leaking tap and metered water bills

mephil

My mother-in-law (90 and quite deaf) turned on the water to an outhouse after the winter but did not realise that a tap was leaking badly. A fter about 6 weeks my wife found the leak and turned the water off again. I calculate that she will be billed for about £400. Is there anything she can do to bring this amount down?

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Some water companies will give a leakage allowance as a goodwill gesture, particularly if they have a long consumption history for the property that shows there had been abnormal consumption over a short period; but obviously it is not a right but at their discretion.

I suggest you 'talk nicely' or write explaining the facts.

Just a point about your estimate of a £400 loss in 6 weeks. You don't say where you live but an average cost for water and drainage(waste water) is approx £2 per cubic metre. So you believe that in 6 weeks the tap has leaked 200,000 litres - about 200 litres an hour. That is one hell of a leak.

mcc100

A tap left running would use approximately 1 cubic meter (1000 litres) per hour so a tap leaking 200 litres per hour would be quite possible.

Gothicfairy

Depends what company you are with. Some do give an allowance but that depends on the situation, IE it might be a customers responsiblity but they might not have known about the leak( under concrete or floor boards) but they would not normally look at a leaky tap as it is fixtures and fittings and to be blunt it is your mother in laws fault. Not that I am trying to be mean as I understand it was a mistake and that she missed the noise but it was nothing to do with the water company.
I would however call them and ask what if anything they could do. They are the best ones to advise you of their policies really as we can only guess what they might say.