Incorrect Meter, Incorrect bill

lau28

I moved into my apartment 4 years ago and I thought the water bill seemed quite high as I was living on my own, however as this was the first time I had moved out of home and had to pay the bill I wasn't sure what the bill should be so I kept paying when they asked for more money.

Over the past 2 years the bill seems to have been going up with me using less and less all the time and I spend a lot of time at my partners house now, so after 2 years of complaining and them telling me I owe them a lot of money they finally agree to investigate the fault.

A subcontractor came out at the beginning of December and worked out that the meters were incorrect and I was being billed for a property downstairs who had 2 people living there until about 2 years when one of their sons moved in, which would explain the bill being even more!

Finally Thames Water are looking in to getting the bill sorted so I shouldn't owe them the money they think I do, and may even get a refund for overpayment!

This also happened to my sister just over a year ago just before she moved out of her property, luckily she found it just in time to get a refund!

Beware people, check you are being billed for the correct meter!

gaz141

This happened to me too with Thames Water. I moved into a new build in July, I was the first to move into my block of flats, there are six flats in my block. Over the months all the flats became occupied. My direct debit is for £15.00 per month as I live alone and am out at work during the week. The water meter for all the flats is in a locked cupboard on the landing, and beginning of December I finally got around to buying an FB key to open the cupboard and gave them an updated reading to guage my usage as this is my first time with a water meter so wanted to make sure I was paying the right amount. Gave them the reading and then received a bill for £395.00 for the high usage on my account. Long story short, my neighbours usage (family of 4) was being billed to me. Thames Water have sorted this now (7 weeks later), but absolutely refuse to apologise for this and take no responsibility for their error.
It was only by running a tap, then going out to look at the meter with my bill in hand so I could check the serial number of the meter which was ticking round that I discovered the meter which should have been mine wasn't moving. I turned the tap off, back on again several times to make sure. If I ever move somewhere again with a meter, I will definitely be checking for this.

Cardew

gaz141 wrote: »

Thames Water have sorted this now (7 weeks later), but absolutely refuse to apologise for this and take no responsibility for their error.

Why is it their error?

The fault lies with the builder/developer of the block of flats. They tell the water company which is the water main pipe that is connected to each flat.

Often, when the meters are fitted during construction, the water in each flat cannot be switched on.

How would the water company, or for that matter gas/electricity company, check that they have been given the correct meter number for each flat.

mart.vader

Cardew wrote: »

Why is it their error?

The fault lies with the builder/developer of the block of flats. They tell the water company which is the water main pipe that is connected to each flat.

Often, when the meters are fitted during construction, the water in each flat cannot be switched on.

How would the water company, or for that matter gas/electricity company, check that they have been given the correct meter number for each flat.

Hi Cardew, old bean,

As far as I am aware, the builder almost never tells the W Co. which pipe is which (maybe they label the pipes, maybe they don't), and the meters are never fitted during construction.

The meter unions are fitted during construction, with a plastic bung/cap to permit testing for water tightness, and the builder then runs a pipe to each flat.

Then, sometimes months, even years, after the flats are occupied, the W. Co remove the bung and fit one meter to each union, and at the same time, work out which flat is supplied by which meter, and then record the flat and meter serial number, but mistakes happen in working out which flat is supplied, and in recording the info.

You may say, "But that allows people to have free water until the meters are fitted". Yes, it does, but that's the system.