Water meter installation - how long?

polgara

My parents are having a new kitchen fitted on the 14 July and have an issue with the stopcock, which is at the bottom of a cupboard in the corner. As they are both elderly/disabled they'd rather have this moved somewhere accessible.

My uncle has said he could do it (but he's generally a bit unreliable) and he suggested they move over to a water meter as this would be done as part of that (is that correct?). So....they're with united utilities (northwest) and just wondered how long people have been waiting from application. The site says it can take up to 3 months...by which the kitchen will be fitted and they'd not want any further disruption.

deanos

They will place the meter nearest possible where the water enters into the property if its an internal one fitted, if you want the stopcock moving you will have to do this yourself, i presume where it is now is where it enters the property ? if so thats the best place incase you have a leak

4$£&*(£$&*(!

My water meter is outside in the garden covered over by a plate immediately next to the house. It depends if UU fit an internal or external meter, I've picked up external meters are more common plus if they do this it would mean no interruption inside.

The external meters all have a shut-off point and a plastic handle to turn it with so you can use this independantly of any other stopcocks.

PasturesNew

I had a 125 year old house, with an accessible stop !!!! in a cupboard (it used to be the kitchen but a previous owner had knocked through the wall and stolen a corner of the kitchen to become a big wardrobe/cupboard area. When I asked South West Water for a water meter they fitted it outside in the street. It took 2-3 men about half a morning to do it and they never entered the house.

I'm now in a studio/bedsit with a shared water supply. I asked Welsh Water to fit a meter (expecting them to say I couldn't have one and instead to make me pay a smaller fixed fee for water than the fee from rateable value). The letter went to them about 2 weeks ago. Last Friday I got a letter saying it would be up to 3 months and they'd be in touch to arrange a time. Yesterday, without warning, a man turned up, looked and said "I'll fit you a meter". He did it then and there, under the sink, by putting it inline just after the stopcock. It took him 30-40 minutes including testing/watching time.

I don't think you can tell until they turn up what they will do.