Paying more than double on water meter, please help!

supersally

Hi
We have merged two houses together, one house was on a meter for nearly 4 years one was on a fixed rate (which we were allready living in) so we have been told since next door was allready on a meter we would have to be put on a new meter that supplies both houses which are now merged together.
We are paying around £100 per month now which is 3 times more than what we used to pay before which was £420 per year! I have allready asked to be put back on the fixed rate since its too expensive for us to afford even thought we are carefull with our water and are a family of 5 and that the new meter has inly been instalked about 6 months ago but yorkshire water said that since one house was allready on a meter they cannot let us go onto fixed payments again. Anyone with advice greatly appreciated, thanks

matelodave

The only advice is to use less water - the water co can insist that you have a meter. You only have the option of having a meter taken out if you requested it and asked for it to be removed before you'd had it 12 months.

Now you are actually paying for what you use you'll have to implement some water saving measures.

Start having shorter showers, shallower baths and/or fewer of them. A five minute shower uses half the amount of water than a 10 minute one. Fit flow restrictors on your shower and taps to reduce the flows (often free from the water co).
Change you toilet flush valves to low volume units or put a "hippo" or similar into the cistern to reduce the flush volume. Make sure you don't have any leaks from cisterns or dripping taps.

Only use the washing machine & dishwasher with full loads. Don't rinse stuff (including you) under running water, likewise turn the tap off when cleaning your teeth., Fill ketttles and saucepans with as much water as you need an no more.

Saving water will also save you energy as you won't have to heat as much.
Read your meter at least weekly to monitor your consumption - if you don't measure it you can't control it. Checking you meter regularly will also help you identify any leaks.

EmmyLou30

£20 each for water.....what are you doing with it!? We pay barely more than that for two of us. If your meter is correct with no leaks then your only answer is to look at your useage. This is why the system is unfair, everyone should pay for what they use really. You'd never see the electric and gas companies billing you a set figure because your house was worth £x in 1991 or whatever.

Cardew

EmmyLou30 wrote: »

£20 each for water.....what are you doing with it!? We pay barely more than that for two of us. .

Water charges vary tremendously across the country. They can be over 3 times as much in one district as another district.


However Yorkshire Water are correct that you cannot give a converted/extended house a new Rateable Value and all such buildings should be metered. Which of course is the only fair course of action - everyone should be metered.