Huge Thames water bill rises 2025/2026 50% + for some

trenchwars

If you're going to complain about this, make sure you complain to the right people.

Thames Water have a monopoly on your water supply and will charge whatever the regulator Ofwat allows them to, because your a captive customer who cannot take your business elsewhere, so there is no consumer pressure to keep prices low.

Ofwat are an unelected government agency and members of the public have no say on who runs them or what they do, so they have no reason to care if the public are angry about their bills going up.

The Labour government are ultimately responsible for this as Ofwat is under their political control and they need our votes to keep them in office.

bytheshortandcurlys

My Thames Water bill is now £1747, It has increased £466 for this year!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
I've requested a meter now.
I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
I have considered that my bill is much higher than the supposed average bill , but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills. 
But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.
So I'll update when I have had my meter fitted.

MattMattMattUK

bytheshortandcurlys said:

My Thames Water bill is now £1747, It has increased £466 for this year!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
I've requested a meter now.
I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
I have considered that my bill is much higher than the supposed average bill , but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills. 
But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.
So I'll update when I have had my meter fitted.

You can estimate your costs using this calculator, it is almost always over what people actually end up paying because it plays it safe. 
https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/water-meter-calculator/

You would have had to use a huge amount of water to get anywhere close to that figure even pre-rise. If you have usage anything like a normal level of usage then you will probably be paying around £600 pa with a water meter. 

bytheshortandcurlys

MattMattMattUK said:

bytheshortandcurlys said:

My Thames Water bill is now £1747, It has increased £466 for this year!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
I've requested a meter now.
I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
I have considered that my bill is much higher than the supposed average bill , but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills. 
But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.
So I'll update when I have had my meter fitted.

You can estimate your costs using this calculator, it is almost always over what people actually end up paying because it plays it safe. 

So I've had a meter fitted 7 days ago on 1st May.
Thames Water have now issued a new payment plan/bill which in my understanding is farcical.
They appear to be billing me the WHOLE year non-metered charge AND the metered charge for the SAME period 2025-2026.
The new bill says
"What you owed for your bill dated 10 Feb 2025  £1747.31"    (this is the original non-metered bill for 2025-2026)
"What you've paid 28 Feb 2025  -£174.74"                    (the 1st non-metered instalment that I've paid)
"Amount currently owed on your account = £1572.57"
"The cost of 6 months use = £419.66"   (this is a new item which wasn't on the original non-metered bill)
"This includes our estimate of your use since 20 April 2025 and what we think you'll use until we review your plan around October 2025"
"What you need to pay £1,992.23"    (ie. £1747.31 - £174.74 + £419.66)

Then they've given me a payment plan over 5 months = £398 per month!

Shouldn't the non-metered bill of £1747.31 be cancelled and pro-rata for the part the year up to the 20 April 2025, when they've said the new metered charging starts?    The £1747.31 already includes my usage for the year, so why they are then adding another £419.66 usage on top!
And the meter wasn't even fitted until 1st May, so why are they starting the metered charging from before that?

I knew this would be a nightmare and people say why don't you get a meter.
And on top of that the meter is showing 10 to 12 litres of usage per hour, even when I'm NOT using any water and no appliances are on and there are no dripping taps and there are no leaky loos etc.

Is this some kind of joke!

MattMattMattUK

bytheshortandcurlys said:

MattMattMattUK said:

bytheshortandcurlys said:

My Thames Water bill is now £1747, It has increased £466 for this year!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
I've requested a meter now.
I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
I have considered that my bill is much higher than the supposed average bill , but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills. 
But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.
So I'll update when I have had my meter fitted.

You can estimate your costs using this calculator, it is almost always over what people actually end up paying because it plays it safe. 

So I've had a meter fitted 7 days ago on 1st May.
Thames Water have now issued a new payment plan/bill which in my understanding is farcical.
They appear to be billing me the WHOLE year non-metered charge AND the metered charge for the SAME period 2025-2026.
The new bill says
"What you owed for your bill dated 10 Feb 2025  £1747.31"    (this is the original non-metered bill for 2025-2026)
"What you've paid 28 Feb 2025  -£174.74"                    (the 1st non-metered instalment that I've paid)
"Amount currently owed on your account = £1572.57"
"The cost of 6 months use = £419.66"   (this is a new item which wasn't on the original non-metered bill)
"This includes our estimate of your use since 20 April 2025 and what we think you'll use until we review your plan around October 2025"
"What you need to pay £1,992.23"    (ie. £1747.31 - £174.74 + £419.66)

Then they've given me a payment plan over 5 months = £398 per month!

Shouldn't the non-metered bill of £1747.31 be cancelled and pro-rata for the part the year up to the 20 April 2025, when they've said the new metered charging starts?    The £1747.31 already includes my usage for the year, so why they are then adding another £419.66 usage on top!
And the meter wasn't even fitted until 1st May, so why are they starting the metered charging from before that?

Is this some kind of joke!

It is not a joke, they are estimating for the first year as that is when they would have a meter read to balance everything off, normally Thames Water only read meters every 1-2 years, so their data in the short term would be limited. You can lower the Direct Debit on the website yourself, so you can do that in the interim. If you then submit monthly meter readings then the system will balance itself out fairly quickly. 

bytheshortandcurlys said:

I knew this would be a nightmare and people say why don't you get a meter.

It is really not a nightmare, people say do not get a water meter because they are idi*ts.

bytheshortandcurlys said:

And on top of that the meter is showing 10 to 12 litres of usage per hour, even when I'm NOT using any water and no appliances are on and there are no dripping taps and there are no leaky loos etc.

That is not particularly unusual in a lot of homes, low level constant leaks that residents are not aware of. People often complain that the meters are wrong and whilst they very occasionally are, it is almost always hidden leaks that have previously gone undetected, which is one reason why unmetered charges are so much higher. What you need to do to properly test things is to turn the water off at the stop c*ck and then see if the meter still rises, if it does then there is a chance of a leak downstream of the meter on their side, or a meter error, but if there is no usage when turned off at the stop c*ck then the leak is your responsibility. 

bytheshortandcurlys

MattMattMattUK said:

bytheshortandcurlys said:

MattMattMattUK said:

bytheshortandcurlys said:

My Thames Water bill is now £1747, It has increased £466 for this year!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
I've requested a meter now.
I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
I have considered that my bill is much higher than the supposed average bill , but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills. 
But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.
So I'll update when I have had my meter fitted.

You can estimate your costs using this calculator, it is almost always over what people actually end up paying because it plays it safe. 

So I've had a meter fitted 7 days ago on 1st May.
Thames Water have now issued a new payment plan/bill which in my understanding is farcical.
They appear to be billing me the WHOLE year non-metered charge AND the metered charge for the SAME period 2025-2026.
The new bill says
"What you owed for your bill dated 10 Feb 2025  £1747.31"    (this is the original non-metered bill for 2025-2026)
"What you've paid 28 Feb 2025  -£174.74"                    (the 1st non-metered instalment that I've paid)
"Amount currently owed on your account = £1572.57"
"The cost of 6 months use = £419.66"   (this is a new item which wasn't on the original non-metered bill)
"This includes our estimate of your use since 20 April 2025 and what we think you'll use until we review your plan around October 2025"
"What you need to pay £1,992.23"    (ie. £1747.31 - £174.74 + £419.66)

Then they've given me a payment plan over 5 months = £398 per month!

Shouldn't the non-metered bill of £1747.31 be cancelled and pro-rata for the part the year up to the 20 April 2025, when they've said the new metered charging starts?    The £1747.31 already includes my usage for the year, so why they are then adding another £419.66 usage on top!
And the meter wasn't even fitted until 1st May, so why are they starting the metered charging from before that?

Is this some kind of joke!

It is not a joke, they are estimating for the first year as that is when they would have a meter read to balance everything off, normally Thames Water only read meters every 1-2 years, so their data in the short term would be limited. You can lower the Direct Debit on the website yourself, so you can do that in the interim. If you then submit monthly meter readings then the system will balance itself out fairly quickly. 

bytheshortandcurlys said:

I knew this would be a nightmare and people say why don't you get a meter.

It is really not a nightmare, people say do not get a water meter because they are idi*ts.

Yes I understand that the £419.66 is a metered estimate.  That is the correct part of the bill.
The joke is that TW have continued to bill me the UNmetered charge for the WHOLE year even though I now have a meter.   If the metered billing starts from 1st May 2025, then the UNmetered charge should be for ONE Month only ie. April 2025.   But it is NOT, they are charging me 12 MONTHS for UNMETERED April 2025 - March 2026 and also 12 MONTHS METERED for the SAME billing period April 2025 - March 2026.
TW are asking me to pay BOTH UNmetered AND metered for the WHOLE year.
You have not replied to my point about this in your reply. 
I have been on the phone to TW for 40 minutes and they have escalated because as I said the bill is wrong.   
I should be credited 11 months for the UNmetered charge.
ie. the bill should be ONE MONTH of UNmetered ie. £1747.31 / 12 * 1 = £145.60 for APRIL 2025.
plus 6 MONTHS estimate for METERED May to October 2025 = £419.66
So the idi*ts in this case are TW billing and people who think we should pay TWICE.

MattMattMattUK

bytheshortandcurlys said:

MattMattMattUK said:

bytheshortandcurlys said:

MattMattMattUK said:

bytheshortandcurlys said:

My Thames Water bill is now £1747, It has increased £466 for this year!
This is non-metered, RV 417, Council tax band D, 4 people in 3 bed semi.
I've requested a meter now.
I haven't before because the advice is usually and still on this website
'If there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.'
So according to that advice there is a gamble in getting a meter.
I have considered that my bill is much higher than the supposed average bill , but those averages are distorted, just like the supposed average energy bills. 
But I now feel Thames Water are taking the mickey for unmetered bills.
So I'll update when I have had my meter fitted.

You can estimate your costs using this calculator, it is almost always over what people actually end up paying because it plays it safe. 

So I've had a meter fitted 7 days ago on 1st May.
Thames Water have now issued a new payment plan/bill which in my understanding is farcical.
They appear to be billing me the WHOLE year non-metered charge AND the metered charge for the SAME period 2025-2026.
The new bill says
"What you owed for your bill dated 10 Feb 2025  £1747.31"    (this is the original non-metered bill for 2025-2026)
"What you've paid 28 Feb 2025  -£174.74"                    (the 1st non-metered instalment that I've paid)
"Amount currently owed on your account = £1572.57"
"The cost of 6 months use = £419.66"   (this is a new item which wasn't on the original non-metered bill)
"This includes our estimate of your use since 20 April 2025 and what we think you'll use until we review your plan around October 2025"
"What you need to pay £1,992.23"    (ie. £1747.31 - £174.74 + £419.66)

Then they've given me a payment plan over 5 months = £398 per month!

Shouldn't the non-metered bill of £1747.31 be cancelled and pro-rata for the part the year up to the 20 April 2025, when they've said the new metered charging starts?    The £1747.31 already includes my usage for the year, so why they are then adding another £419.66 usage on top!
And the meter wasn't even fitted until 1st May, so why are they starting the metered charging from before that?

Is this some kind of joke!

It is not a joke, they are estimating for the first year as that is when they would have a meter read to balance everything off, normally Thames Water only read meters every 1-2 years, so their data in the short term would be limited. You can lower the Direct Debit on the website yourself, so you can do that in the interim. If you then submit monthly meter readings then the system will balance itself out fairly quickly. 

bytheshortandcurlys said:

I knew this would be a nightmare and people say why don't you get a meter.

It is really not a nightmare, people say do not get a water meter because they are idi*ts.

Yes I understand that the £419.66 is a metered estimate.  That is the correct part of the bill.
The joke is that TW have continued to bill me the UNmetered charge for the WHOLE year even though I now have a meter.   If the metered billing starts from 1st May 2025, then the UNmetered charge should be for ONE Month only ie. April 2025.   But it is NOT, they are charging me 12 MONTHS for UNMETERED April 2025 - March 2026 and also 12 MONTHS METERED for the SAME billing period April 2025 - March 2026.
TW are asking me to pay BOTH UNmetered AND metered for the WHOLE year.
You have not replied to my point about this in your reply. 
I have been on the phone to TW for 40 minutes and they have escalated because as I said the bill is wrong.   
I should be credited 11 months for the UNmetered charge.
ie. the bill should be ONE MONTH of UNmetered ie. £1747.31 / 12 * 1 = £145.60 for APRIL 2025.
plus 6 MONTHS estimate for METERED May to October 2025 = £419.66
So the idi*ts in this case are TW billing and people who think we should pay TWICE.

You need to dial down the hyperbole, it will not get you anywhere and will not help you get this resolved, in reality neither will calling Thames Water. Let the billing month complete properly, including submitting a meter reading, then, if it does not automatically resolve itself, submit a complaint on their website. 

A note on the terminology, you should not be credited eleven months unmetered charges, because you did not pay the year upfront, they should just remove the unmetered charges for subsequent months. 

Saf321

Mine is going up from £75 to £150 a month from June due to TW 'estimating how much they think we'll use' we have a meter which I regret getting. The prices they are charging is nothing short of outrageous. 

MattMattMattUK

Saf321 said:

Mine is going up from £75 to £150 a month from June due to TW 'estimating how much they think we'll use' we have a meter which I regret getting. 

That sounds like they do not have a series of reads, it would be worth submitting regular reads for a few months. There may also be a previous underestimate which might contribute to the rise.

Saf321 said:

The prices they are charging is nothing short of outrageous. 

We have under invested in the water supply and treatment network for many decades, it is going to be quite expensive to get things back to where they need to be.

Hammertime13

Similar story to Saf321. Meter installed over a year ago (switched to metered billing in November). Bill came down initially, consistent with TW estimates that I would pay less on a meter. 

Then in April this year, my charge rates went up by 31% but TW increased my monthly direct debit by 180% (from £30 to £85) based on what they estimate I’ll use; but my average usage hasn’t changed. 

I had two long calls with TW but neither agent could explain or justify the increase in the monthly amount. I have now decided to cancel my payment plan to avoid TW stockpiling my cash. This means I will need to pay manually every 6 months instead of monthly by direct debit, which is very inconvenient but at least I’ll be paying what I actually use and won’t be used as an interest-free lender to TW.