Water bill - unmetered...

swindled · 15 April 2018 at 3:18PM

Hi all

Not long received my water bill for 2018/2019. It's in United Utilities area and it's for £301.25 for the year, which is £25.10 per month.

It's unmetered, for a two bedroom house based on the rateable value of £84, but I reckon my usage as a single person would be lower with a meter - however I asked the landlord and he said he doesn't want me to get one because the unmetered usage is better value for families and a meter would put them off renting his house in the future, even though he should be able to have the meter removed afterwards - is there a charge for this?

Will the water company reduce the bill if I tell them I'm the only one living in the property?

spiro · 15 April 2018 at 4:54PM

Once a water meter has been fitted, you can change your mind about being billed based on the meter within 12 months. Nobody can get the meter removed and any new tenant will be billed based on the meter. I'm not sure a landlord can stop you, I know for gas/elec they cannot.

matelodave · 15 April 2018 at 5:10PM

AFAIK the landlord can't stop you getting one if your tenancy is for 6 months or more.

You cannot get one removed once it's been installed although as Spiro says you can choose to revert to RV billing within 12 months (some companies allow 24) if it was you that requested the meter and it doesn't save you money.

Any subsequent tenant would be billed by the meter, they will not be able to request TV billing

JJ_Egan · 15 April 2018 at 5:21PM

Key is would you really save money with a meter ?? £300 a year is a price many would settle for .
My price difference on a meter between two and one is far to small to make a difference .

swindled · 16 April 2018 at 12:27PM

Well, it seems like a meter is out of the question, I don't wish to upset the landlord, and being a reasonable person looking at it from his perspective, I can sort of see his point, if it would be an irreversible modification to his property and make the running costs more expensive for future households - it's not my decision to make.

Still have the question though - would UU reduce my bill without the meter if I can prove I'm single occupier - i.e. by sending them my 25% off council tax bill?

Cardew · 16 April 2018 at 1:12PM

https://www.unitedutilities.com/faq/bills-payments/i-live-alone-can-you-reduce-my-bill/

spiro · 17 April 2018 at 2:44PM

swindled wrote: »

Well, it seems like a meter is out of the question, I don't wish to upset the landlord, and being a reasonable person looking at it from his perspective, I can sort of see his point, if it would be an irreversible modification to his property and make the running costs more expensive for future households - it's not my decision to make.

Still have the question though - would UU reduce my bill without the meter if I can prove I'm single occupier - i.e. by sending them my 25% off council tax bill?

Well why don't you suggest to your LL that he pays you half of what you could save by being on a water meter which your legally entitled to have.

swindled · 17 April 2018 at 10:57PM

spiro wrote: »

Well why don't you suggest to your LL that he pays you half of what you could save by being on a water meter which your legally entitled to have.

It's something I considered, but as I already managed to knock the landlord down by £50/month off the originally advertised rent already, it would seem churlish to quibble with him over what is at best going to be half of a £5-10 per month saving with a meter.

Water bill - unmetered...

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