Southern Water has been billing me for he wrong meter

lilac_dawn

After having a particularly high water usage on the last bill, I did the stop !!!!!! test while away for a couple of nights to find usage of 0.9m³ - for time between Friday afternoon and Sunday evening. Alerted Southern Water who eventually came out to invesigate and promptly found that the meter number on my bill is not the meter that the apartment is drawing water from. He took a reading of the meter which is actually mine.

How is this possible and how common is this? More importantly, what next? Chap said I'd probably have to take a second reading in a couple of weeks time and they'd likely then average out the bill for the last 6 months but as this was the summer bill when I was away on holiday how woould that be fair? Should they now actually try to compile a bill from the readings of the neighbour's meter, which they must have? And how far could this go back? Is here any way I can check on my bills? I have lived here 5 years. I've not taken much notice of the usage before as it has been pretty similar for the time I have lived here so just assumed it was the correct amount. The meter has not been changed in that time.

Any advice other than wait and see/restrict your usage for the next 2 weeks to limit your bill?

For context we are in an apartment, 1 of 25. The meters are all outside, in the communal pathway area.

QrizB

How is this possible and how common is this?

Crossed meters are relatively common in flats and apartment blocks. Less common with maisonettes, terraces and semis. It's usually a result of a mix-up during construction.

It also happens with electricity and gas meters.

More importantly, what next?

In principle, you (and whoever is served by the meter that was previously thought to be yours) should be re-billed based on the actual meter readings that your water company has on record.

How different are the current readings on the two meters?

lilac_dawn

Thanks. My actual one is 755. The one I am being billed for is 852.

QrizB

Ok, so the difference since the meter was installed is only 97 cubic metres. That's roughly £250-worth of water at current prices, I think, and rather less than that as it's been spread over several years.

lilac_dawn

How do you think they will work it out? And are all the properties likely to be wrong? I have lived at this development of over 20 years!

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82149414#Comment_82149414

The meter has not been there for 20 years, but in theory they should go back and rebill based on the whole usage, so you should get a credit on your account for the incorrect billing. As Qriz says that will be rebilled based on unit rates, but likely averaged over time not all at current rates (combined would be currently £4 per cubic meter, but historically much lower).

lilac_dawn

I think the meters have been in place for 20 years. Other than getting a demand for the bill that they put a stop on while they investigated, I have heard nothing. I will give them a week and then contact them.

Boohoo

I can see a lot of either happy or unhappy residents in the your block when the water company sort this out and rebills the residents for the actual usage.

This is if the water company does this but it may just do yours and the 1 other mixed up meter.

QrizB

This is if the water company does this but it may just do yours and the 1 other mixed up meter.

And that's likely to depend on whether the meters are a simple swap between the OP and their neighbour, or whether the neighbour has been being billed on a third meter that belongs to someone else again.

lilac_dawn

Interestingly, the same day the man visited to check my meter, I noticed another person from Southern Water checking another resident’s meter and obviously asking them to go in and turn on their tap. This could turn out to be a big headache for SW!