Metered Water - Bill A Bit High

Kerrie74

I can have the meter removed, they give you a year then after the year your stuck with it I'm completely daft lol I already know I'm stuck with Severn Trent water and I know they don't offer you tariffs, I was saying that the bill as it is (metered) works out more than the yearly bill.

Yeah I'm going to give them a new reading in 2 - 3 weeks anyway.

The other thing that interests me is the surface water drainage charge.

From what I understand it's the water that drains from your property to a public sewer, so I'm assuming those grates on the street? Please correct me if I am wrong. I'm trying to suss out if I should be paying as much because my garden/paths are on a slant so the rain water doesn't run from the property, in run down into the garden or the bits grass we have at the side of the path. I've probably gotten it wrong knowing me. I'm not the best with my concentration.

Kerrie74

Anyway, I'm now going to wait until I send the new reading in and see what happens from there, if it does work out that having the meter costs more then I'll ask them to remove it. I only had it installed 5 months ago so it should be fine

thanks for the advice and take care!

HappyMJ

Kerrie74 wrote: »

I can have the meter removed, they give you a year then after the year your stuck with it I'm completely daft lol I already know I'm stuck with Severn Trent water and I know they don't offer you tariffs, I was saying that the bill as it is (metered) works out more than the yearly bill.

Yeah I'm going to give them a new reading in 2 - 3 weeks anyway.

The other thing that interests me is the surface water drainage charge.

From what I understand it's the water that drains from your property to a public sewer, so I'm assuming those grates on the street? Please correct me if I am wrong. I'm trying to suss out if I should be paying as much because my garden/paths are on a slant so the rain water doesn't run from the property, in run down into the garden or the bits grass we have at the side of the path. I've probably gotten it wrong knowing me. I'm not the best with my concentration.

Trust me on this one the meter once installed can not be removed.

Whoever requested it's installation can revert to RV billing within a certain time frame but the next occupier will have no option but to be metered.

To avoid a SWD charge you'll need a soakaway or a ditch draining water away from your property including water from your roof and not into the public sewer.

Cardew

Kerrie74 wrote: »

Anyway, I'm now going to wait until I send the new reading in and see what happens from there, if it does work out that having the meter costs more then I'll ask them to remove it. I only had it installed 5 months ago so it should be fine

thanks for the advice and take care!

As said above the meter won't be removed, but stay in-situ for the next occupant.


However I wouldn't count on you being able to revert to charges based on the RV within 12 months. That would be the situation if you had been in occupation some time and voluntarily applied for a meter.


However under the Water Act the situation is that when a new occupant moves into a property, the water company can insist on a meter being fitted and metering charges apply.


Some companies enforce that regulation religiously, others don't bother. As you occupied the property in February, and have not had a RV bill, I am not certain how ST will apply the rules.


On the question of Surface water drainage, just claim for relief and see what ST say - they may not even inspect if other properties nearby have claimed relief.

Kerrie74

No I think I can go back on rateable value within 12 months of having the meter installed. You are right they don't remove the meter but they do say on the site if you require them to then you have to contact them.

http://severntrentwater.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/407/~/can-you-remove-my-water-meter%3F

The woman I spoke to even asked if I'd decided if I wanted to go back on a yearly bill, but we agreed to wait until I had the new reading in 2 - 3 weeks.

I did say it was ME that had the meter installed :P

Can you explain what they mean by a "public sewer"?

Is that any drain, even on your property or is that classed as "private"?

Again sorry about the questions... I have mental health problems and sometimes I just don't understand things or read them correctly, as with the meter removal.

Thanks for trying to advise.

Kerrie74

Cardew wrote: »

As said above the meter won't be removed, but stay in-situ for the next occupant.


However I wouldn't count on you being able to revert to charges based on the RV within 12 months. That would be the situation if you had been in occupation some time and voluntarily applied for a meter.


However under the Water Act the situation is that when a new occupant moves into a property, the water company can insist on a meter being fitted and metering charges apply.


Some companies enforce that regulation religiously, others don't bother. As you occupied the property in February, and have not had a RV bill, I am not certain how ST will apply the rules.


On the question of Surface water drainage, just claim for relief and see what ST say - they may not even inspect if other properties nearby have claimed relief.

Thank you, I think I'll do that in regards to the surface charge. In regards to going back to a normal bill, as I said in my other post, the woman did ask if I had decided if that's what I wanted when she was telling me how much it cost per year. So I think I might be lucky and they may allow it. I'll see when when I submit the water readings.

It's made me really paranoid now, I don't want to touch the water lol. As it is we have bottled water. All we do is use the washing machine, shower, wash pots and flush the toilet. I've asked for one of them bags you put in the cistern. I just don't get how we could have possibly used so much when I've just done the same as when I was at our old place. I'm really concious of how much water we use because it is metered.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice.

Cardew

Kerrie74 wrote: »

Can you explain what they mean by a "public sewer"?

Is that any drain, even on your property or is that classed as "private"?

The majority of properties built in the last 30 years have the water from gutters etc fed into a 'soakaway'. This is basically a big hole filled with rubble and covered over with soil so you wouldn't know it was there; one soakaway could cover more than one property. If this happens you can claim relief from SWD charges.


Some properties have this rainwater fed into a ditch/stream.


However some older properties had this water fed into drains that entered the sewerage system. This could be a 'storm drain' that routes untreated rainwater into rivers; or it could mix with the foul sewerage from your property. If either of these happen you pay SWD charges.

Kerrie74

milla wrote: »

I had a leak last year (my own fault ) . I am with United Utilities and they very generously gave me a leakage allowance . I think with UU it is a one off thing. I have had a quick look and I think Severn Trent may do the same thing .

http://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supplies/my-responsibility-for-pipes-leaks-and-drains/leaks-and-bill-allowances/leakage-allowance-claim-form?stop_mobi=yes

I suggest that you ring them and ask

Hi,

sorry I didn't see your reply!

I've emailed and asked about the leakage allowance and sent them photo evidence of the actual leak. Well I say of the actual leak, it's of the water coming through the exterior walls and making a puddle on the floor outside.

I thought one of the leaks was from the overflow so I stuck a wash basin there to see, but nah, as you can see it's pretty wet where the basin is sitting. The was a bit of a puddle underneath the basin. That water came through in 3 or 4 different areas on the exterior wall.

Kerrie74

Cardew wrote: »

The majority of properties built in the last 30 years have the water from gutters etc fed into a 'soakaway'. This is basically a big hole filled with rubble and covered over with soil so you wouldn't know it was there; one soakaway could cover more than one property. If this happens you can claim relief from SWD charges.


Some properties have this rainwater fed into a ditch/stream.


However some older properties had this water fed into drains that entered the sewerage system. This could be a 'storm drain' that routes untreated rainwater into rivers; or it could mix with the foul sewerage from your property. If either of these happen you pay SWD charges.

Thanks for explaining.

I have spotted a drain/grate next to where the shed used to be. So it looks like I'm stuck with the SWD? This property was built in the 80's.

Cardew

Kerrie74 wrote: »

Thanks for explaining.

I have spotted a drain/grate next to where the shed used to be. So it looks like I'm stuck with the SWD? This property was built in the 80's.

A grate or grill is often the cover for the pipes leading to the soakaway.


Many(most?) houses built in the 80's would have had a soakaway, as the planning authorities would have made it a condition of getting planning permission.


If you can get access to the drains 'downstream' from your house, it is easy to see if water from gutters enter the drains sewer.


If not, apply for relief from SWD and tell them you have been told your surface water goes to a soakaway; and let ST inspect.