Water bill - kick in the teeth

mikemakesdo

I must admit, I'm normally pretty "on it" with regards to monitoring my usage and spending on my utilities, energy and other bills, but have never really paid too much attention to my water for some reason. For the last 12 months we've happily paid £48 a month to Anglian Water, foolishly under the expectation that it would cover us come this time of year when they send us a bill (last year we had to pay off £70-odd quid on top of a £33 a month DD so I thought we'd be fine).

There's just two of us in a tiny little mid-terraced house with no more water usage than normal.

Then the bill comes through today..

Clearly we must have some sort of leak, which is concerning enough as it as, but it must be some SERIOUS leak to warrant that much of an increase?!

Anglian Water have agreed to postpone their proposed increase to £114 a month to cover the £524 we now owe them (OUCH) and sent some instructions to investigate if there is a leak, but this is scary stuff...

In an age where we're all worrying about gas and electricity usage, trying desparetly just to get by, the world certainly has a way of kicking you whilst you're down eh...

Robin9

Are you able to read the meter yourself ?

Where is the meter - footpath or kitchen ?

mikemakesdo

Robin9 said:

Are you able to read the meter yourself ?

Where is the meter - footpath or kitchen ?

I'm at work at the moment, but I plan to double check it when I get home. The meter is out the front of the property under the public footpath

MWT

First test is to turn off the main water valve in the house and see if the meter still shows flow, if it does you have a leak between the meter and the house.

If the flow stops then that is relatively good news as you are not dealing with a leak underground.

Misslayed

If it's any comfort to you, I had exactly the same scenario in 2018, different water authority, but it was swiftly and efficiently sorted, meter replaced, very neat patch in the pavement, and my account was credited so that my bill reflected similar use to the previous year. Hope that you get a similar result. 

mikemakesdo

Misslayed said:

If it's any comfort to you, I had exactly the same scenario in 2018, different water authority, but it was swiftly and efficiently sorted, meter replaced, very neat patch in the pavement, and my account was credited so that my bill reflected similar use to the previous year. Hope that you get a similar result. 

What a result!

RobM99

MWT said:

First test is to turn off the main water valve in the house and see if the meter still shows flow, if it does you have a leak between the meter and the house.

If the flow stops then that is relatively good news as you are not dealing with a leak underground.

I had this! The water board sent a little geezer with a !listening device (I expected a piece of high tech' - turned out to be half a tennis ball on a stick!).

Previously they suggested maybe I was using a lot of water (live alone, at work all day) but the amount I used equated to 9 Olympic size swimming pools! Yes, the leak was their side. Sorted.

pochase

RobM99 said:

MWT said:

First test is to turn off the main water valve in the house and see if the meter still shows flow, if it does you have a leak between the meter and the house.

If the flow stops then that is relatively good news as you are not dealing with a leak underground.

I had this! The water board sent a little geezer with a !listening device (I expected a piece of high tech' - turned out to be half a tennis ball on a stick!).

Previously they suggested maybe I was using a lot of water (live alone, at work all day) but the amount I used equated to 9 Olympic size swimming pools! Yes, the leak was their side. Sorted.

I am confused. Why would a leak on their side of the meter increase your usage?

Water that does not pass your meter because it goes into the ground should not increase your meter.

Misslayed

Wessex water told me that if the leak was between the meter (on the pavement) and the wall of my house, they would pay for the repair, but if it was within my walls I would have to pay, and they could legally force me to make the repair 😳

RobM99

pochase said:

RobM99 said:

MWT said:

First test is to turn off the main water valve in the house and see if the meter still shows flow, if it does you have a leak between the meter and the house.

If the flow stops then that is relatively good news as you are not dealing with a leak underground.

I had this! The water board sent a little geezer with a !listening device (I expected a piece of high tech' - turned out to be half a tennis ball on a stick!).

Previously they suggested maybe I was using a lot of water (live alone, at work all day) but the amount I used equated to 9 Olympic size swimming pools! Yes, the leak was their side. Sorted.

I am confused. Why would a leak on their side of the meter increase your usage?

Water that does not pass your meter because it goes into the ground should not increase your meter.

AS I recall the leak was between the meter and my property, i.e. in the street. Anyhow that's my recollection (it was a while ago). Upshot was I didn't have to pay.

knightstyle

First thing is to check your toilets and see if they are overflowing into the pan or out through the wall via a small pipe.