6 Month Estimate - Severn Trent

Nelly321

FTB - moved into property (sort of) and I rang Severn Trent Waters to let them know and to give a meter reading etc.

So once that was done I said 'how shall I pay? Is DD okay' they said yes, however they would need to base the DD on the average consumption for a 2 bed semi (2 person) which was about £360 a year (seemed a lot) and she resssured me that they would take a reading in 6 months and this may alter the DD depending on whether we used as much or less than expected.

Does this sound like normal practice?

Thanks!

Cardew

Yes, normal practice.

If metered the size of the property isn't a factor in consumption. 2 people in a 1 bed flat or an 8 bed mansion will still use the same amount of water.

2 people use on average 110 to 120 cubic metres a year. The cost of a cubic metre is approx. £2.50(water and sewerage) so £275 to £300 plus standing charges of about £40pa and if your surface water enters sewerage a further approx. £60.

matelodave

If you lived in the Anglian Water area it would cost even more. Based on an estimate of 110cu.m a year (average for two people) it would be £330 plus £116 standing charge = £446.


You can read your meter regularly and try to keep your consumption down. 110cu.m = about 2 cu.m a week, so if you can reduce your consumption to below that you should be in line for a DD reduction.


Have shorter showers, don't leave taps running whilst washing, washing up or cleaning your teeth etc. Only put as much water in the kettle as you need and even see if you can get flow restictors to fit onto the taps & shower (usually free from your water supplier) and you could save quite a bit

Nelly321

Thanks guys! I will pay the DD as is and hope we can use less to bring the DD down

deanos

take a reading today including decimals and again in 1 months time and ring them in, if they x12 the consumption will give a better idea of consumption over the year may bring the direct debit down or up , just use water normally

dogshome

Metered Water by DD ?- Don't do it

Unlike Elec & Gas suppliers, there is little or no financial incentive given by Water Co's to customers who are fronting up monthly cash for water, and there evidence of Water Co's playing sillybeggers with the amount of DD

If you go for payment on billing, you get your meter read every 6 months , a proper bill based on those readings which you pay - Where is your money better off - The Water Co's coffers or your bank/savings account?

Norman_Castle

I pay my metered water bill to Severn Trent by monthly installments. The annual bill is always within £5-£10 of the estimate and has been for over 15 years.

I recently tried to set up direct debit payments through their website and gave up. From memory non of my chosen passwords were accepted and clicking back a page deleted everything.

Cardew

dogshome wrote: »

Metered Water by DD ?- Don't do it

Unlike Elec & Gas suppliers, there is little or no financial incentive given by Water Co's to customers who are fronting up monthly cash for water, and there evidence of Water Co's playing sillybeggers with the amount of DD

If you go for payment on billing, you get your meter read every 6 months , a proper bill based on those readings which you pay - Where is your money better off - The Water Co's coffers or your bank/savings account?

If you have a bill of £360 pa, you pay £30 a month instead of £180 every 6 months. So you lose interest on £30 for 5 months, £30 for 4 months, then for 3 months 2 months and 1 month. So if your current account pays you 1% interest after tax, your loss of interest is 37.5p every 6 months, so over a year is 75 pence.

macman

However, if their gain is 75p per year across say 1 million customers, that's quite a boost to their cashflow.

GlosMark

I live in a 2-person household and have just received a letter from Severn Trent reducing my DD to £17.37, which is about £208 a year. So we must be well below average. We do wash, by the way

Cardew

macman wrote: »

However, if their gain is 75p per year across say 1 million customers, that's quite a boost to their cashflow.

However Ofwat determine exactly what revenue they can raise and what profit they can make; and the accounts are audited.


So if, to use your example, they 'make' £750,000 'profit' - in interest, that is part of their allowed profit.