Water Bill - United Utilities

Gengis

Hi

My water bill has increased to £1150 p.a. which seems very high when comparing with the national average. My house (4 bed / north west) does not have a water metre and has 2 soakaways so I have applied for a reduction re rainfall / sewage costs.

Not very familar with water bills but does that appear high? I have asked UU to challenge it.

thanks

daveyjp

If you don't have a meter it would be worthwhile having on fitted. UU will provide a calculator for your expected use.

Your current bill will be based on a historic rateable value figure which can't be challenged.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6652733/water-bill-united-utilities

For most households rated supply is considerably more expensive than metered supply, in many cases more than twice the cost, have your supplier install a meter.

Brie

As I recall the finger in the wind estimate is that if you have more rooms than people you are better off with a meter rather than not. And that if you discover the bills are actually higher they can turn the meter off and you go back to your previous system.

Also you might need to take into account if there is a good personal reason for using more water than usual. There are health related issues that mean excessive water use, so someone that needs to use the toilet more frequently, have more baths, do more laundry. If this is the case then there would be a standard use estimate for pricing.

TooConfusing

I was looking on here to see if anyone had comments or suggestions about United Utilities as my bill has increased much more than the 'average ' being quoted on the news / online etc. My bill is now £850 per year ( a letter stated the increase was set to be 14%), I live alone in a small cottage so also thought that this was high - technically 2 bedrooms but one of the rooms is too small and also the access point into the bathroom, so could not be used for a bed. Frustratingly I cannot have a meter fitted so looks like there is nothing that I can do to challenge based on the comments already.

Gengis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81860158#Comment_81860158

If rainwater does not run off into a drain i.e. you have a soakaway you can apply for a discount which i have done today.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81860158#Comment_81860158

What is the reason you are not able to have a water meter installed?

If you are unable to have a water meter installed for a reason that the supplier cannot resolve (e.g. shared supply rather than say you do not want them to dig a hole in the garden), then you can ask to go onto a assessed charge which is based on the number of occupants and will be a lot cheaper than an unmetered supply.

Stingy_Samson

I was horrified to recently see what my elderly Dad's new water statement and DD payments were and are now.

He is also United Utilities in the Wyre region, lives on his own, never takes baths or use a hosepipe. £832 a year (DD £83 spread over 10 months). I live in Blackpool and my street were actually given no choice about water meter installations 18 months ago. They just rolled it out to everyone and offered the 2 year price guarantee after which we can decide if we want to continue to be charged at the water meter consumption value or revert back to full rateable costs. Over the last 12 months, my monthly DD has now been balanced down to about £23 a month.

So i created an online account for him with United Utilities and requested a water meter be fitted next week. It's a no brainer for most households who don't use water in excess.

TooConfusing

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81860483#Comment_81860483

Unfortunately I'm in a rented property and the owner does not want a meter

QrizB

Unfortunately I'm in a rented property and the owner does not want a meter

If the meter can be fitted externally, the owner doesn't get a say in the matter.

They might be able to object to an internal meter if it means eg. cutting up the kitchen cabinets, but if your supplier can put one under the street or pavement then it's none of your landlord's business.

Ant555

My own calcs of my United Utilities water bill prior to the last few years was very much that I knew I was paying a little bit over for unmetered but it wasnt too much over based on 4 of us in the house and making sure our 4 cars were always clean.

Then my annual unmetered bills went from roughly £860 in 2023 to £960 in 2024 and when it hit £1200 in 2025 with only three of us in the house I realised it was simply too expensive and I had a meter fitted in July 2025.

I know its all on a historical 'rateable value' and my house is not large at all but I couldnt find out how that reateable value compared to my neighbours (I was half expecting to be able to look this kind of thing up like the council tax bands etc but not)

Instead of the £100/month I am paying about 65 - usage is around 13m3/month

I believe I have 12 or possibly 24 months to decide if I want to move back to unmetered but I think im going to be slightly better off even if I take into account a few car washes in the better weather.

Hope this helps