Water bills increases

Beeky49

i am thinking about having a water meter fitted and as there are only two of us in a three bedroom house I will certainly cut my bills by around £150. I have been looking at the price increases for 2013/2014 and see that Yorkshire Water is increasing bills for non-metered users by 3.5% and for metered users by 7.7%. Surely these increases will put people off meters.

macman

Not if the saving for metered is more than 4.2%...
Fitting a meter is a no-brainer, since if it's more expensive you can have it disregarded within the first 12 months and revert to RV billing.
Though with 2 people in a 3 b/r property, the odds are that it will certainly be cheaper to be on metered billing.

HappyMJ

macman wrote: »

Not if the saving for metered is more than 4.2%...
Fitting a meter is a no-brainer, since if it's more expensive you can have it disregarded within the first 12 months and revert to RV billing.
Though with 2 people in a 3 b/r property, the odds are that it will certainly be cheaper to be on metered billing.

I think what OP means is long term...If this trend continued for 10 years then if rateable value billing started at £700 and the metered bill could be £550 (assuming saving £150) then after ten years the unmetered bill would be £1,000 and the new metered bill would be £1,200. The total cost over 10 years would be almost the same.

Beeky49

That's exactly what I was thinking. Of course in my situation it is a no brainer to get a water meter but in the long term both bills will work out the same. What is annoying me is that all the headlines mention water bills rising by an average of 3.5% but nothing about metered water rising by up to 7.7% as at Yorkshire Water.

HappyMJ

Beeky49 wrote: »

That's exactly what I was thinking. Of course in my situation it is a no brainer to get a water meter but in the long term both bills will work out the same. What is annoying me is that all the headlines mention water bills rising by an average of 3.5% but nothing about metered water rising by up to 7.7% as at Yorkshire Water.

Another thing too....I'd price the metered charges based on the potential (as opposed to actual) occupancy of your property and compare it to your unmetered bill. So a 3 bedroom house may potentially have 4-6 occupants each using about 50 cubic metres of water each year plus the standing charges. Would metered billing then be similarly priced or cheaper? If it is then I'd switch to a meter.

Beeky49

I am in a low band property for rateable value so if I wanted to sell the house would a family be put off buying a low band house with a water meter?

HappyMJ

Beeky49 wrote: »

I am in a low band property for rateable value so if I wanted to sell the house would a family be put off buying a low band house with a water meter?

That could put a few potential buyers off and is one of my concerns which is why I would estimate on potential occupancy. You could even end up with a relative of yours moving in long term and your new water bill will increase by 50%. Or...children...when you least have the money and your bills go up.

Cardew

Beeky49 wrote: »

I am in a low band property for rateable value so if I wanted to sell the house would a family be put off buying a low band house with a water meter?

Water companies can(and indeed should) install a meter on change of occupant; there is no choice on the matter.

Some companies enforce that regulation, others haven't bothered. However there are signs that pressure is being applied to make all the companies fit meters on change of occupant.

It was the aim of the Water Privatisation Act that all properties would eventually be metered - not only is that the fairest method of charging, but it saves water when people pay for consumption.

macman

Beeky49 wrote: »

I am in a low band property for rateable value so if I wanted to sell the house would a family be put off buying a low band house with a water meter?

I really don't think so. If someone wants a house (which can largely be an emotional decision) then the presence of a water meter is not going to deter them. We al know that metering will eventually be universal, it's just a question of when.