new water meter bill

laura_the_explorer

I had a water meter installed last year and shortly afterwards there was a rush of water from an upstairs lavatory overflow. I eventually isolated the leak and a new valve solved the problem. This took about half a day.

It also added about £1,000 to my next bill. I was warned about the size of the amount by the water board. I paid the bill.

This was a simple repair, but I am not able to isolate many of the taps and so on in the house and would have great difficulty turning off the mains.

I am very worried indeed. I happened to be in the house, but had I not been there, the bills can be imagined.

Is there any way to insure against these events, and is it worth it?

I should be so grateful for advice.

victor2

Check your house insurance.
Under contents cover, mine says "loss of metered water after accidental damage to the buildings". I don't suppose that covers wear and tear or general failure of a toilet cistern, but would presumably cover something like a burst pipe.

I agree, it's a bit concerning if you have a water meter, and is one reason why I haven't opted for one.

I am not aware of any specific insurance against loss of metered water, but would be interested to see if anyone comes up with something.

On a positive side, I have never had a leak from the plumbing in houses I have owned and was not present - the only one was due to me driving a nail through a pipe.

laura_the_explorer

I'm so grateful. I will check the insurance.

Many thanks.

macman

WElcome to the forum. For a WC overflow to result in a £1K bill it would have to be discharging for a considerable time. How long was it flowing, and at what rate? All you had to do was turn off the stopcock or tie up the ballc*ck temporarily.
Based on the most expensive metered rates in the UK (SWW at £1.96 per cu m)) £1,000 would buy you about 510 cu m-that's over half a million litres. If discharging at say 20 litres per minute, it would be flowing for nearly 6 months to use that much.
I suggest you recheck your meter and billing.
You can, if still concerned, revert to RV billing of course, if not outside the 12m cut-off period.

mart.vader

laura_the_explorer wrote: »

I had a water meter installed last year and shortly afterwards there was a rush of water from an upstairs lavatory overflow. I eventually isolated the leak and a new valve solved the problem. This took about half a day.

It also added about £1,000 to my next bill. I was warned about the size of the amount by the water board. I paid the bill. Ask the W Co about a leak allowance. They will "let you off" the increased bill for only the first leak. I think it applies to overflow leaks. Most do it, except, I think Welsh Water

This was a simple repair, but I am not able to isolate many of the taps and so on in the house and would have great difficulty turning off the mains. You can get a valve fitted that turns it all off in a quarter of a turn, or even an electrically triggered one. http://www.surestop.co.uk/

I am very worried indeed. I happened to be in the house, but had I not been there, the bills can be imagined.

Is there any way to insure against these events, and is it worth it?

I should be so grateful for advice.

There you go !

http://www.magne-flo.co.uk/innovaeditor/assets/Water_switch_and_leak_detector_26_11_09_Magneflo.pdf

Cardew

macman wrote: »

WElcome to the forum. For a WC overflow to result in a £1K bill it would have to be discharging for a considerable time. How long was it flowing, and at what rate? All you had to do was turn off the stopcock or tie up the ballc*ck temporarily.
Based on the most expensive metered rates in the UK (SWW at £1.96 per cu m)) £1,000 would buy you about 510 cu m-that's over half a million litres. If discharging at say 20 litres per minute, it would be flowing for nearly 6 months to use that much.
I suggest you recheck your meter and billing.
You can, if still concerned, revert to RV billing of course, if not outside the 12m cut-off period.

Exactly - and that is an extreme case. It would probably take two years in most regions and flood the neighbourhood.

You need to investigate the £1,000!

laura_the_explorer

Thank you to everyone.

I will speak to the water company on Monday - I too was surprised by the size of the bill as the only explanation seemed to be the cistern problem (a vast amount of water did pour out of the side of the house). They presumably have a reading record of when the loss happened.

laura_the_explorer

I will go through all the points you have all made with the water company and will let you know what happens.

macman

What was your actual cu m consumption from your bill, and have you actually verified this against the meter reading yourself? I find it extraordinary that you just paid this huge bill without demur.
How long was the overflow discharging for approx?

laura_the_explorer

I believed what they said. Plainly I was wrong to do so.

I will keep the forum informed.

Thank you to everyone

laura_the_explorer

I recently got a further (estimated) bill from the water company, again for well over £l,000; I was told I should pay the bill as a new reading would take up to 30 days.

By this time I had read the forum advice - I had also informed the water ombudsman.

I did not pay the new estimated bill and obtained a reading which I telephoned to the company who accepted it without question. I asked for a complete refund.

About a week later I received another statement from the water company - I was much more than £1,000 in credit and this would be held and set against future bills.

CCWater then told me that they had approached the company.

When I telephoned the company once more I was told that the whole of the overpayment would be paid into the bank from which it had been taken. . .

I am so grateful for all the help I was given by forum members. Thank you all.