Rateable value and water

Katykat

Son just moved to new house, from 2 bed terrace to semi detached. The new house has been extended by previous owner and so the council has had to reassess the rateable value. This, of course, has risen sharply. The extension comprises of a larger existing kitchen, with a sitting room leading off it, a utility room, an office ( which was listed as " office/ 4th bedroom") and installing a downstairs toilet in a corner of the existing intefral garage. My son uses the 4th bedroom as an office. Because the Rv has risen, so have the water rates. They have 1baby but as they would like more children, they feel that a water meter would cost more in the future so are reluctant to install a meter now. Is there a way to reduce the RV? I thought maybe because the house may be classes as 4 bedrooms it may have affected the RV , so using the room as an office could reduce it.

bluewire

Without knowing all of the details (I don't know when the extension was added) I will give you the 1 and only answer you need.

The RV will not have been changed in the past 20+ years and can not be changed by anyone.

The council no longer use the RV system as it was replaced by the Poll Tax and then Council Tax.

if you have a search of the site you will see that the water co's have no way to change the RV as they did not set it.

The only answer you will ever get is...........Id you don't like your RV and feel that you are paying too much you need to have a meter installed

yangptangkipperbang

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consumerissues/chargesbills/prs_inf_rvalues

Cardew

As said in the above posts and the ofwat link the Rateable Value(RV) will not have changed since 1990.

Could you be thinking of the Council Tax band? That band will change if alterations to the property raises the value. However the council Tax band has no effect on the RV.

If there were substantial alterations to the property - post 1990 - then that should have been declared to the Water Company and a meter fitted. However few people do so and water companies rarely pick up this situation.

deanos

As you have modified your house then they can compulsory meter i would keep stum as they may force a meter on you if you inform them