Water meter

Romepen

I am interested in buying house that was built in 1990, it comes with a water meter. What does this mean,  I will be living on my own but is that water meter individual to my property?  How does it work? 

Can I have it removed? 
Do I have to continue with it? 
What are the pros and cons of having it? 
Do I get billed for leaks? 

Thank you for any advice. 

marcia_

Romepen said:

I am interested in buying house that was built in 1990, it comes with a water meter. What does this mean,  I will be living on my own but is that water meter individual to my property?  How does it work? 

Can I have it removed? No
Do I have to continue with it? Yes 
What are the pros and cons of having it? You pay for what you use rather than a set amount which may be charging way more 
Do I get billed for leaks? Possibly but you would also if you didn't have a meter . However if the source is found outside of your property it's the water companies responsibility and you won't be charged 

Thank you for any advice. 

Answers are above in bold 

mr_stripey

marcia has answered but just to add - you can chill about this. None of these issues is close to being a deal breaker on whether you should buy the house. 

Keep_pedalling

For people living on their own, a water meter will be cheaper than an in metered property unless you are having 2 baths a day and have a swimming pool to fill.

pseudodox

As a single household my metered water usage costs about 25% of what I would be paying on rateable value calculation.  I am careful with water but not obsessed with every tiny drop.  My splurge is an occasional top up of a garden pond which might add on £5 in the summer quarter.  I don't stint on watering plants, don't spend more than a few minutes in the shower, wash up in the sink rather than use a dishwasher.  I would find it impossible to use enough to raise my costs to the rateable value level unless I just left taps running to no purpose.  

Tiexen

pseudodox said:

 wash up in the sink rather than use a dishwasher. 

Unless you could get that sink full of dirty dishes hand washed with soap and rinsed with the water running from the tap in fewer than 2 minutes, it’s likely you’re using a lot more water than a current automatic dishwasher model requires. And in most cases, a lot more if you pre-rinse, wash, and then rinse again.'

marcia_

 I've noticeably used less water since getting s dishwasher. Monthly DD went down by about £4. 

I use it every other day instead of handwashing once or twice a day.  I save the dishes from 2 days, you obv need enough crockery etc to do this. 

freesha

Don't let a water meter be the reason you dont buy a property.

Everyone is fine to be billed for the gas/electric they actually use, but not water - such a strange stance.

Cardew

Even if you bought a house without a meter - which in most case means constructed before 1990 - the water companies have to power to compulsorily fit a meter.

They often didn't enforce that provision, but it is happening now in most cases. 

pseudodox

Tiexen said:

pseudodox said:

 wash up in the sink rather than use a dishwasher. 

Unless you could get that sink full of dirty dishes hand washed with soap and rinsed with the water running from the tap in fewer than 2 minutes, it’s likely you’re using a lot more water than a current automatic dishwasher model requires. And in most cases, a lot more if you pre-rinse, wash, and then rinse again.'

I wash up when I have a sink full - every 2 or 3 days.  The hot soapy water is also used to wipe down surfaces and the cooker.  I wait to wash up until I have been gardening or DIY-ing so I then also get my hands nice and clean, even under my nails.  In spring/summer the water in the bowl can be chucked out the back door & used to brush down my paved terrace.  You cannot recycle the water from the dishwasher.  Whilst I am washing up I am enjoying watching through the window at birds on the feeders or looking at the results of a gardening session.  My water consumption according to my bills is around 50 litres per day - almost a third of the average for a single household.  I don't want a dishwasher, I don't have the space for a dishwasher unless the kitchen gets refitted.  I am happy washing up in the sink. I am happy that you are happy with a dishwasher.  I mentioned the washing up purely to illustrate to the OP my water usage not instigate a discussion on why I should get a dishwasher.

GingerTim

To give you an approximate idea of cost, I live on my own in a metered property and my bill is about £13 per month.