Meter request with Thames Water - not a success

bitofsaving

Just in case this might be of interest to others (or if any here have additional tips).
I'm the sole occupier in a small Victorian terrace, which has nonetheless 3 bedrooms. So I figured I'd be a good candidate to save money on a meter. I currently pay £255 based on the rateable value of my house, and the consumer council for water calculator indicated I should be paying around £190.
I got an appointment with Thames Valley to check out my property. Unfortunately, a meter couldn't be fitted because I'm on a shared water supply (no option for outside meter) and the stop valve inside is wedged awkwardly behind the cooker and the built-in kitchen in a way that would require deconstructing/cutting through back of the kitchen cupboards.
The man from Thames Water told me to ring them up again, explain the situation (he'd marked my property as "unmeterable") and to ask for an "assessed rate", rather than the rateable value rate, which takes into account occupancy. So I ask, and I am offered a rate of £340 for a single occupier in a 3 bedroom house! I was a bit gobsmacked. I was expecting savings, not additional cost! Apparently (if I understood correctly), the assessed charge does not take into account where you live (i.e. your house's value, or region), so all 3 bedroom houses are treated the same. Needless to say, I declined switching tariff.

I must say, I find this a very poor result, but think I'll just have to put up with it unless/until I decide to redo the kitchen and can create space and access for a water meter to be fitted.

macman

I think you'll find that the stop valve was in that location long before you or the previous owner built a fitted kitchen against it, so not really the fault of TW.
Should you get a burst, you really need that valve to be easily and quickly accessible.

Cardew

The Assessed Charge as you rightly state is only offered if you have applied for a meter, and one cannot be fitted. Depending on the water company it can be on number of occupants, or number of bedrooms.


If you are the sole occupant, it would appear that information was not conveyed to whoever you spoke to at Thames water. As you can see from the link below, you are correct that for a 3 bed property the assessed charge is £340.66. However for a single occupant it is £232.48


https://www.thameswater.co.uk/your-account/568.htm


Our charges for 2015 - 2016

Single occupier tariff £121.88 water, £110.60 waste water, £232.48 total

AnotherJoe

I would get the cupboard back cut out (which should have been done when the kitchen was installed) so the tap is easily accessible, if there's an issue you want it to be easily accessible, not struggling with it at 3 am.
The other issue with one that's not accessible is it will tend to freeze up. Although practically no one ever does it, you should twiddle it a fraction every now and again. Same issue, otherwise when you need to close it in an emergency, you find it's frozen, you force it and it breaks and you're in an even worse position.

[Deleted User]

bitofsaving - If it's any consolation a similar property in Anglian Water's region pays over £550 a year based on rateable value non metered supply.