Water Co cannot fit meter

mackemdave

I have just recently moved from the Anglian Water area to Northumberland water are

With Anglian I was on there SoLow tarrif as I live alone...My last 6mth bill with Anglian was £41.00

Ive now registered with Northumbrian water and they have told me they cannot fit a meter at my new address because of the pipework (their pipework) and that the bill will be based on the RV of the property and that it is now going to cost me over £50 a month for water.

I spend a considerable amount of time away from this property...Why should I be penalised for their inability to fit a meter...Is there anything I can do about these unjust charges?

Cardew

You can demand that you have an assessed bill

greyteam1959

They really cannot fit a water meter ????
Find that very hard to believe to be honest.
Think they are having a laugh to be honest.

undaunted

Either way you should be able to save some money on rateable value bills.

As Cardew said if they genuinely cant fit a meter you should be placed on an "assessed charge", likely to be much cheaper than rateable value. See http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consumerissues/chargesbills/householdcharges/assessed/

You may also want to check their explanation as to why they cannot fit a meter, ie did they actually find your pipes, stop tap etc and conclude that it was impossible having done so or have they simply failed to find the pipes & stop tap and thus decided it must be a "joint supply" for example.

In one case a customer of Yorkshire Water was repeatedly misled by their agents as to it not being possible but did persist and ultimately get their meter when a 4th and more competent engineer eventually attended.

mackemdave

Thanks for your replies.
The previous owner had requested a water meter to be fitted but when the water Co came out they said that there was an issue with the pipes and they wouldnt be able to fit the meter

Ive just rang the water co and they said there was a problem with the pipes and they couldnt install a meter

macman

As above, ask for assessed billing.

Gothicfairy

mervyn11 wrote: »

They really cannot fit a water meter ????
Find that very hard to believe to be honest.
Think they are having a laugh to be honest.

Why is it hard to believe ? Lots of properties are on a shared supply and thus can't have a meter.....nothing funny about that, just a fact. The water company couldn't care less if people are metered or not, their profit remains the same either way.

mcc100

mervyn11 wrote: »

They really cannot fit a water meter ????
Find that very hard to believe to be honest.
Think they are having a laugh to be honest.

There are many occasions where a water meter cannot be fitted. You clearly have no knowledge of the subject so why post such comments?

sar050680

Laying new pipes and a new stop tap with a meter in should solve the problem. If the water co says it cant fit a meter because of the pipes ask them to renew said pipes and then fit the meter...

Gothicfairy

sar050680 wrote: »

Laying new pipes and a new stop tap with a meter in should solve the problem. If the water co says it cant fit a meter because of the pipes ask them to renew said pipes and then fit the meter...

That is not always possible and the water company will not pay to split a joint supply or change internal pipework etc.

If you want the pipe work changing you as the customer would have to cover the cost.