My landlord won't let me have a water meter.

IngridRose
IngridRose Posts: 2 Newbie
in Water bills
Hi,

I've just moved into a rented property and received my water bill - £470 for the year on un-metered charges. There is only myself and my partner living in our two-bed flat. This bill seems pretty extortionate to me, although my only previous experience of paying an unmetered waterbill was in a five-bed student property where we paid £289 between us for the year.

I used an online calculator which estimated that if we used a water meter our bill would be around £250. I asked my landlord if we could install a water meter as it would potentially save us over £200 a year and they said no, we should contact the water company and ask them for a discount if we could not afford it.

I contacted the water company who told me that there's no other option but to get a water meter as my partner and I earn slightly too much to qualify for any discounts. They said we have a right as tenants to install a water meter if we want to, which I was already aware of, however our contract forbids us from making changes to the property without permission and I don't want to upset my landlord and risk them evicting us.

I feel like I have exhausted all my options but was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation?
Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Comments

  • IngridRose
    IngridRose Posts: 2 Newbie
    Sorry - should have checked before posting. There's a similar question right below my post.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,098 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    If you have a tenancy of 6m or more then your LL cannot prevent you having a meter fitted: your contract is not enforceable.
    You don't qualify for assessed charges as there is no physical reason why a meter cannot be installed.
    You cannot be evicted for fitting one, but only you will know if your LL will not renew your tenancy if you do so. If you are good tenants, it would be insane to do that. I doubt if more than a tiny percentage of prospective tenants ever ask if a property is metered.
    Discuss with your LL and explain to him how the system works, since he is clearly clueless.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • spiro
    spiro Posts: 6,403 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Also I think on a Change of Tenancy or Ownership the water company has a right to fit a meter regardless of what anyone wants.
    IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market.

    4 Credit Card and 1 Loan PPI claims settled for £26k, 1 rejected (Opus).
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    What is there not to like as a landlord? There are no costs involved and, if the property is left empty for a period in the future, there will be no water rates for him/her to pay.
  • brewerdave
    brewerdave Posts: 8,507 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Hengus wrote: »
    What is there not to like as a landlord? There are no costs involved and, if the property is left empty for a period in the future, there will be no water rates for him/her to pay.

    Not quite true - there are still standing charges to pay -in my region I pay ~ £10 per month s/c for water.
    I wonder if the landlord doesn't want a meter fitted because he is using water somewhere off of the supply? Garden sprinkler comes to mind - or even washing his car!!:)
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    If the flat is part of a converted house, there have been several posts where it has been discovered that only 1 flat is paying water charges and the rest of the property gets 'free' water.
  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,822 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    You can, because you live in a flat, ask the water company for an assessed charge.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    edited 8 May 2018 at 12:39PM
    McKneff wrote: »
    You can, because you live in a flat, ask the water company for an assessed charge.

    The water company will not consider an assessed charge until the account holder has applied for a meter; and an inspection has shown that fitting a meter is not possible or too difficult.

    See last sentence of below quote: OFWAT https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/your-water-bill/assessed/

    Assessed charges

    Your water company can refuse to install a water meter at your property if it is not practical or is too expensive for it to fit one.
    If you cannot have a water meter installed, your water company should offer you an assessed charge. This is an alternative to your rateable value charge.
    You will not be offered an assessed charge unless you apply for a meter.
  • Flt._Lt._Biggles
    Flt._Lt._Biggles Posts: 300 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Name Dropper First Post
    IngridRose wrote: »
    Hi,

    I've just moved into a rented property and received my water bill - £470 for the year on un-metered charges. There is only myself and my partner living in our two-bed flat. This bill seems pretty extortionate to me, although my only previous experience of paying an unmetered waterbill was in a five-bed student property where we paid £289 between us for the year.

    I used an online calculator which estimated that if we used a water meter our bill would be around £250. I asked my landlord if we could install a water meter as it would potentially save us over £200 a year and they said no, we should contact the water company and ask them for a discount if we could not afford it.

    I contacted the water company who told me that there's no other option but to get a water meter as my partner and I earn slightly too much to qualify for any discounts. They said we have a right as tenants to install a water meter if we want to, which I was already aware of, however our contract forbids us from making changes to the property without permission and I don't want to upset my landlord and risk them evicting us.

    I feel like I have exhausted all my options but was just wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation?
    Thanks for any advice you can give me.

    Just get one.

    How will the landlord ever know until you leave, and then it will be too late for him to do anything. ;)
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards