United Utilities forcing Water Meters

BendyTaffies · 22 March 2023 at 7:56PM

Hi all,

My water provider has announced that they’re installing water meters to everyone on our street, with the “story” of they’re doing it so they can show you how much you’ll save if you switched to a water meter. I called them to try to opt out but they said it wasn’t possible. What are my options?

Currently I pay a fixed rate per month and as my family is increasing, I’d like to stick with this fixed rate. But I worry that they’ll use this as a technique to force everyone to be on a water meter eventually.

[Deleted User] · 22 March 2023 at 9:11PM

You don’t have any options.

‘Emma Clancy, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “Compulsory metering programmes form part of wider efforts to tackle the looming threat of a water shortage crisis and it’s really important customers living in those regions comply with this.’

Cardew · 22 March 2023 at 10:31PM

Welcome to the forum.

It was always the intent of the Government in passing the Water Privatisation Act that all properties would eventually be metered and all properties built since 1990 had to have a meter(with a very few exceptions)

Existing properties in April 1990 were allowed to retain charges based on their Rateable Value but provision was made for water companies to compulsorily fit a meter on change of owner of the property, or major modification to the property.

Sadly many water companies couldn't be bothered to enforce that provision, because there was no financial incentive for them to do so.

BendyTaffies · 29 March 2023 at 11:50AM

Thank you for your replies - much appreciated.

rjl · 2 May 2023 at 2:09PM

UU have just installed a water meter for my house, without notifying me. Just made a complaint to them as the first I knew about it was when I got an email to say I had a new bill. They said I should have been told before hand (by post or email) that they were installing a meter under their enhanced metering programme

When I checked the bill I found I was now on a metered supply which is covered by their lowest bill guarentee, which means i won't pay more than the old,fixed rateable value bill for the next 2 years.

Hopefully their estimates (that I will have lower bills) with 3 adults in a 3 bed house are correct.

If the metered bills are more then I can always switch back to the old rateable value bill.

Looks like UU are using their powers to the full, to increase the number of meters being used.

So, I can understand why they see this as a way to reduce water usage. I just wish I'd been told in advance.