water meter removal

joe-swift

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I moved to my present property 2 years ago and then found that it already had a water meter fitted.

We are a family of 5 and my bills (despite rarely washing cars or using sprinklers) are about £250 more than those of my neighbours who haven't got a meter.

Apparently it is impossible to revert back to paying by rateable value even though I never requested the meter in the first place.

If you have a reasonably large family you will definately be worse off on a water meter and this is worth bearing in mind when buying new properties!

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Hapless_2

Wrong, family of 6 here and water bills are considerably lower on meters than on rates. Perhaps sitting back and seeing where water may be wasted is an idea.
How many times do you use a washing machine? Dishwasher?
How many baths/showers a week? (our kids share bath water)
Do you use bath water for flushing the toilet?
Do you have big flush/little flush toilet?
Do you flush each time loo is used? (If it brown flush it down, if it's yellow, let it mellow).
Do you leave the tap running when brushing your teeth?
Do you have any dripping taps? Do you have save rainwater for washing the car or watering the garden? (yes you can attatch power washers to water butts.)

Cardew

If you have a reasonably large family you will definately be worse off on a water meter and this is worth bearing in mind when buying new properties!

Wrong, family of 6 here and water bills are considerably lower on meters than on rates.

I don't inderstand why people can be so definite in their statements. Whilst those statements might be correct for themselves, they can't possibly know if their situation applies to others; without knowing where they live and most importantly what the rated value of their property is.

The water charging structures vary tremendously across the country. Some have higher standing charges and lower water/sewerage charges; and some vice versa.

If the OP lives in a house with a low RV it is perfectly possible that he will be much worse off with a meter.

On the other hand houses with a higher RV tend to be considerably better off with a meter.

I would be about £1,100 a year worse off with a meter as I have a high RV.
However a neighbour with a huge house and grounds worth much more than mine, doesn't have a meter because he would be much worse off.(he has a low RV because of the stupid RV rating system that was last assessed in 1972(and discontinued in 1989).

OFWAT have calculated that the majority of houses would be better off with a meter, but a sizeable minority would not.

So both posts above are quite wrong to state that their circumstances apply to everyone else.

Hapless_2

We happen to have the most expensive water charges and sewerage charges in the UK, South West Water!

Paul_Varjak

If you move into a house that already has a water meter fitted, you cannot request that it be taken out (even if the meter has only been in for a day).

If you request to have a water meter fitted, you can, within 12 months of it being fitted revert back to unmetered supply.

All new properties are now fitted with meters and you cannot change to unmetered even if you are the property's first owner.

Mobeer

The policy on whether you have to pay by meter upon moving into a property varies. For example Cambridge Water state that a new occupier cannot revert back to paying by rateable value, whereas Wessex Water will allow the new occupier to revert back within the first year of owning the property.

It is also not clear whether the water company will actually remove the meter if you choose to revert back to rateable value chargin. They may leave the meter in place but not use it.

MarkyMarkD

There's no reason at all why the suppliers would remove the meter. It costs next to nothing to leave it there, and it saves re-installing it when the next person wants it.

And it means that the next customer will be supplied on a metered basis which is fairer all round.

I can't honestly see why anyone should not pay on a metered basis - water is no different to gas or electricity. If you use more, you should pay more.

Cardew

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

I can't honestly see why anyone should not pay on a metered basis - water is no different to gas or electricity. If you use more, you should pay more.

Totally agree.However you cannot blame someone in a property with a low RV taking advantage of the situation that enables them to pay less by not being metered.When water was privatised the industry were given 10 years to come up with a fair system that did not depend on the stupid RV system for charging.

hex2

On RV we paid £170 per year, since moving to a house with a meter we are on target for £400 plus :eek: . Family of 6 - using 3 water butts for everything outside. I am sure it worked out well for the previous owners who were an elderly couple, but we knew this would be the case.

It does make you a lot more conscious of what you use/waste, and I don't think that that is an entirely bad thing.

sjc_2

Does anyone know what the charge is for a Water Meter, that is in use. Is there a standing charge and then X pence per litre? finally I am assumming each Water Board has a different rate.

Doubt it would be worthwhile for us.

Three Bed Semi in Warrington with family of four two Kids and two Adults, Washer is on daily, Kids and wife have Bath although Kids share the water and we have a small flush big flush toilet.

Rates for 07/8 - £464.97 compare to £321.98 in 03/04.

sjc_2

Just answered my own questions from another psot and used the United Utilities Water Meter Calculator and it comes out costing me £176.20 so I'm staying unmetered.