Meter installed on neighbours water supply

NotFair

During 2006 my daughter and I moved into my present property and I was informed by the Water Company that a meter was already in place on the water supply. Over the following couple of years I was billed and paid monthly DD. During 2008 I felt the useage was to high so wrote on a couple of occasions querying the useage. I was informed in no unceratin terms that the useage was correct and the meters rarely fail. My daughter moved out in 2011 leaving me alone in the property. After a year my useage has increased so I spoke to the water company who once again said the useage was correct. I asked for an engineers visit but was told this would cost me £50. I was unable to fund this. Last week I received a half yearly bill once again putting my monthly direct debt up. I rang the company yet again who agreed to visit this time (no charge would be made). Engineer arrived this week - My meter was infact installed onto a neighbouring property (who are not on a meter). I have now been told that after supplying the company with Wednesdays reading plus another in 2 weeks time my bills will be re-calculated back. Does anybody have any advice regarding this. I feel unable to try to recalculate such costs back myself so presumably I will have to accept whatever they offer ?? Is there the possibility of also claiming compensation?:mad:

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

NotFair wrote: »

My meter was infact installed onto a neighbouring property (who are not on a meter).

I'm not quite sure that I understand this. Are you saying that what was thought to be your meter is actually measuring your neighbour's consumption or are you saying that it is measuring your consumption but has been physically located on the neighbouring property?

NotFair

It is a meter registered to my address however is registering a neighbours water useage for which I am then being charged.

To explain my meter is on a neighbours water pipe and recording the neighbours water useage. I am then being charged for this.

The neighbour is being charged for a property that does not have a meter.

mart.vader

NotFair wrote: »

During 2006 my daughter and I moved into my present property and I was informed by the Water Company that a meter was already in place on the water supply. Over the following couple of years I was billed and paid monthly DD. During 2008 I felt the useage was to high so wrote on a couple of occasions querying the useage. I was informed in no unceratin terms that the useage was correct and the meters rarely fail. (Yes, maybe, but meters being fitted on the wrong supplies, is not exactly unheard of )

My daughter moved out in 2011 leaving me alone in the property. After a year my useage has increased so I spoke to the water company who once again said the useage was correct. I asked for an engineers visit but was told this would cost me £50. This is nonsense (from the Water Co) - there is no charge. I was unable to fund this.

Last week I received a half yearly bill once again putting my monthly direct debt up. I rang the company yet again who agreed to visit this time (no charge would be made). Engineer arrived this week - My meter was infact installed onto a neighbouring property (who are not on a meter). I have now been told that after supplying the company with Wednesdays reading plus another in 2 weeks time my bills will be re-calculated back. Does anybody have any advice regarding this. I feel unable to try to recalculate such costs back myself so presumably I will have to accept whatever they offer ?? Is there the possibility of also claiming compensation?:mad:

The water co should adjust your neighbour's bill for the cost of the water via the meter since 2006, and they should then set the amount you have paid since 2006 against what you would have paid on RV charges, and give you the difference. And then give you an ex gratia payment and an apology.

Whether they will, of course, will be a test of their honesty (or lack of) and your powers of persuasion.

Mykidsmum

mart.vader wrote: »

The water co should adjust your neighbour's bill for the cost of the water via the meter since 2006, and they should then set the amount you have paid since 2006 against what you would have paid on RV charges, and give you the difference. And then give you an ex gratia payment and an apology.

Whether they will, of course, will be a test of their honesty (or lack of) and your powers of persuasion.

Sorry to disagree but the neighbour is unaffected by the meter being fitted on their supply pipe as they have been paying their water charges based on the RV of the property.

The OP's meter now needs to be fitted onto the correct pipework that supplies her property. Two meter reading will then be taken over 2 weeks and this average will be used to calculate what the metered charges would have been for the period that the old meter was in the wrong position.

This should be to the op's benefit as the current usage will be based on a single occupier when part of the problem period included a time when there were 2 occupiers.

Statute of limitations should start from when OP originally raised the matter in 2008 when nothing was done about the issue, so re-calculation should go back to date of occupation.

I would expect you will be due a refund (hopefully)

Cardew

Post above is correct.


All the OP needs to do is ensure that her water consumption over the 2 week period is as low as possible. Use a friends washing machine, quick showers not baths, 'if yellow let it mellow' etc etc.


Officially the water company only need to rebate for 6 years, but I suspect they will rebate for the whole period back to 2006.


Then start negotiating - loss of interest etc etc.

DaftyDuck

As above, but the six year rule in post #6 should not apply, as the WC were informed of a possible error in 2008, and they dismissed this for incorrect reasons. They should refund for the full period. They should also be liable for fairly heavy compensation as well, so the OP should definitely play hardball with them over that aspect.

CKhalvashi

As above.

Definitely a case here.

CK

NotFair

Thank you all for your replies. I will be sure to negotiate.
mymumskid.......the water company in my area did charge for visits in the past but no longer do.

mart.vader

Mykidsmum wrote: »

Sorry to disagree but the neighbour is unaffected by the meter being fitted on their supply pipe as they have been paying their water charges based on the RV of the property. Its OK to disagree, Yes, I didn't take into account that the neighbour had been paying on the RV system.

The OP's meter now needs to be fitted onto the correct pipework that supplies her property. Two meter reading will then be taken over 2 weeks and this average will be used to calculate what the metered charges would have been for the period that the old meter was in the wrong position. The Water Co will fit a new meter on the OP's supply, they won't re-use the OP's meter on a different supply. If their policy is to fit meters and the neighbour should have had a meter fitted, they will then just meter their supply.

This should be to the op's benefit as the current usage will be based on a single occupier when part of the problem period included a time when there were 2 occupiers. The OP hasn't said how many people occupy the neighbour's property; if it is two, then yes you're right.

Statute of limitations should start from when OP originally raised the matter in 2008 when nothing was done about the issue, so re-calculation should go back to date of occupation. Don't think the Statute of Limitations applies,

I would expect you will be due a refund (hopefully)

On a purely moral basis, the Water Co should refund back to date of occupation, as the Water Co should check and record which property is supplied by which meter before starting to bill on it.

mart.vader

CKhalvashi wrote: »

As above.

Definitely a case here.

CK

Hey CK !
How are you doing with your petrol vouchers ?