Thames Water, how do I take a reading at a flat I am moving to?

Zuzi

I am moving into a new flat. Took a reading of the gas and electricity meters as soon as I got the keys, but I am struggling with water.

Thames Water CS says the meter's location is "footpath". The only cover marked with "Thames Water" in front of my block is this (see photo). Are they really expecting end consumers to be able to open this, and can somehow explain to me how? Their CS is useless.

There are meters more easily accessible in the block's basement, but they seem to belong to other flats and mine isn't one of them 😕

Since I told them I am moving into this property, they chased a meter reading twice via text. What happens if I can't take one because I cannot find the meter? Surely they too want to know at what point exactly they should start billing me versus the previous owners? Thanks in advance to anyone with tips 😃

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6655772/thames-water-how-do-i-take-a-reading-at-a-flat-i-am-moving-to

Are you sure it's a personal meter and not a block meter? Each of the three flats I've been in with Thames water were billed to the freeholder and then recharged to leaseholders via the service charge. Ours were all evenly charged but in theory the freeholder could use internal meters to apportion the bills based on use.

Street meter are normally read by the water company, they have short range comms so can read them just by driving over them. Works for day to day but obviously not for change of ownership. With ours there was no real need for a reading because the service charge is paid in advance that covers the water use so just had to repay the existing leaseholder a proportion of the bill which they'd already paid. Worked out well for me as there was a massive rebate 6 months after moving in which obvious;y I got rather than the former leaseholder.

Thames water were little help themselves and took a while to work out there was no personal flat meter all three times

Zuzi

In my interactions with TW no one has raised the possibility of a block meter. They gave me a specific meter number, too. The meters I can see in the little room that also houses the electric and gas meters has what looks very much like water meters on the wall, but only for about 60% of the flats in our little block, mine and a few more are missing.

My water bills are definitely not included in the service charge and nothing like a block meter (or apportioning the water bills) has come up during the buying process. Thanks for sharing your experience but mine seems to be a specific meter for my property, and I cannot find it 😥

TadleyBaggie

Assuming this is not a "new" flat, could you ask the previous occupants where it is?

Zuzi

It's not a new flat but it has been empty for a while and when I asked before about meters, I was only told "the basement". It was surprising to me seeing many meters there on the wall, but not mine.

I don't think that route will yield results, but thanks for the tip.

mebu60

How many water meters are in the basement?

How many flats are there in the block?

If there are several missing, can you identify the other flats that are not represented and ask them if they know where their water meter is located?

Zuzi

The block is really a building consisting of several parts, and as far as I can tell two out of three parts are represented by the meters I can see on the wall in the basement, and the third one - mine - with approx 4 flats is not.

I met a neighbour today and she seemed clueless and also pretty uninterested in where her meter is. I will try to speak to others but I don't know when that will be possible, and I would like to start using the water soon (I was hoping I'd have the previous usage documented before I do that).

I am moving from a completely unmetered flat so I was quite curious to understand and be able to track my water usage, and while I am beginning to realise this may not be so easy, I am a bit baffled by the nonchalance when it comes to identifying how much to bill the previous owners for and when to start billing me.

If I say to TW "sorry, I cannot find the meter to send a reading", which is the situation right now, what are they gonna do?

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81888632#Comment_81888632

If it's an on street meter they will read it when they drive past automatically. The only contention therefore will be the read for switching liability from the previous owner to you.

MattMattMattUK

Some blocks of flats (like mine) has a block meter and then independent meters for the flats, the flats pay for their usage, the block meter is for general usage for maintenance and cleaning. The meters for each flat are on the individual floors, the meter for the block is in the road outside. Could your four meters be in a different part of the building?

Rodders53

Big flat bladed screwdriver as a lever to raise the circular cover (clear out the muck around it first to make that easier)… then a gander with a torch and camera to see what lurks beneath. Assuming the cover is approx 6 inches (150 mm) diameter.

Meter should have a serial number / label that matches your bill… if it's the correct 'manhole' cover.

Or a key in the keyhole to pull and lift. eg https://www.toolstation.com/rothenberger-manhole-key-t-handle-pattern/p42516 might fit but they vary a lot so take measurements before buying one specially.

The late M-i-L water meter was in the footpath of the main road her home's back garden bordered, so a long trek to get to and being by a bus stop I got really odd looks when reading it!

Slinky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81888632#Comment_81888632

Water meters are read/billed to the nearest cubic meter. A cubic meter is quite a substantial amount of water. Your using water for a few days or even a couple of weeks before being able to get a reading isn't going to amount to much in the overall great scheme of things. My OH and I used 56 cubic meters for the whole of last year, including washing cars and a bit of garden watering.