£40 a month for water bill?!?!

MORPH3US
MORPH3US Posts: 4,906 Forumite
Combo Breaker First Post
in Water bills
Just moved into a 1 bed flat with the gf about a month ago and for some dodgy (or not) reason the landlady gets the bills for water sent to her and then she sends her own invoice onto us.

I'm not sure if she said something about dividing the bill up or something (we live in an old mill house which is not 1 house and 3 flats).

Anyway we just got our first bill for August and about 5 extra days which was £41 which worked out something like:

16 sq/m water @ 100.49p = £16 odd
sewage = £10 odd
standing charge = £10 odd
rest = VAT

Can anyone tell me is that about right. I looked on the water companies web page last night and it said that <9,999 sq/m water per year is charged at 100.49p per sq/m so that bit looks ok?

Any feedback appreciated. Also any ideas why the landlady would get the bill sent to her and then invoice us for it on her own invoice???

cheers

M
«1345

Comments

  • rchddap1
    rchddap1 Posts: 5,926 Forumite
    Usually £40 pays for at least a 3 months in our house
    Baby Year 1: Oh dear...on the move

    Lily contracted Strep B Meningitis Dec 2006 :eek: Now seemingly a normal little monster. :beer:
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  • MORPH3US
    MORPH3US Posts: 4,906 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    How many sq/m do you usually use a month rchddap?

    Are you on a meter?

    M
  • rchddap1
    rchddap1 Posts: 5,926 Forumite
    We're in a new house so yes we are on meter. Can't remember the numbers, but initially our usage was so low that we couldn't set up a monthly direct debit. Its for 2 of us and generally the house is empty between 7.30am and 4pm.

    Edit: We use to rent and had a similar situation for our leccy. Bills over the winter were at stupid levels...i remember one being £200! We did only have electric heaters, but still.

    Do you know how much the whole bill is? Or do you just get your invoice shuved into your hands?
    Baby Year 1: Oh dear...on the move

    Lily contracted Strep B Meningitis Dec 2006 :eek: Now seemingly a normal little monster. :beer:
    Love to my two angels that I will never forget.
  • MORPH3US
    MORPH3US Posts: 4,906 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    We just got home yesterday to find the invoice in an envelope through the letter box.

    Its the £10 for sewage and £10 for standing charge that bugs me. That doubles the bill. Just like you there is only the 2 of us in the house and we're not there 8 - 6, do 4 washing machine loads a week, a shower each a day etc. I am even going to put the filled 1 lt bottles of water in the toliet cistern to save some water.

    Thing is we didn't know where the meter was when we first moved in so didn't take a reading so will just have to trust her on what it was to start with. We can obviously check it now but 16 m/cubed = £16 doesn't seem too bad. 1 m/cubed = 1000 litres so even if I can save 1000 litres a month then thats only going to knock £1 off the bil.
  • rchddap1
    rchddap1 Posts: 5,926 Forumite
    You could always ask to see the actual bill if you're not sure. Or pay it this time and keep an eye on your meter (assuming of course that it is your meter alone, and isn't connected to anyone else's water useage in the property).
    Baby Year 1: Oh dear...on the move

    Lily contracted Strep B Meningitis Dec 2006 :eek: Now seemingly a normal little monster. :beer:
    Love to my two angels that I will never forget.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    Metered water charges vary greatly depending on area.

    Also the structure of charges varies. High standing charges and lower water/sewage costs - or lower standing charges and higher metered costs.
  • Aries
    Aries Posts: 477 Forumite
    Hi Morph3us I pay £10 00 for the first month followed by11 payments of £13.00 .Estimated on annual usage to be 57m3
    I pay D.D.This is with Yorkshirewater,for 1 person living in a semi detatched house at home all day.
    I hope this helps.
    Kath. ;)
    Member of the £2 savers club.£320
    so far
    saving for Holiday :j

    You are never too Old to learn new tricks.:rotfl:
  • skintchick
    skintchick Posts: 15,114 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    I think you should ring the water company and ak how they have hte property registered, as if it is separate units they should have separate bills.

    I think your landlady's pulling a fast one.

    I'm with THames Water and pay £27.31 a month, although I am switching to a meter which will make it much cheaper.
    :cool: DFW Nerd Club member 023...DFD 9.2.2007 :cool:
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  • bonnie_2
    bonnie_2 Posts: 1,463 Forumite
    your lucky my water is £42 a month family of 4 on a meter.
  • tin
    tin Posts: 502 Forumite
    skintchick wrote:
    I think you should ring the water company and ak how they have hte property registered, as if it is separate units they should have separate bills.

    I think your landlady's pulling a fast one.

    I'm with THames Water and pay £27.31 a month, although I am switching to a meter which will make it much cheaper.

    There's your answer. Ask the landlady for a copy of the proper bill - and if not then tell her (innocently of course) that you'll contact the water company for a copy of the bill particular to your flat. That should set alarm bells ringing and speed on some form of co-operation ;):D
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