Is there help for water costs for people on benefits please?

bundance

jackieblack wrote: »

It seems like a combination of higher charges and higher usage per capita.

Our bill is half yearly rather than quarterly, but we used 48 cubic meters of water (so say 24 for 3 months, for 3 people vs your 18 for 1 person) at £1.6442 per cubic metre (vs your £2.17)
Our standing charge is £13.20 for 6 months, ( =£6.60 for 3 months) so almost half what you pay.

Sewerage: We are charged £1.5804 per cubic meter, volume less 10%
Our sewerage standing charge is £41.50 for 6 months, vs £54.88 for you.

So it does seem that your usage is higher (proportionately) and your charges are also higher.
Sorry.

Hi and thank you for sharing that with me.

I cannot figure out how I use 18 cubic meters of water in three months, so I will still do the checks on my meter and flow, as per Dave's instrction on the post above.
I will report back with my findings.

Many thanks again.

jackieblack

bundance wrote: »

Hi and thank you for sharing that with me.

I cannot figure out how I use 18 cubic meters of water in three months, so I will still do the checks on my meter and flow, as per Dave's instrction on the post above.
I will report back with my findings.

Many thanks again.

Sounds like a good plan

Cat2011

bundance wrote: »

Hi and thank you for sharing that with me.

I cannot figure out how I use 18 cubic meters of water in three months, so I will still do the checks on my meter and flow, as per Dave's instrction on the post above.
I will report back with my findings.

Many thanks again.

The bill you put in earlier was from April to October, which is 6 months? £109 in 6 mths is £18/mth?

That would put your 18 cubic metres for 6 months on a par with jackieblack's 48 cubic meters (16 per person).

macman

You need to understand that charges vary by up to 250% depending on region. SWW is by far the most expensive region, and we don't know what your region is. So there is no 'average' cost.
If there is a leak downstream of the meter but outside the property then no, you will not necessarily see any leakage. Where is the meter-internal or external?

bundance

macman wrote: »

You need to understand that charges vary by up to 250% depending on region. SWW is by far the most expensive region, and we don't know what your region is. So there is no 'average' cost.
If there is a leak downstream of the meter but outside the property then no, you will not necessarily see any leakage. Where is the meter-internal or external?

Hi Macman

The meter is external.
I've just dug a load of old bills out to see what my useage was.

I'm panicking in case I have had a leak for years in my service pipe, and not known.
I'm skint so I am scared of how much it will cost to put right.
The ironic thing is that I used to worry about this a leak in my service pipe, but I trained myself not to worry, because it was unlikely and pointless worrying.

I've got a pile of water bills, here, I'm gonna go and have a look at them to see what my useage was. I'll come back with my findings.
I know it's late though, so I am taking that into consideration, and will need to wait till tomorrow to get replies.

Bye for now. Thanks.

bundance

Cat2011 wrote: »

The bill you put in earlier was from April to October, which is 6 months? £109 in 6 mths is £18/mth?

That would put your 18 cubic metres for 6 months on a par with jackieblack's 48 cubic meters (16 per person).

Hi

I'm a bit lost with the maths, so I just copied the figures from the bill.
There was £20.19 owed, and £105.oo paid.

jackieblack

Cat2011 wrote: »

The bill you put in earlier was from April to October, which is 6 months? £109 in 6 mths is £18/mth?

That would put your 18 cubic metres for 6 months on a par with jackieblack's 48 cubic meters (16 per person).

Well spotted
I was so focused on the figures that I missed that:o just saw 'last quarter' on one of the other posts......

Yes, 18 cubic meters over 6 months is far more reasonable usage

Cardew

bundance wrote: »

Hi

I cannot see any leaks. Surely the neighbours below me would get wet if I had a leak.
The meter said 154 on 24th Oct, it now says 155, does this mean I have used a cubic meter?
How else can I check for a leak.

I used
Thanks.

The problem with those readings is you haven't given the decimal places(in red). So if it were 154.000 to 155.999 you would have used 1.999 cubic metres . If 154.999 to 155.000 you would have used 0.001 cubic metres.

The average consumption per person, per year is around 55 cubic metres. So using 18 cubic metres in 6 months is well below average consumption.

PollySouthend

If your a single low user you pay alot more per head for your water, unless you are lucky enough to live in a region that offers a low user tariff without a standing charge.

bundance

jackieblack wrote: »

Well spotted
I was so focused on the figures that I missed that:o just saw 'last quarter' on one of the other posts......


Yes, 18 cubic meters over 6 months is far more reasonable usage

Hi and thanks

All my water bills are from 16-20 units in 6mths.

I went out and checked my meter after making sure there were no taps left on, cisterns filling up etc.
The small star shaped wheel was not going round.

So, let me check I have read right.
18 units in 6 months is not high useage?
And as the star shaped wheel is not moving round, I do not have a leak?

Many thanks