Can't Access Water Meter

greyteam1959

I have just moved into a housing association house.
Gas and electric meter readings have been taken and recorded. 
Water meter readings have not been recorded.
This is because none of the four houses in the street have individual access to the water meters. 
They are all under one massive cast iron cover that you cannot lift up. 
How on earth do we get an opening meter reading ??
Neither Yorkshire water not the housing association seemed particularly concerned about not having a meter reading !

Boohoo

greyteam1959 said:

I have just moved into a housing association house.
Gas and electric meter readings have been taken and recorded. 
Water meter readings have not been recorded.
This is because none of the four houses in the street have individual access to the water meters. 
They are all under one massive cast iron cover that you cannot lift up. 
How on earth do we get an opening meter reading ??
Neither Yorkshire water not the housing association seemed particularly concerned about not having a meter reading !

Do you have a photo of the said cover to put up on here?

Have you asked the neighbours about how they get access to their meters or how do they get the correct billing from YW ?

Are all the house's HA's because some HA property can include water charges so unless you know this is the case I would keep trying to get access to the meter.

greyteam1959

All 4 are HA properties.
Very good point I will have to check if water charges are included with the rent. 

Meter cover

Swipe

That looks like a drain cover

matelodave

Be very very careful if you try to lift the cover - you need proper well fitting keys and it needs to be slid sideways as some of them can be really heavy, especially those that are designed to take road traffic.

A mate of mine nearly lost his fingers when trying to lift one on his own and it fell into the hole

leonj

I opened one of these up thinking it was my meter but it wasn't it was a void!  The meters were in smaller covers on the pavement, i would have a look around

greyteam1959

@matelodave
I am certainly not going to try and lift that massive cast iron cover !

greyteam1959

@leonj
I have looked everywhere and there is certainly no other water meter access covers anywhere.

Lorian

Are you sure the meter is not inside the property where the water enters, under sink, behind toilet etc?

greyteam1959

Lorian said:

Are you sure the meter is not inside the property where the water enters, under sink, behind toilet etc?

Definitely not

greyteam1959

An update
With a bit of assistance from a neighbour we have managed to lift the manhole cover in the earlier picture. 
Inside the manhole cover there are four water meters. 
Now it's just a matter of working out whose meter is who's.