Is my water bill high?

maisy_daisy

Just received this year's water bill, and wondered if it seemed high, and if I'd be better switching to a meter.

It's a 3 bed semi, 2 adults and a teenager, and the RV is 153. For some reason we receive separate bills for water and sewerage.

Yorkshire Water:

Standing charge: £42.62
153 x 129.10p = £197.52
Total: £240.14

Anglian Water (sewerage):

Standing charge: £137.57
153 x 0.4437 = £67.88
Total: £205.45

Making an overall total of £445.59.

Cardew

No it isn't high; it is correct see http://www.yorkshirewater.com/your-account/our-charges.aspx and an RV of £153 is about average for a 3 bed semi.

It is very common to have one company for water and another for sewerage; normally where you are near the 'border' between two areas e.g South Yorkshire in your case.

You could possibly make a small saving by having a water meter. For 3 of you the average consumption will be around 160 cubic metres a year.

If you could use less than average it might be worthwhile. In any case you can have a meter and if it doesn't turn out cheaper you can revert to being charged on your RV.(within 12 months)

maisy_daisy

Thanks Cardew. Everything's just so expensive!

macman

Then switch! As Cardew pointed out, because you can revert in the first 12m, you cannot lose.

Ms_Chocaholic

That works out at £37 per month; we pay £19 per month and there are three adults living here, washing machine, dishwasher, power shower

Soubrette

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

That works out at £37 per month; we pay £19 per month and there are three adults living here, washing machine, dishwasher, power shower

My elderly neighbour last year paid £19pm (£228pa) on metered water and she is pretty frugal with her water.

We are a family of four - including 2 teenage girls and a veggie patch and are unmetered and paid £480pa last year, the girls are off to uni shortly so we'll be changing to metered then but I think the savings differ depending on which water company you come under.

teresa555

I think mine is really high essex and suffolk £253.86

and anglian water for sewerage £297.11 total £550.97

pay around £45.90 a month don't know if its better to have a meter or not

Meadows

My water bill unmetered (SW) is is £608.97 a year but that is Water & Sewerage.

Water is 268.88 (including standing charge) which works out at £26.88 a month.

Not sure I would benefit from a meter I don't waste but on the other hand don't want to feel I have to watch every drop! I like my baths and so does hubby so if that means paying a bit more then okay.
People say you can switch back but I have also read that it can be a good 14 months to see if you are paying more or less and then you are too late to switch back. And if people are saying it could be around £19 - £20 there is not a huge savings to be made over the year.

*Just done a quick calculation on mine and it says I would use 102.35 ^ and that would be £245 so the difference is £23.88 a year £2.38 a month (this is just a SW calculation so it could be we use more so I would be no better off!).

Cardew

Meadows wrote: »

People say you can switch back but I have also read that it can be a good 14 months to see if you are paying more or less and then you are too late to switch back.

When you have a meter you can read it daily/weekly/monthly;) if you wish and you will soon get an indication of your consumption - certainly well before 12 months.

With water consumption it doesn't vary a great deal during the year, unless you water the garden in summer.

Ms_Chocaholic

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

We pay £19 per month and there are three adults living here, washing machine, dishwasher, power shower

This is all in, water and sewerage, no extra charges on top, that's it

Ms_Chocaholic

Meadows wrote: »

My water bill unmetered (SW) is is £608.97 a year but that is Water & Sewerage.

Water is 268.88 (including standing charge) which works out at £26.88 a month.

Not sure I would benefit from a meter I don't waste but on the other hand don't want to feel I have to watch every drop! I like my baths and so does hubby so if that means paying a bit more then okay.
People say you can switch back but I have also read that it can be a good 14 months to see if you are paying more or less and then you are too late to switch back. And if people are saying it could be around £19 - £20 there is not a huge savings to be made over the year.

*Just done a quick calculation on mine and it says I would use 102.35 ^ and that would be £245 so the difference is £23.88 a year £2.38 a month (this is just a SW calculation so it could be we use more so I would be no better off!).

How many people in the house?