water payment confusion

leedslass1_2

Hi there

I am on a water meter. Living on my own, and not being in my flat for any long periods, my usual water consumption is at the most 3 cubic metres per period stated by water company (3 mths?)

Last year i had a water leak (not my fault) Being a council property they didnt class it as 'priority' and therefore having reported it to both the council and Yorkshire Water on the Thursday 15th August, it wa not repaired till the following Monday.

I gave subsequent readings which showed my meter was then back to running as normal.

I received my annual statement the other day, and because of this apparent surge in my consumption, my bill and therefore my budget payments had gone up.

I rang and sorted it out to a degree, but they are still forecasting my consumption at 40 odd cubic metres for the next 13 months, an amount I never have and never could use!!

Am I best phoning again, or putting it in writing?

Am I being charged something for the leak which wasnt of my doing?

Thanks

macman

The leak may not be of 'your doing', but the water utility is entitled to charge for water used according to your meter. The pipework beyond the meter (which is where the leak must have been) is the responsibility of you or your landlord, so if you want to recover that charge you'd have to argue it out with the council: the water utility aren't interested in 3rd party disputes.
Thursday to Monday (one/two working days) doesn't seem an unreasonable response time for a non-priority leak?

Cardew

The average consumption for a single person is approx. 55 cubic metres a year. So 40 odd cubic metres for 13 months is not an unreasonable estimate.


The water company might give you an one-off allowance for the leak - you need to check with them. That would normally be the purpose of the readings they wanted after the leak was repaired.


As soon as they take future meter readings they should adjust your payments down to reflect your consumption, if it is as low(3 cu mtrs a quarter) as before.

leedslass1_2

thanks for your replies

I appreciate that it wasnt classed as an emergency therefore low priority - although when you're hearing the water and seeing the water meter spin round, its a bit stressful! Especially when to turn the water off, all it took was a turn on the screw type attachment on the pipe between the basin and the cistern. (Plus a copper replacement put into the cistern for the inefficient plastic one which had been in there since I moved in over 10 years ago!)

I have put a post on here before about water and it has been noted that my water consumption is low, but it has ever been more than 3 cubic metres each period of 3-4 months. If they check back in their records they will see it has never wavered from that. I havn't got a washing machine/dishwasher, I dont have full to the brim baths, Im just very economical with my water usage!

I can also appreciate that they will see, in time, that I am just using what I have always done, but being on a limited income, it grates a bit to have to pay out more in the meantime. They havnt said or put any notice on the bills that I am being charged for the leak, and no mention has been made when I phoned them.

leedslass1_2

Just rang Yorkshire Water again, having received another updated payment booklet this morning.

From paying at most £10.20 per month, it would now shoot up to just under £29.00. Not a lot I daresay to some people, but considerable increase to what I have been paying previously.

Explained to the lady there the problem, asked if I had been offered any chance of a bursery. Explained that after the leak I had been told there 'may be a chance, but no guarantee', but nothing more was said or mentioned on any future documentation.

The lady today has said she will look into this for me, and ask 'those above' to look at the possibility of a bursery to bring the amount down.

At the moment its based on consumption of 42 cubic metres, as I mentioned it has never gone above 3 cubic metres and never gone into double figures.

So I just have to wait now. I know some people may think thats just the way it goes, the water did come out of the pipe and the cost needs covering. Its just that when I have always paid on time, never used water wastefully, and due to an out of date cistern part installed by the council and not updated, I have to (possibly) bear the brunt of the cost, it doesnt give you much reward for being a good, honest, on time paying customer

mart.vader

Ring Yorkshire Water again, ask them, for a leak allowance form.

Link here : http://www.yorkshirewater.com/medialibrary/PDF%20files/Leak%20-%20using%20or%20losing/Water%20consumption%20-%20are%20you%20using%20it%20or%20losing%20it.pdf

"Am I responsible if the pipework leaks?

Yes, you’re responsible for repairing leaking pipes between the boundary of the street and your home,as well as any faulty plumbing on your property. If you find a leak on your supply pipe,please telephone our 24-hour freephone Leakline on 0800573553. You may be eligible for a free repair.

Please refer to our Code of Practice on Leakage which gives further helpful advice and information about leakage detection,free supply pipe repairs for domestic customers and, for customers with meters, allowances for leakage against water and sewerage charges.
Please contact us for your free copy."