Some urgent help needed

Jonny0000

I have recently moved house with my partner and we were in a one bedroom flat and our water rates were £44 a month. This seemed fair to me. We have since moved to a two bed flat without washing machine (before we had one) so use less water and our water rates are now set at £76.


These rates (as with most i believe) were set in the 1990's when our flat was a three story 5 bedroom house, so i believe these were rates for the whole building. Needless to say we would be much better off on a meter, however the kicker is our landlord says because of the way the pipes are split a water meter is impossible without major replumbing. We would effectivly be paying for part of the water used by other flats in the building. So we are stuck paying £76 for two people in a small two bed flat.


I have heard about water companies reducing the rates if a meter cannot be fitted, but is this this case? If so would it apply here? Many thanks for your advice

Cardew

Yes you ask for an assessed charge it will be based on the average for either the number of people in the house or number of bedrooms. - depending on company.

Little unclear about your post.

You were in a Flat paying £44.(a Month???)

You are now in a 2 bed house paying £76(a month???)

"These rates (as with most i believe) were set in the 1990's when our flat was a three story 5 bedroom house, so i believe these were rates for the whole building"

Your new house or old flat?

mute_posting

think OP is interchanging house and flat in post

they have moved from a 1 bed flat to a 2 bed flat that is part of what "used" to be a house lol

Jonny0000

mute_posting is dead on the money here, sorry about the confusion, and thanks for the help.

lindens

If £76 is based on when it used to be a whole house, and presuming the landlord owns the whole house, it would be fairer surely for LL to pay the water bill and split it between all the tenants in with the rent.

Jonny0000

Just to keep you all updated I had a surveyor come around last week and confirm a water meter couldn't be fitted in the property and now have a discounted water rate of £36 a month. So. . .If you rates are to high request a meter survey, If they can fit one you get the choice of the fixed and metered rate anyway, if not you benifit from a substansial discount

Cheers for the help everyone