How to Change Rateable Value of property?

Jmoore92

Hi there

I recently moved in and received a water bill that is massively higher than it should be. I am a homeowner, alone in a one bedroom, one bathroom flat in SE London and Thames Water want to charge me over £1000 for water, £183 for the period Jan-Apr 2025 and £830 for the 2025/26 financial year.

I am in council tax band B and as you can imagine this seems ridiculous, even considering the projected price rises for this new financial year.

I spoke to Thames water who tell me I am on a rateable value (RV) based tariff and I have booked to have a water meter installed. My RV is 252 which from what I've seen on this forum is very high for a property of my size.

THames water claim they are unable to amend their bill calculation and the RV needs to be adjusted in order for it to be reflected in the bill. My question is how do I do this? will my local authority be able to change this?

Thanks in advance.

ButterCheese

Jmoore92 said:

Thames Water want to charge me over £1000 for water, £183 for the period Jan-Apr 2025

Do you mean that £183 for Jan-Apr (£46/month) and £69/month going forward is massively high?  It depends who you ask, and what you are comparing it to.  We use a lot, and pay £95/month (4 person family).  But we are in the south west, I imagine London is a higher rate.  Yes it's a lot, but I think it's a lot for everyone at the moment.

QrizB

sammyjammy said:

Try this Title

That's for business rates.

Jmoore92 said:

I spoke to Thames water who tell me I am on a rateable value (RV) based tariff and I have booked to have a water meter installed. My RV is 252 which from what I've seen on this forum is very high for a property of my size.

You'd RV was set in the 1970s and can't be changed now. Having a water meter fitted is likely to be your only option to reduce your bill.

Was your flat a flat back then, or has it been converted from a larger property?

born_again

Jmoore92 said:

Hi there

I recently moved in and received a water bill that is massively higher than it should be. I am a homeowner, alone in a one bedroom, one bathroom flat in SE London and Thames Water want to charge me over £1000 for water, £183 for the period Jan-Apr 2025 and £830 for the 2025/26 financial year.

I am in council tax band B and as you can imagine this seems ridiculous, even considering the projected price rises for this new financial year.

I spoke to Thames water who tell me I am on a rateable value (RV) based tariff and I have booked to have a water meter installed. My RV is 252 which from what I've seen on this forum is very high for a property of my size.

THames water claim they are unable to amend their bill calculation and the RV needs to be adjusted in order for it to be reflected in the bill. My question is how do I do this? will my local authority be able to change this?

Thanks in advance.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/how-to-reclaim-council-tax-credit/

p00hsticks

born_again said:

Jmoore92 said:

Hi there

I recently moved in and received a water bill that is massively higher than it should be. I am a homeowner, alone in a one bedroom, one bathroom flat in SE London and Thames Water want to charge me over £1000 for water, £183 for the period Jan-Apr 2025 and £830 for the 2025/26 financial year.

I am in council tax band B and as you can imagine this seems ridiculous, even considering the projected price rises for this new financial year.

I spoke to Thames water who tell me I am on a rateable value (RV) based tariff and I have booked to have a water meter installed. My RV is 252 which from what I've seen on this forum is very high for a property of my size.

THames water claim they are unable to amend their bill calculation and the RV needs to be adjusted in order for it to be reflected in the bill. My question is how do I do this? will my local authority be able to change this?

Thanks in advance.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/how-to-reclaim-council-tax-credit/

Rateable Value was the pre-cursor to council tax - I don't believe a change to the council tax banding would affect the historic rateable value used by Water companies if there is no meter.