It's worth checking your water meter rgularly & frequently

matelodave

Just come back from a fortnights holiday and thought I'd have a shufti at the meter - I look at it every couple of months or so just to check that we aren't using excessive amounts - and noticed that not only had we used a lot more than my estimate but that the meter was rotating gently even though we weren't using any water. Had a check by shutting off the internal stop-valve and it's still going. Concluded we'd got a leak somewhere.

Reported it to Anglian Water who came and checked the meter seals and confirmed that we had a leak on our property between the meter and the stop-valve. Contacted insurance company and they reckon its covered but we've got to pay a £200 excess. Which is relatively cheap as the pipe runs under the block-paved drive so we are now waiting for the repair team to come (next week). They are supposed to re-instate it all to it's previous pristine condition;) - in the meantime we are consuming about 1.5 cubic metres of water a day instead of our average of 1.5 cu.m a week.

AW have said that when it's fixed they will consider an "ex gratia" payment to cover the lost water if I send them a couple of reading two weeks apart. Loss of metered water is covered on our insurance but under the contents part, so I'd guess I would have to pay another excess if I wanted to claim it.

Any way the moral of the story is to check the meter regularly just to make sure that you don't have any problems or if you do, they can be spotted and sorted out quickly. I don't know how long it's been leaking but looking at my random readings I'm guessing that it started sometime in June, which is a lot of wasted water and quite a lot of money (does anyone know if they'd try and charge for the sewerage as well? They shouldn't as its all going into the ground and not into the sewers) - I'll report back when it gets sorted

Cardew

Most water companies - including Anglian - will carry out a one-off goodwill repair free; and an allowance for estimated water lost

matelodave

Not in this case - I did ask, but they said that as it was on my property it was my responsibility to get it fixed and that I had 30 days to get it done. Otherwise they would either start the "Defective Water Fittings" enforcement process under sections75(2) and 170 of the Water Industry Act and they would take some or all of the following steps

a) carry out the work themselves and recover the cost from me
or
b) Prosecute me under the Water Industry Act 1991 section 73 for allowing my water fittings to be or remain in a defective condition. The maximum fine is £1000.

Non of which I found everso helpful, although the bloke did give me the name of a tame "approved" contractor who could carry out the work. And to add insult to injury, their "help-line" is an 0845 number.

However if I had been on any benefits I may have been able to get some help towards the cost - so I'm glad that as a fully paid up member of society (and still paying handsomely although retired) that I'm still helping thousands of others even though I've got to still pay my own way as well.:mad:. I'd guess with them having to support benefit claimants that they now can't afford to give freebies to paying customer

Cardew

Anglian's policy must have changed.

A poster called 'deanos' works for Anglian water and has mentioned that whilst it is clearly your legal responsibility, they do a one-off goodwill repair.

This thread - posts #1 and #7 are relevant.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/592115

and have only just got round to checking if I have a leak- yes I have, not substantial but the red dial went round 1 in 1 hour. Called Anglian Water who told me about a 'one off free fix' where- Does exactly as it says on the tin- they fix it- but don't put back anything they need to rip up, whether it be concrete or garden.

From 'deanos'(Anglian employee)

If there is a leak then yes legally they can make you fix it.

You do get the free one off repair, so i would let AW fix it for you as it will cost you nothing and you can then claim a leakage allowance for the lost water, you may have to reinstate the footpaths etc but you cant let the water leak and leave it.

This point has come up many times and lots of people reported a free one-off repair.

matelodave

I guess their policy has changed since deanos last post which looks like it was about six years ago in 2007.

The engineer just handed me an envelope which had an 8 page leaflet explaining who owned what and who was responsible for which bits and what sanctions there were if you didn't comply and a letter telling me what to do and explaining that I might be eligible for a one off payment to help offset the water loss if I get it sorted within 30 days. I have to notify them when it's been repaired, the date it was done and who did it and I've also got to give them two readings, two weeks apart so they can calculate my normal usage (it's still racking up about 1.5cu.m a day at the moment).

matelodave

The man has been and mended it - it was a house brick that's been crushing the pipe since the house was built in 1986 and for some reason has let go. The firm, HydroTech Water Services, have done a brilliant job, not a single block on the paved drive out of place.

All I've got to do now is give Anglian water two meter readings, two weeks apart and hopefully they'll credit me with what's been lost - watch this space to find out what happens next:o

matelodave

Well, I've phoned my readings through and by my estimate I reckon we've lost about 35 cu/m which works out at about £110.

Just got a phone call from Anglian Water and they are going to credit me with £108 so I reckon that's a good result.

So definitely worth checking the meter regularly so you've got some idea of what you are using. I'm going to check it & record monthly in future

PollySouthend

Wow your lucky it was a small leak, i check mine regularly as water is somehow my highest bill.

Had a friend leave a tap on overnight and i think it used 5m3, for me thats 20 quid. water pressure is really high for my house