MSE recommends water meters

Electriccyclist

Bit of a waste of time recommending meters in our Thames Water area, I have received estimated bills since before the pandemic, so I have, for example, no idea whether my efforts during the hosepipe ban made any difference or not. Although in theory it should all be evened up when they eventually get round to reading the meters, but they came down our road a few months back and the subsequent bill was still estimated so I'm no further forward. I could find out what my usage was if I could read my meter but it's at least 4 feet down a hole in the ground and I can't even see it. In addition it has blown twice and been replaced so I have no idea of usage at all. I just keep paying the bills every six months which don't vary very much anyway. I tried complaining but didn't get a reply. However, as far as service from Thames Water is concerned, its "nul points".

baser999

TW in the street a few years back fitting meters. Asked about ours and told that we’re on a shared supply with neighbour so no doing unless I want to pay for separate supply and he didn’t even want to think about what that would cost us. So our bills are on ‘assessed?’ basis which doesn’t seem to bad, or expensive.
Only downside has been that next door was empty for a long while between lettings, owner got builders in who turned water off without telling us; didn’t notice that they’d left for the weekend and left it switched off until we lost supply

Cardew

Electriccyclist said:

 if I could read my meter but it's at least 4 feet down a hole in the ground and I can't even see it. In addition it has blown twice and been replaced so I have no idea of usage at all. 

Ask for a remote read meter, or a smart meter. If getting constant estimated meter readings bothers you, threaten them with Ofwat.

If they have been under-estimating your readings their usual trick is to charge for the additional units at current(higher) rates.

If over-estimating it works the other way!