Water meter megathread

[Hetty]

I am in a three bed house, but alone. I pay £18 per month. I think you would be a bit better off by going on a meter. I think you can have a meter, and after a year if you don't get on with it, change back. It does make you more aware about how much water you waste e.g. leaving the tap running when cleaning your teeth, standing under the shower for 'hours' etc.

[rubydazzler]

Ring your water provider and they'll ask you a few questions and estimate your water usage.

 

Unless you use an excessive amount of water, most people find they're better off on a meter.

[denise2436]

Dont use the water companys Water/Money calculator.

I did this for my Mother who lives alone in a two bed house.

This informed me that she would be over £400 worse off a year?

 

I am swaying towards a meter after speaking with loads of people who have them; they live in houses with up to 5 bedrooms all of whom say they are better off, or no worse off.

 

I think you can try for a year and if you dont like it they take the meter out, Not 100% sure on this yet though.

 

Denise

[denise2436]

Sorry we must have been typing at the same time

[dell12]

Your water bill, if you don't have a meter is estimated by the number of bedrooms in your house. In general if you have fewer people than bedrooms it's certainly worth getting a meter fitted.

[Ms Macbeth]

Your water bill, if you don't have a meter is estimated by the number of bedrooms in your house. In general if you have fewer people than bedrooms it's certainly worth getting a meter fitted.

 

Not quite - properties built before 1990 that don't have meters get bills based on their rateable value. Most properties built after 1990 had water meters installed when they were being built. http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/faq/watercompanieschargesfaqs/prs_faq_watchargcalc

 

If one or two people live in a large, expensive house, it makes sense to have a meter installed. However, for a large family in a smaller house, or one with a low rateable value (perhaps band A council tax) it could be cheaper to stick with water rates.

[mollys_mom]

we have 3 bed detached so 3 toilets washer on most days and bath and shower used every day and about half the price of rates using a meter. When i lived in sheffield i had meter fitted to my house instead of rates and never looked back ! Go for it

[Fiondi]

Really glad that we've got ours, made a huge difference to the bills

[Burnsie]

YW told me that I had to pay £400 per year for my water. Nearly double that I was paying. Thing is, i'd moved to a 2 bed flat with just me. Whereas before I lived in a 3 bed house, with 4 adults and a dishwasher

 

YW told me it was to do with the rentable value of my flat. Thats strange as my council tax is band A now, where as it was band C

[chimay]

We're with Anglian Water who put in a water meter when they upgraded the stoptaps or whatever is in that little hole. We were given the option of having metered water for a 6 month trial but continue just paying water rates. AW assured us that we would make xx amount of savings (5 people, 2 cars and 2 gardens). After the 6 months were up we received a very apologetic letter in which AW admitted that we were better off staying with the rated system.