Water meters - pros and cons?

Gothicfairy

ronaldmacdonald wrote: »

Old wives tale. If you ask to be metered they will provide. If you dont - they wont. Simples.

Actually that is not quite true, some companies do meter on change of occupier(they all have the legal right). Also if the property is changed by 50% ie house into 2 flats then it should also have a meter fitted no matter what the houseowner say's. Oh and if you have a pool you must have a meter and one will be fitted again without request.

JR87

Gothicfairy wrote: »

Also if the property is changed by 50% ie house into 2 flats then it should also have a meter fitted no matter what the houseowner say's. Oh and if you have a pool you must have a meter and one will be fitted again without request.

this is dependant on water company, 50% is variable quite massively, i.e if u have a small extension less then 50% change your required to have a meter with some companies

Gothicfairy

I have not heard of any water company metering due to a small extension as Sub Alt does seem to be 50% or change of use..But then that's not to say it hasn't happened but I can't help wondering how they would know.

[Deleted User]

I have to laugh.., I have clobbered myself slightly in my efforts to save money. I have moved from Wolverhampton to Kent. In Wolverhampton I had a water meter put in and immediately found my water charges were more than halved. So when I moved to Kent, to a similiarly low value property, I asked the local water company to put a meter in. The monthy charges (for a three bed house) were £26.., now they are over £30 lol. Not a huge difference but not what I was expecting as my useage hasn't changed at all. In Wolves I was paying £20 a month or less (yes i have checked the meter doesn't move when I am not using water so no hidden leaks). I can only assume water is a lot more expensive here somehow.

Ooopsy lol.

Cardew

deannatrois wrote: »

I have to laugh.., I have clobbered myself slightly in my efforts to save money. I have moved from Wolverhampton to Kent. In Wolverhampton I had a water meter put in and immediately found my water charges were more than halved. So when I moved to Kent, to a similiarly low value property, I asked the local water company to put a meter in. The monthy charges (for a three bed house) were £26.., now they are over £30 lol. Not a huge difference but not what I was expecting as my useage hasn't changed at all. In Wolves I was paying £20 a month or less (yes i have checked the meter doesn't move when I am not using water so no hidden leaks). I can only assume water is a lot more expensive here somehow.

Ooopsy lol.

Water and sewerage charges vary a great deal across the UK - the South West paying well over double some other regions.

If you had the meter installed less than 12 months ago you can revert to charges based on Rateable Value(RV) but that might not be any cheaper.

Are you paying for Surface Water Drainage?(water from gutters etc entering sewer) You might be able to claim relief from that element.

brenda50

Sorry don`t want to plough through thread, but can I have a meter installed in an upstairs flat?

BackOnTrack

brenda50 wrote: »

Sorry don`t want to plough through thread, but can I have a meter installed in an upstairs flat?

You might be able to but it is in your intrest to ask to have one fitted whether it is possible or not. Ask to have a meter installed and if you can't have one you should get moved to an assesed rate whereby you will pay less than what you currently do.

brenda50

Thanks! Also is it right that a 1 year tenancy means that the landlord does not have to be consulted? Thanks

Cardew

brenda50 wrote: »

Thanks! Also is it right that a 1 year tenancy means that the landlord does not have to be consulted? Thanks

Correct the landlord doesn't need to be consulted; albeit many have a clause in their rental agreement forbidding a meter change. IMO it wouldn't stand up in law in the unlikely event of them getting upset.

brenda50

There is no clause so off I go to arrange a meter! Thanks