. Everyone should be metered just like with gas and electric - people should pay for what they use!

Gorgeous_George

I'm sure that they can insist that a meter be installe. I'm not so sure that they can insist that you use it. Worth checking.

I'm on a meter. Rateable value £380. Six monthly bills vary from £120 to £200. Saving a little. Only two of us here but we bath every night and I have two lawns that need to be green The cars are washed most weeks.



GG

msmicawber

Wow - quite a difference between your bills and mine, Gorgeous George. I must admit that, as a fully paid up member of the cult of the slattern, I only wash my car a couple of times a year and never water the garden on the basis that if you water it it grows, then you have to do gardening!

coletteflaherty

I moved into my house about 4 months ago and received the same letter saying I had to have a water meter fitted. Didn't particularly bother me as there are only two of us.

The company came round (when I was out, how dare I go off to work during the day) and it turns out that they can't install a water meter unless we are in the property as they need "access." Not sure why as it is a bog standard house with a front drive where they could do any digging up that they needed!

Rang the water meter company who said they would get onto it, they never got back to me, and when I eventually got back to them, they said they had closed my case and I couldn't be FORCED to have a meter as the meter company couldn't FORCE their way onto my property.

So now I'm not bothering. Although I haven't been paying for water since I moved in, I've now received a lovely bill for the whole year! Lucky me!