'Lost' water meter stopped giving readings.

victor2

Of course if the water co. accept they've been billing you incorrectly, because they thought you had a water meter, they could (?) turn round and say they'll revise the bills and re-bill you based on the rates for people without a meter, which will doubtless be significantly more. You'd like to think anyone with a hint of common sense wouldn't try to do that, but who knows.

tim_p

Do any of the bills have a meter serial number?

YoungBlueEyes

Thanks for the earworm taff  

I was about to agree with you about the common sense thing victor but having just got off the phone with them I'll not. Yet. 

There is a serial number on the statements, yes tim. Even though the front says they used actual readings, all the readings over the page are estimates. 

I managed to get talking to a woman with common sense and here are the answers. The meter was definitely there and was definitely in the external stoptap chamber, but stopped giving readings in May '22 (we moved in in the August), so she said she's certain someone before us removed it - quite common apparently. You can't do an annual payment for your water bill 2p because they (Yorkshire Water) don't bill in arrears. Also water butts will only take a couple of quid a month off your bill if they're catching absolutely every single drop of rain that comes off your roof. So that's out too. 

The very helpful woman has booked a fellah to come out and see if he can't find the meter - they have a Process to follow she said - and what happens next will depend on that visit. I said I was worried about getting a big back-dated bill but they don't do that, it's their responsibility to keep on top of the meter thing and they didn't. Any refund that may or may not be due will be discussed after we've been through The Process and they've got some actual readings to go from, but it's possible. She wouldn't say how far back they'd go, hence me holding fire on their common sense levels. For now. I won't have to pay anything for a meter, if I need one.

So there we go. I'll update again if anything happens.

Thanks again for your replies all, I'm grateful  

molerat

That stop valve in the ground does look a bit new so it is possible someone has removed the meter.  Was the house being refurbished before you moved in ?

YoungBlueEyes

No not being refurbished molerat. The woman who owned it moved out a few months before she sold it, and in the meantime her son and his girlfriend moved in. Judging by the rollie ends/beer cans/detritus in the garden and the state of the place in general, he took it out.