Thames Water Meter and No Access rate

dgc13

Been pestered by TW to book a water meter survey date, doe's anyone know what the "No Access" charge / rate will be if I tell them to go away / ignore the letter. The reason for this is that years back when we were out shopping and we came home to find that we could not park on our drive because TW had turned up and dug our driveway to change a valve which they thought was reducing the flow of water to our neighbour, it turned out it made no difference at all. This cost us nearly £5000 to replace the driveway. All TW said was the we have the right to dig up pathway in front of your house, problem is we have no pathway in the front of our house. If there was a water leak fair enough and we would have been covered by insurance. How do I guarantee that TW will put the block paved driveway down again properly, or if they come in the house are they going to redecorate as the stop !!!!!! is behind a access door in the panelling, what are they liable for.   

GingerTim

According to https://www.thameswater.co.uk/media-library/home/help/billing-and-account/understand-your-bill/charges-scheme-2022-23.pdf, these are the annual no-access tariff charges. 

dgc13

GingerTim, thanks for reply, similar to what we are on at the moment, will have to think about it, as going on the previous TW experience I wonder what shape they would leave our driveway / internal panelling in. It would be cheaper for us on a meter but at what cost.

Bigwheels1111

The 3 types of Thames water billing as I understand it.
Unmetered 
Water meter 
Assessed tariff, where a meter can’t be fitted.

Unmetered was just over £500
Assessed was £395

Grumpy_chap

We are on the area for compulsory metering and apparently TW need a visit because they can't install a meter outside so want to install it inside.  The letters are very threatening in tone but, fortunately, not for me.  The letters are for "the occupier" so they must be trying to contact someone else as TW know who I am and have no problem sending the bill actually addressed to me.

Apparently, if no water meter can be fitted then we don't stay on the unmetered tariff but go to the punitive tariff instead.  The assessed tariff is only for people who requested a water meter before compulsory metering, apparently.  My house is the same as next door, and next door could not have a meter fitted, so I am doing nothing and staying on the unmetered tariff for as long as possible.  

The whole idea of a punishment tariff is wrong.

The rude and aggressive TW letters is wrong also.

MattMattMattUK

Grumpy_chap said:

We are on the area for compulsory metering and apparently TW need a visit because they can't install a meter outside so want to install it inside.  The letters are very threatening in tone but, fortunately, not for me.  The letters are for "the occupier" so they must be trying to contact someone else as TW know who I am and have no problem sending the bill actually addressed to me.

Apparently, if no water meter can be fitted then we don't stay on the unmetered tariff but go to the punitive tariff instead.  The assessed tariff is only for people who requested a water meter before compulsory metering, apparently.  My house is the same as next door, and next door could not have a meter fitted, so I am doing nothing and staying on the unmetered tariff for as long as possible.  

The whole idea of a punishment tariff is wrong.

The rude and aggressive TW letters is wrong also.

My understanding is that the "punishment tariff" exists because many of those who refuse a water meter do so because they use a horrific amount of water.

freesha

I used to work for a water company. Can confirm that 99% of people who were put on assessed charges were because they refused access to fit a meter, and knew thet were using astronomical amounts of water.