What next....meter issues/leak

Mrs_F_2017

Hello, 

After receiving our bill yesterday....I've finally challenged Southern Water as they wanted to up our Direct Debit to £177 per month from August!!! This year has been £72.

For context, we are two adults (and one dog) living in a three bed mid-terrace. And before anyone asks....we don't have a pool/hot tub/pond. We shower on average every other day, washing machine on 3-4 times a week and dishwasher on eco setting on average twice per week. 

I should have challenged last year - but we'd had a few household changes (3 to 2 people) and had done some building work...so it didn't feel settled - and I guess I thought maybe we just used a lot and knew prices were rising. 

Now - after running their tests - Southern Water think there is a meter issue and we are waiting for an engineer to attend, no timeframe yet but said we should get confirmation within 48 hours. 

I guess what I want to know what happens next. 

If the meter has been wrong for potentially years - summer 2023 they have said our usage increase....how does it get sorted?

For context from 2020-2023 we were using an average of 60-80 cubic meters per 6 months with 3 adults living here....to 2023-now using 120-130 cubic meters per 6 months with only 2 adults. 

Would the bills be revised based on the average that we were using before the meter went wrong? I don't expect to get the water we have used for free, but equally - don't expect to be charge for water we haven't used. 

Thanks in advance. 

MrsF

Exodi

I recently calculated ours (we don't have a meter and was doing the sums of whether it's worth it as Southern Water/South East Water are one of the few boards that do not allow you to reverse your decision if you get a meter installed), this included looking up how much water our dishwasher programme uses, washing machine, measuring jugs to calculate the toilet cisterns, checking out shower data (we fortunately have a smart shower that records our usage), taps, etc.

Our total usage for a family of 2 adults is around 80m3 per year - both showering every day (5 minute 55 seconds average shower), dishwasher every day on eco, washing machine 3 times per week, toilet 6 times per day each.

According to google, average volumes for a family of 2 are 100m3 and a family of 3 is 135m3. It seems you are on the high end with your 3 family readings (but let's just say it's understandable if you have more women in the house than men as my wifes 'hair day' showers can use a couple of hundred litres!).

However your new usage of 250m3 for 2 people is very high, triple mine and 2.5x the average.

You jest about a 'pool/hot tub/pond' but what about the garden, e.g. hose/sprinkler. Do you ever have baths? I agree it sounds like a mistake but always good to check. Alternatively you may have a leak.

Hoenir

If there is a leak your side of the meter. Then it's your problem not the water company's. 

Mrs_F_2017

The leak no leak our side - Southern Water have confirmed this. They are currently saying faulty meter. 

Very rarely use the hose - haven't done any gardening until this year, and mostly (more than 95% of the time) use a watering can now. 

Bath - maybe once a month over the winter months  - me - husband hasn't had a bath since he was 6 :-)

Southern Water have said that 2020-23 our average was 60-80sq3 per 6 months - that was 3 adults plus some building work over 2022. 

Been 2 adults since Sept 24 onwards. 

mmmmikey

Mrs_F_2017 said:

Hello, 

After receiving our bill yesterday....I've finally challenged Southern Water as they wanted to up our Direct Debit to £177 per month from August!!! This year has been £72.

For context, we are two adults (and one dog) living in a three bed mid-terrace. And before anyone asks....we don't have a pool/hot tub/pond. We shower on average every other day, washing machine on 3-4 times a week and dishwasher on eco setting on average twice per week. 

I should have challenged last year - but we'd had a few household changes (3 to 2 people) and had done some building work...so it didn't feel settled - and I guess I thought maybe we just used a lot and knew prices were rising. 

Now - after running their tests - Southern Water think there is a meter issue and we are waiting for an engineer to attend, no timeframe yet but said we should get confirmation within 48 hours. 

I guess what I want to know what happens next. 

If the meter has been wrong for potentially years - summer 2023 they have said our usage increase....how does it get sorted?

For context from 2020-2023 we were using an average of 60-80 cubic meters per 6 months with 3 adults living here....to 2023-now using 120-130 cubic meters per 6 months with only 2 adults. 

Would the bills be revised based on the average that we were using before the meter went wrong? I don't expect to get the water we have used for free, but equally - don't expect to be charge for water we haven't used. 

Thanks in advance. 

MrsF

Hi, if the meter is proved faulty they are likely to re-bill you based on estimated usage. As long as you're straightforward and co-operative they're likely to come up with a fair estimate and/or be fair in their response to any counter-estimate you propose. If on the other hand you get on the 'phone, try and give them hell and are generally insulating and obnoxious they're likely to do the absolute minimum they need to. It sounds from your post that you're very much in the first camp so I don't expect that getting this resolved satisfactorily will be too difficult. Not sure what their specific policy is on how they calculate estimates, they might use your previous usage or they might use industry averages. If they do use an industry average it might work to your advantage so may be best to wait and see what they come up with and take it from there. Good luck in getting it sorted