Unable to Read the Meter - New Prop

StuieUK34

Morning all,
moved into a new house (well, the house is 8 years old) 2 weeks ago..... its on a meter, rang the water board and they said they need a reading......

Opened the cover for where the meter is, its like 60cm down a small hole, and the plastic panel protecting it was covered in water... drained the water using a sponge, but now the plastic panel looks glazed, so hard to see the numbers anyway, but on the fact its so deep down makes it hard to see anything anyway!.....

Told the waterboard, they said they would send someone to sort it out..... got letter through door 4 days later to say "Unable to read meter, we will renew asap"

So where does that leave me, in terms of paying for water, which cant be verified due to the meter being faulty/unreadable, etc etc. (meter is on pavement, not my actual property).

Do i have the right to say until they sort the meter out, i am not paying for an estimate given they havent read the meter for many months ????

Cardew

It would appear that the previous occupant has not been billed with an actual meter reading.

They will presumably bill you from the reading on the meter when it is removed. In situations where you have obviously carried out the correct procedure, you are 'fireproof' and will not be overcharged.

Rather than anticipate problems - see what initial bill they raise.

StuieUK34

I like the sound of that, although it would only work out to be pennies or a few quid, i'd be happy knowing that i cant be charged for usage from a meter reading which is faulty, and only pay for usage once a new meter has gone in

Gothicfairy

Unless I misread your post there is no proof that the reading is faulty just that they can't read the meter at the moment.
Legally you can be billed to an est reading as long as the water company can proved details of the adc they applied.

I would email the water company and ask for a meter replacement due to " unable to read" and then when the meter is removed they can take a reading and use that with a new meter reading to work out your adc and bill to that.

Oh and it is highly unlikely that you will get away with not paying anything until the meter is exchanged.

deanos

When the meter is exchanged they will get the reading from the old one , has it got condensation inside the meter because if you give it a sharp tap it can clear the condensation, also try holding a small torch on the meter this also makes it easier to read

StuieUK34

The meter is 60cm down a small hole in the ground. The numbers are probably 0.4cm, which means unless my eyes are shaped like a Hawk, the numbers cannot be read! Just like the waterboard themselves confirming this by leaving a note through my door saying 'Unable to read meter, will renew asap'. The meter has been under water for god knows how long, the bills to the previous tennent would have most likely been estimates all the time (despite the meters supposed to being read once or twice a year).

Heres an example: Previous tennent paid an average £35 a month for water, say for example using 1000ltrs per month average. Waterboard bills them on that average/estimate...
In the last couple of months before previous tennent moves out, said tennent leaves every tap on for 2 months, and uses 20000ltrs of water per month...
Bills come through the same, tennent moves out and says to waterboard he cant read the meter. Waterboard work on an estimate to close his account.

Soooooooo, i move in, i cant read the meter, waterboard say to me working from an estimate, the reading should be around '1000' on the dials.....
Example: say in 1 week, the waterboard fit a new meter, and the previous meter shows the number 2000 on the dials....

Where do i stand ? whats to say i havent left all my taps on, in the 2 weeks i have been in the house ? etc etc.
I thought given its a meter, its the same as how Gas and Electric work: Move into new house, take reading, give to supplier, your bill from that reading.
If 'Meter unit' is faulty/unreadable, then its down to that company to resolve the problem ASAP so correct readings can be done and correct billing applied. ??

deanos

It cant be read probably because the top of the meter is glazed not because of how deep it is or because of the water , water is very common in meter chambers its 99%

Gothicfairy

The meter will have been at least once in the last 2 years as it is a requirement of OFWAT and the guidelines. Being under water and deep down normally does not create any major problems and it might just be this one time it was unreadable.

They will work out your bill based on your adc so I wouldn't worry to much until the meter is exchanged and the bill arrives.