Cheaper Water Bills Article Discussion

Cardew

bianchigirl wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Have read a few posts about being able to cut out charges if you have the gravel pit thing. Can you do the same if all the rainwater from your roof goes into a water butt or does this not count?

Crossing my fingers, but not very hopeful:question:

Your pessimism is justified:

Unfortunately, you’re not entitled to a water bill reduction if:

• Any proportion of your surface water drains to a public sewer.
• Only part of your surface water goes to a soakaway, with some surface water
  still draining to the public sewer.
• You have re-directed your roof drainage into water butts.
• You drain to a watercourse, brook or stream via a public sewer.

The water butts could be removed, overflow, leak etc.

wantsajob

I've applied for a water meter with the hope they refuse to fit one and I can get an assessed measured charge. This should save me £132.68 a year. I live in a rented property which has a single water supply split into three (house converted to 3 flats), and a communal water tap for a hose in the hallway which I suspect comes off my water supply. I am hoping that if merely a single supply being split into three doesn't stop them putting a meter in, then the potential for usage of the metered supply by others would.

Cardew

wantsajob wrote: »

I've applied for a water meter with the hope they refuse to fit one and I can get an assessed measured charge. This should save me £132.68 a year. I live in a rented property which has a single water supply split into three (house converted to 3 flats), and a communal water tap for a hose in the hallway which I suspect comes off my water supply. I am hoping that if merely a single supply being split into three doesn't stop them putting a meter in, then the potential for usage of the metered supply by others would.

It is possible they might fit a meter and the issue of the communal water tap, becomes your problem to sort out.

e.g. you pay for the communal water, get the others to contribute or disconnect the supply.

wantsajob

Have just done the obvious, turned off my supply and found the communal tap is using my supply.

Here is my water supply, pipe on the right. To me it looks like there isn't enough room to practicably add a meter and retain the stop tap and earth. Then again I've never seen a water meter....

mart.vader

wantsajob wrote: »

Have just done the obvious, turned off my supply and found the communal tap is using my supply.

Here is my water supply, pipe on the right. To me it looks like there isn't enough room to practicably add a meter and retain the stop tap and earth. Then again I've never seen a water meter....

There's more than enough room to fit a meter there.

wantsajob

Ah they must just be small inline things then. Cheers, on balance decided to cancel request. Scary thing is even if I did get a meter fitted and everyone used the tap as regularly as they do, I suspect I'd still save money - but couldn't bring myself to be that sort of neighbour who tells people what they can/can't do when they've been used to considering it a free-for-all in the past. And I'd have an aneurysm every time they wash their car, lol.

mart.vader

They're about as big as a large grapefruit. And, in your case the pipework could easily be re-routed to give more space.

JeffMinter

Does anyone find it extremely unfair that a parent whose is claiming child benefits for 3+ children can have their water bills capped at £250 a year (in addition to similar discounts for electricity and gas) whilst an unemployed person on £70 a week has to pay for it all, no help at all?

Similarly, my OAP parents on the state pension also have to pay the full rates for everything.

neilsolaris

Hi,

I live in a maisonette, which was originally a large house, but converted into two separate properties. Recently I had a water meter fitted, but I just noticed that I'll be charged the same fixed rate charges (standing charges) that I would be charged if I lived in a house. This doesn't seem logical to me. Why are these charges not split between us and the neighbour, who lives downstairs?

Is it worth me bringing this up with my water supplier, or is it just the way it's always done?

Thanks for your advice.

Cardew

neilsolaris wrote: »

Hi,

I live in a maisonette, which was originally a large house, but converted into two separate properties. Recently I had a water meter fitted, but I just noticed that I'll be charged the same fixed rate charges (standing charges) that I would be charged if I lived in a house. This doesn't seem logical to me. Why are these charges not split between us and the neighbour, who lives downstairs?

Is it worth me bringing this up with my water supplier, or is it just the way it's always done?

Thanks for your advice.

Your same argument would apply to 200 flats in a multi-storey block!

Each company has its own schedule of charges. For instance in my area(Severn Trent) there are no standing charges when unmetered, but there are with a meter.

Water charges have very little logic e.g. Surface Water Drainage which bears no relationship to the amount of water that enters the sewer - indeed every occupant of a 20 storey block of flats pays the same charge.

In any case I suppose the water company's argument would be the standing charge is for preparing bills and administration etc and that applies if you use no water at all.