Rates and water charges - just curious.....

Thriftylady

Does anyone have any idea when we will be told what our new rates charges actually are? Do we usually get the letter around this time of year?

And does anyone have any idea when we will be getting the same for the water charges? I know the charges apply from April, but will they be charged in advance or arrears? And since they assure us that to begin with the bills will be low, does that mean that we will just have to send them off a cheque rather than paying in instalments?

I'm just curious as to how it will all work.

belfastgirl23

I want to know the answers to all of these questions too!

We did get a letter saying our rates would be doubling over the next 3 years but I've not heard anything about the water yet either.

I was wondering too if anyone knows how you would know if you have a water meter? They did a lot of work in our area last year and I had an idea that they may have fitted meters at this time. Anyone know a way to tell?

Thriftylady

There used to be a regular poster on the NI board who worked for the Rates office, I think she was called Cathy. I wonder if she still reads these, maybe she could help....

Polly

Thanks Cathy. This is very useful. I'm one of the few whose rates bill is supposed to be going down so I very much hope the new system is in place. My rates bill is a whopping amount every month and any reduction is very welcome. Hope things pick up at your work - it doesn't sound like much fun at the best of times!

belfastgirl23

Just got my water rates bill through this morning. £217.45 this year so looking at £650 by the end:eek: Gonna have to do a lot more moneysaving to cope with this.

Worst part is there are only two of us! We'd be a lot better off being metered.

What are other people being charged??

leftieM

£83. I love the gap where the new logo could go. I could think up a few appropriate ones.....

Muppet

£257 in the first year.

Metering really is the only fair system for water usage. So much for democracy and what the majority of householders want.

leftieM

Paying more could be seen as a status symbol perhaps? Would that ease the pain any?
The whole valuations system is madness. Our 4-bed house has a lower valuation than the 2-bed flats behind us even thought they are all ex-council. Nuts!

dreammachine

£110 for water rates.

belfastgirl23

The worst bit about the not metering is that it gives no encouragement at all for us to conserve water (which I would always have done). Makes me feel like leaving the tap on:D

Seriously though don't fancy their chances if they have to introduce a hosepipe ban anytime soon...

leftieM

It's just another tax and one that is really unfair and takes no account of someone's true circumstances. Really, what your house is worth is not a true reflection of your wealth. If we had spent 80k on a house 2 years before we bought we'd have a bigger house but the same salary and same mortgage. So we'd be no richer - except in 'equity' terms which is virtually meaningless from an income perspective - but we'd have a bigger bill.
Let's give them (ie. the Blair goverment who got into power without one vote from Northern Ireland) the two fingers and withold payment.