Huge water bill - 2.7K - Help!

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rajeshwarsrm
rajeshwarsrm Posts: 7 Forumite
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in Water bills
I have been renting a flat for 4+ years and till last year the water bill was in landlords name and I was paying £350 or so per year to him. This year he changed the water bill to my name and I just got my first bill from 15th Jan 2018 to 31st Jul 2018 as £ 2.7k. The primary reason is because of a tap in the bathroom which has been closing only partially for the past year or so. I asked the landlord to get it repaired for the last year or so but he hasn’t done it yet. I was under the impression that similar to previous years my water bill was unmetered like previous years but seems like Essex and Suffolk waters have installed a meter without notifying me and have now sent me this huge bill.

Please advise me what I do? I am chasing my landlord again to get this sorted asap. But for this bill, what should I do?
  • Should I call up Essex and Suffolk and challenge them on the bill as they have not notified me of charging by meter, I don’t even know where the meter is tbh
  • As my landlord has not repaired the tap even after multiple notifications, should I ask him to sort this mess and bill?

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  • D_M_E
    D_M_E Posts: 3,008 Forumite
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    Now you know why LL put the bill in your name.

    Can you not turn off the water supply at the stop tap, unscrew the tap and take it to a DIY shop and buy a new washer for it? Should only cost a few coppers or if it's one of the fancy things maybe a fiver.

    Also look on your supplier's website and see if they offer a leakage allowance.

    Also read your tenancy agreement and see if it says anything about water charges - does the rent paid include water?
  • CakeCrusader
    CakeCrusader Posts: 1,118 Forumite
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    Even a leaky tap wouldn't cost 2.7k in 6 months. You need to start by calling your water company and asking them to check the meter (incase you're being charged for the whole building's water usage).
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,098 Forumite
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    They will have put in the meter upon change of occupant to yourself, which they are fully entitled to do. It may already have been installed some time before, but disregarded.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • LadyDee
    LadyDee Posts: 4,293 Forumite
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    So for over a year you've had a tap running and for the sake of a few £s you didn't get it fixed? Bet you will now it's you paying for the water.
  • HampshireH
    HampshireH Posts: 4,480 Forumite
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    To put this into perspective. Our 6monthly bill is usually about £160-£200.

    I had a higher bill (£270) last time and got the water board out to check the meter. Turns out they had read it incorrectly and they rebilled for the correct amount. They also did a leak detection test when they attended.

    I would ask them out asap.

    In the meantime they can usually give you the location of the meter and your external stop !!!! over the phone. Ypu can then take a reading yourself and do your own investigations
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