Purchased new house - possible to delay water payment till renovations complete?

Redbull

Hi,

Just purchased a new house, it needs some work done to it so will not be moving in till 2/3 months. The council has offered us a 3 month allowance, so we do not have to pay any council tax for 3 months - is this possible with the water company (Thames water) too?

Thanks

moonrakerz

If you are on "water rates" you will have to pay. If you are on a meter, you pay the standing charge plus any water used.

I was refurbishing my present dwelling for about 12 months, so had a meter put in whilst it was empty. I had the option to go back to rates after 12 months. Decided to stay on the meter and have made big savings since !

Redbull

moonrakerz wrote: »

If you are on "water rates" you will have to pay. If you are on a meter, you pay the standing charge plus any water used.

I was refurbishing my present dwelling for about 12 months, so had a meter put in whilst it was empty. I had the option to go back to rates after 12 months. Decided to stay on the meter and have made big savings since !

Thanks for the reply...

I thought so...we are not on a meter...just normal rates. They have told me I cannot change back if I install a water meter, so i do not want to convert just yet.

moonrakerz

Redbull wrote: »

They have told me I cannot change back if I install a water meter, so i do not want to convert just yet.

I would query that, I was under the impression that if you had a meter fitted voluntarily they had to give you the option to revert.

lindens

I thought (if no meter) you didnt pay water rates if the property was unfurnished (ie under renovation)

Redbull

lindens wrote: »

I thought (if no meter) you didnt pay water rates if the property was unfurnished (ie under renovation)

Thats what I thought. I just called them up and they said I am liable to pay as soon as the property is purchased whether we live in it or not

katiecoodle

hmmm - where do I stand?
I bought a derelict property 18months ago and have been slowly renovating it. I'm not living in it.
The first 6 months of work was external - moving all the trees and roots from around the house. Then we decided to see what services were already laid - and found out that nothing was in fact laid to the house. We contacted the various agencies and arranged for gas, elec and water to be laid & it was duly done.
Since then, we've had gas & elec meters fitted & are receiving bills for the tiny amount that has been used by the drills & mixers on site. However we've never ever had any correspondence from the water company and we have been using water to mix up the plaster etc...
Are they supposed to be billing me? I would have thought so? Or are they waiting for me to announce that I'm living in the house?
hmmm - do'nt want to ask them directly in case i get a big bill (head in the sand time)

deanos

Depends on where you live, if its in Anglian region then ring them and you wont have to pay anything, dont try and fiddle tho as they do regular checks of properties to make sure they are empty or being renovated

Dazmin

From my understanding, you are liable for charges where there is a supply made available. So, regardless of whether the property is being renovated, unfurnished, etc...you still have to pay, either by having a meter fitted or paying normal unmetered rates.

It's important to contact your water provider though to check and incase they do decide to backdate any charges!

If you're not going to use any water, you can always request for the water to be temporarily disconnected, although you will still be subject to surface water drainage charges, and then the supply to be turned back on when you move in!

bluewire

if the property is empty of living furniture and you are not using water for the work then you should not have to pay.

moonrakerz

bluewire wrote: »

if the property is empty of living furniture and you are not using water for the work then you should not have to pay.

Maybe you shouldn't have to - but you do !