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FORCED TO MOVE TO METERED WATER - CAN I PAY FOR ACTUAL USE?

Bev_deV
Bev_deV Posts: 9 Forumite
Third Anniversary First Post
We are being forced to switch to metered water fees from April.  I don't want to pay estimated usage, this has caused issues with our electric and gas and trying to get credit back from our supplier (about £1k) 
Am i able to read the water meter each month, and get an actual bill?  Or, if they don't want to read the meter regularly, pay quarterly for actual use, or something like that? 
How can these companies just guess what we'll use, insist we pay a guesstimate each month and only read the meter once a year!  it's so wrong.
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Comments

  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 15,214 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    "Paying for actual usage" is the very reason why you would choose a water meter.
    Water meters are usually read once or twice a year; you could probably provide a reading more often, but I'm not sure why you'd want to.
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  • teaselMay
    teaselMay Posts: 406 Forumite
    100 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 3 January at 9:08PM
    I do exactly that. I didn't until about 6 months ago but was keen to avoid the swinging credit/debt surplus on my water account because use varied from their estimate between readings. 

    I'm with United Utilities and just read the meter and submit the reading each month. They take however much I've used from the account balance and sometimes recalculate the bill for the next 12 months amending the direct debit to fit their new estimate based on the new readings. I've reduced my bill from 50 odd to 32 by doing that. 
  • teaselMay
    teaselMay Posts: 406 Forumite
    100 Posts Name Dropper
    Actually it's gone down to £28 with the latest reading and was 58 on the February bill
  • SuzeQStan
    SuzeQStan Posts: 1,390 Forumite
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    From our experience would not recommend counting on your water company to read the meter.

    We have a water meter and are also with UU.

    & realised on Christmas Eve that our last 2x biannual bills had been estimated meaning our meter hadn’t been read for 18 months. Our fault entirely

    Once we read the meter we realised we were £100 in the hole. Paid that despite the timing not being ideal, and divided the underpayment across 18 months to come up with our new monthly direct debit - approx £5 more a
    month than we were paying before (£30)

    meter very easy to read - we will be providing a reading biannually from now on and recommend that to all to avoid an estimated and incorrect bill.
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  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Our meter is usually read twice a year around May and November 

    However for some reason, Anglian Water, much like my energy company seem incapable of doing a proper pro-rata estimate based on average consumption. Their consumption "estimate" for the six to eight weeks between the price rise and their meter reading usually suggests that my average monthly consumption suddenly doubles.

    I now send them a reading on the 1st April and they use that to properly recalculate the bill and DD. Its usually only a few quid but I object to them taking more than they are entitled to specially when a pro-rata calculation just as easy rather than an incorrect random guess.
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • Bev_deV
    Bev_deV Posts: 9 Forumite
    Third Anniversary First Post
    From April, I have not choice but to switch to metered water billing.
    SES say that we have to pay an estimated amount monthly, and they will read the meter at least once a year. They call it a 'budget plan'. But this only seems to work for their budget, not mine!

    I really don't want to get into another account in credit situation as with my electricity and gas. I have the devils job getting a refund each year, I am currently £700 in credit. I know I am entitled to it back, but it's a battle every year.

    I want to pay what I actually owe each month, or quarter. This must be legal? I want an actual bill, that I actually pay.

    Does anyone know if I am entitled to cancel this direct debit, if they can't give me an actual bill? and submit a meter reading and pay what I actually owe?

    My daughter and son-in-law have had a terrible time with SES, they bought a house that was previously multi-occupancy, and have had to pay high rates every month, and are now £1,500 in credit - battling to get it back, SES want to just keep it as credit on their account!

    Any advise please?
  • Bev_deV
    Bev_deV Posts: 9 Forumite
    Third Anniversary First Post
    teaselMay said:
    I do exactly that. I didn't until about 6 months ago but was keen to avoid the swinging credit/debt surplus on my water account because use varied from their estimate between readings. 

    I'm with United Utilities and just read the meter and submit the reading each month. They take however much I've used from the account balance and sometimes recalculate the bill for the next 12 months amending the direct debit to fit their new estimate based on the new readings. I've reduced my bill from 50 odd to 32 by doing that. 

    So you still pay an estimated amount each month, but submit a monthly reading?
  • Bev_deV
    Bev_deV Posts: 9 Forumite
    Third Anniversary First Post
    Our meter is usually read twice a year around May and November 

    However for some reason, Anglian Water, much like my energy company seem incapable of doing a proper pro-rata estimate based on average consumption. Their consumption "estimate" for the six to eight weeks between the price rise and their meter reading usually suggests that my average monthly consumption suddenly doubles.

    I now send them a reading on the 1st April and they use that to properly recalculate the bill and DD. Its usually only a few quid but I object to them taking more than they are entitled to specially when a pro-rata calculation just as easy rather than an incorrect random guess.

    This is exactly what the gas/electricity billing does. It's so annoying, I only want to pay for what I use, why aren't we entitled to that!  Thanks for the insight into reality.
  • Bev_deV
    Bev_deV Posts: 9 Forumite
    Third Anniversary First Post
    Thanks for the feedbacks, does anyone not pay a monthly DD and wait for an actual bill?
  • freesha
    freesha Posts: 383 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 31 January at 2:04PM
    Of course you can cancel the DD and pay in full on receipt of bill.
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