Water meter and water leaks
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Anthony_C
Posts: 47 Forumite
in Water bills
In November 2018 my new water bill arrived and I decided to have a water meter fitted as there are only the 2 of us
Meter fitted and readings were ok: useage normal and no leaks
The DD's were halved
A few months later I received a letter stating my water useage was high.
I had to crawl under the floorboards and found there was a pipework leak under the kitchen, which was a difficult job to repair the copper pipe which somehow after 20 years had "rotted" on the outside of the pipe, resulting in miniscule holes. So i replaced the section of pipe
I phoned the company and informed them.
A few months later i received a letter, the price increased from £300pa to £2000!
I phoned and discussed the details for a third time. Suddenly I was informed that the T&C's state you are allowed one leak outside your house and that leaks under the floorboards are classed as "outside the house" and the extra costs cancelled.
So the motto is: -
Use your meter, and check the readings for useage and leaks
24 hours should be enough to confirm if ok or a leak
If in doubt contact your supplier
Hope this helps
Meter fitted and readings were ok: useage normal and no leaks
The DD's were halved
A few months later I received a letter stating my water useage was high.
I had to crawl under the floorboards and found there was a pipework leak under the kitchen, which was a difficult job to repair the copper pipe which somehow after 20 years had "rotted" on the outside of the pipe, resulting in miniscule holes. So i replaced the section of pipe
I phoned the company and informed them.
A few months later i received a letter, the price increased from £300pa to £2000!
I phoned and discussed the details for a third time. Suddenly I was informed that the T&C's state you are allowed one leak outside your house and that leaks under the floorboards are classed as "outside the house" and the extra costs cancelled.
So the motto is: -
Use your meter, and check the readings for useage and leaks
24 hours should be enough to confirm if ok or a leak
If in doubt contact your supplier
Hope this helps
0
Comments
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Do you mean meter fitted Nov 17?In November 2018 my new water bill arrived and I decided to have a water meter fitted as there are only the 2 of us
Meter fitted and readings were ok: useage normal and no leaks
The DD's were halved
A few months later I received a letter stating my water useage was high.
I had to crawl under the floorboards and found there was a pipework leak under the kitchen, which was a difficult job to repair the copper pipe which somehow after 20 years had "rotted" on the outside of the pipe, resulting in miniscule holes. So i replaced the section of pipe
I phoned the company and informed them.
A few months later i received a letter, the price increased from £300pa to £2000!
I phoned and discussed the details for a third time. Suddenly I was informed that the T&C's state you are allowed one leak outside your house and that leaks under the floorboards are classed as "outside the house" and the extra costs cancelled.
So the motto is: -
Use your meter, and check the readings for useage and leaks
24 hours should be enough to confirm if ok or a leak
If in doubt contact your supplier
Hope this helps
£2000 for an annual bill is exceptionally high.
Our family of 4 uses very roughly 250cubic metres per year and that equates to again roughly (bills not to hand) £600 per year.
To get a bill of £2000 your usage must be in the region of 800 to 900 cubic metres a year.
I'd say your leak was more than just "miniscule holes" it must have been pouring out.
Equally the usage figures might be inaccurate, have you taken a reading yourself?0 -
Our family of 4 uses very roughly 250cubic metres per year and that equates to again roughly (bills not to hand) £600 per year.
To get a bill of £2000 your usage must be in the region of 800 to 900 cubic metres a year.
Water charges vary tremendously across the UK. Whilst 800 to 900 cubic metres a year might cost around £2,000 in your region, it would cost around £4,800 pa in the South West.0 -
I didn't know he is from the South West, even so nearly 7x the previous bill is still a massive amount of water lost to "miniscule holes".Water charges vary tremendously across the UK. Whilst 800 to 900 cubic metres a year might cost around £2,000 in your region, it would cost around £4,800 pa in the South West.0 -
Thanks for replying
Yes fitted Nov 17
I still have the piece of copper pipe, and yes the holes are miniscule, you need a magnifying glass
Inside the copper pipe is clean
It's the outside that's has the corrosion after 20 years
Weird stuff
Thanks again0 -
After replacing the length of copper pipe I kept checking the meter and it was back to normal
The purpose of my post was to highlight the T&C's about the allowance for the "inside the house leak" is not common knowledge and that it took 3 phone calls to be told. And reading your meter is more than for just useage
Thanks again0 -
I am amazed that your copper pipe was in that condition after that time, our house is more than 50 years old and the pipes have not been replaced in that time, we have not had a leak at all.
Glad we went on the meter though, the highest our DDs have been has been £17 a month, the lowest £13 a month, but we are quite stringent with our water usage.What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare0 -
Thanks for replying
I agree, very strange. I gutted the house 40 years ago, replaced all the plumbing, electrics and installed central heating.
The section of pipe was in a small kitchen extension by a builder, the cold water pipe was to the sink. Part of the flooring had to be removed to access the section of the pipe. With it being the cold water pipe it's pressurised and because of illness went undetected probably a long time.
Good to know how little your water bill is.
Thanks again0 -
Might have been done during the copper shortages of that time.
BT fitted Al rather than CU lines due to costs at the period.
All sorts of "stuff" ie iron might have been added to copper to make it cheaper etc.
I've certainly seen a pin pick hole before from that era which was fortunately covered up by a compression olive.0 -
Thanks for replying.Might have been done during the copper shortages of that time.
BT fitted Al rather than CU lines due to costs at the period.
All sorts of "stuff" ie iron might have been added to copper to make it cheaper etc.
I've certainly seen a pin pick hole before from that era which was fortunately covered up by a compression olive.
Yes I would agree with you. The oxidation was only about 6 inches long and narrowly on one side of the pipe, the section was about 18 inches long
Thanks again0
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