FTB & water bills

JustAnotherSaver

Not for me this one but my sister is going to end up buying her first home some time within the next 12 months ish.

Anyway, during the discussion one of the things I thought of was water bills & meters but I don't actually know the answer.

When we bought our house it was just a flat rate for the water & still is. Switching to a meter would possibly work out cheaper for us but to be honest we would rather be as we are paying flat rates and not thinking every time we have a drink of water or go to the toilet or wash the car it's literally putting more money down the drain. My sister also would prefer flat rate payment.

So what happens in the situation where the previous house owners were on a meter?

Would she have no option in that situation but to be on a meter or does everyone buying a house default to flat rate & they have to actively decide to go on a meter?

JGB1955

Once a meter is installed (and has been there for 12 months*) there is no going back.

* (unless  you're with Severn Trent, then it's up to 24 months)

McKneff

What he says xx

Robin9

JustAnotherSaver said:

So what happens in the situation where the previous house owners were on a meter?

Just like Elec and Gas -  you read the meter when you move in and ring the supplier.  In discussion with you they will make a good guess at usage and what your monthly DD will be.  You will be sent a statement every 6 months.

Cardew

JGB1955 said:

Once a meter is installed (and has been there for 12 months*) there is no going back.

* (unless  you're with Severn Trent, then it's up to 24 months)

I think there is some confusion with the above reply.

If you are paying a flat rate(i.e charges based on the Rateable Value - RV) and as the occupant elect to have a meter, you do indeed have 12 or 24 months to elect to revert to RV based charges.

However that was not the question the OP posed. The OP's sister is buying a property as her first home. If that property is metered she will not have the option of reverting to RV based charges even if the meter had just been installed.

It is also pertinent to add that even if she buys a house without a meter, the water company can insist that a meter is fitted. In the past some water companies did not enforce that legislation,(some did) but there are indications that policy is changing.

JustAnotherSaver

Robin9 said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

So what happens in the situation where the previous house owners were on a meter?

Just like Elec and Gas -  you read the meter when you move in and ring the supplier.  In discussion with you they will make a good guess at usage and what your monthly DD will be.  You will be sent a statement every 6 months.

I should've been clearer. I wasn't really asking how meters work.

I was meaning more along the lines of could she say I don't want a meter, I want flat rate charging (or RV it seems to be called as I read on the thread).

But looks like the replies have that covered - no she couldn't.

Thanks for the responses.