Has anyone reverted back to unmetered/rateable charging after meter fitted?

Ant555

My water meter is bring fitted this week and Im sure its going to save me money on my current £110/month charges with UU.

There seems to be this thing where I can decide within 24 months if I wanted to switch back to rateable charges so I was wondering if anyone had actually reverted back because they didnt make much of a saving?

elsien

Is it not 12 rather than 24 months? 

ETA It seems to vary between water companies. Mine is 12 months. 

matelodave

I'm with Anglian Water and their rule is 24 months, however that has now change and the option of reversion to un-metered will be revoked over the next few years. Have a shufti here - 
https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/services/water-supply/water-meters/switching-to-measured-charges/

Ant555

United Utilities in the North West seems to be 24 months - ive checked the paperwork.

Im expecting to save money, maybe not as much as I initially thought based on the estimate, but a saving is a saving.  I wont know my typical usage until I get a meter really.

Ant555

matelodave said:

I'm with Anglian Water and their rule is 24 months, however that has now changed

Ah yes, I see the line that says that area is considered 'water stressed' and it does suggest that water meter charging will gradually be imposed/mandatory for all households with a meter.

badmemory

I believe that the appropriate expression is make hay while the sun shines.  If you believe that a meter will save you money then go for it.  In the knowledge that in a few years time it will be no cheaper than being unmetered.  The very fact of metering costs them money as opposed to sending out an annual bill whose only variation is the band & then collecting the same DD from everyone.  It doesn't matter how they get the money they are going to want the same in total.  The more houses are metered the higher (& nearer the unmetered price) the meter price is going to be.

matelodave

A bit cynical but I have to agree with you.

We've been on a meter for around 30 years and easily saved 50% or more than if we had been on rateable value billing. Even now the RV standing charge is twice what we pay for our total water consumption, so its still a no brainer.

Hoenir

matelodave said:

A bit cynical but I have to agree with you.

We've been on a meter for around 30 years and easily saved 50% or more than if we had been on rateable value billing. Even now the RV standing charge is twice what we pay for our total water consumption, so its still a no brainer.

Been on water meters for 32 years now. Never had an issue. Focuses the mind as not to waste it as simply is pouring money down the drain. 

victor2

Just had a meter installed by Severn Trent. It seems we have 12 months to revert back if we want, although it's actually 30 days after the second 6 monthly bill we'll receive.
Even with the hot weather, and watering the garden, it looks like we will save a lot of money compared to the annual RV cost 

cantbelieveit23

I have never heard of anyone wanting/needing to revert.  We had a meter fitted in 2021, before which we were paying just over £400 annually for water.  In 2025, with the meter, we pay £250.  We are just 2 in a 4 bed house which was why we were overpaying.
£110 per month!?  I am trying to imagine you in your mansion with 2 pools and garden sprinklers....and your 12 (incredibly clean) children....

Ant555

cantbelieveit23 said:

£110 per month!?  I am trying to imagine you in your mansion with 2 pools and garden sprinklers....and your 12 (incredibly clean) children....

Yes, im starting to think that i may not have been charged the correct rate by United Utilities for the last few years...

My Jan 2025 bill from United Utilities shows this

Fresh Water Fixed £262 x 1.668 rate = £437.02

fStanding charge  365 days @ £101.48 a year = £101.48
WasteWater Fixed £262 x 2.669 rate = £699.28
£5 DD discount
Total £1,232/year  (103/month not 110 as I stated earlier)

Im council Tax Band C at Stockport Council (smallish 3 bed detached) but I dont see any way to correlate the council tax band with the 'rate' applied by UU unless anyone can point me in the right direction.

Is the calc based on council tax bands purely or is the 'rate' of 1.668 and 2.669 above based on other factors that might be wrong.

Thanks