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Original poster

Talk to me about Water Meters?

54 replies

ciderhouserules · 01/10/2018 15:47

I am not currently Metered, but I've have a letter from the Water board to say that they are installing them at the boundary of my property (and all along the road) and I will be able to get connected for free. Also that I can use it for 2 years to see if i like it, after which I can opt-out if I want.

I know that it's likely to be cheaper if there are fewer people in the house than bedrooms - Its a 4bed, there will be 3 adults living here, occasionally 4 (weekends). But we all shower once a day; at least one of the adults will be showering twice a day sometimes. No-one really has baths more than a couple of times a year, but we have 3 loos. I already use waterbutts in the garden.

Is my water bill likely to go up? Or down?

And will it effect the house resale value - as I said, a 4bed, so realistically will sell (in the future at some point) to a family of at least 5.

OP posts:

bellsbuss · 02/10/2018 17:04

Family of 6, 6 bedroom house and we pay nearly £90 a month. It was £48 without a meter in our previous home 3 years ago

DancingintheSpoonlight · 02/10/2018 18:08

vontrapp you can get a meter, if within those first 2 years you decide you're not making a saving etc etc you can revert back to unmeasured charges for as long as you want/til you move. However all future occupiers of that property (new owners/tenants etc) would HAVE to be charged on a meter. They would have no choice.

BishopBrennansArse · 02/10/2018 18:11

Ours is £37.50 a month, 2 adults and 3 kids in a 4 bed. We use the water butt to water the garden or grey water, all our taps, showers etc were designed with water saving in mind as were the toilets (we're in an eco house with MVHR and solar for hot water).

NotCitrus · 02/10/2018 19:04

Our bill is about £400 a year. I declined a meter when we moved in as we suspected there were leaks (there were) and we planned to replace the plumbing which would mean loads of wastage.
We have 5 adults and 3 children, two adults doing manual work, so loads of laundry and showers and quite a few baths. Hardly any tap water goes on the garden, though.

I'll avoid a meter as long as I can even though I'm pretty sure there's no leaks left.

EscapeToTheMoon · 02/10/2018 20:56

tiggles the emptying of the tank isn’t expensive. £100 a year.

Original poster

ciderhouserules · 03/10/2018 07:47

Well I've dug out the bill - it's about £50 a month for water and sewerage, and comes to about £390pa. Water is £220pa and wastewater £170.

That seems pretty cheap compared to some on here - £90 per month! (although for a 6-person HH.)And I'm sure the wording was as flopsy said - 2 years trial and I can revert back to Rateable value if I am not saving. And I do think that once a meter is installed, or is even available, once the house is re-sold it becomes compulsory.

OP posts:

flopsyrabbit1 · 03/10/2018 08:43

do you think your save ££ cider?

im pretty sure i will

Original poster

ciderhouserules · 03/10/2018 15:26

I think yours would, flopsy. With only one adult and a child your water use should be about a third to a quarter of mine of mine. I think I'll prob end up paying pretty similar to what I do now.

I'll update in a year!

OP posts:

GooseDownCreek · 03/10/2018 15:41

I've lived in my house for 30 years. There is a meter but I could opt out and so we pay a fixed rate.
Over the years I have monitored the hypothetical metered bill compared with the actual one and it has never been close. We have two DC now adults (teenage water consumption is phenomenal).. The washer and dishwasher are on daily. We would have paid vastly more over the years on a meter.
When DC have both moved out we will switch.

Lellochip · 03/10/2018 15:48

I think I'd save a couple of quid a month on a meter but they can't fit one to my supply so on a set rate of £19pm. Means I feel the need to spend as much time in the bath as possible to get my money's worth though

MyDcAreMarvel · 03/10/2018 15:55

TheVonTrappFamilySwingers Yes you can switch back.

FrenchHen · 03/10/2018 16:03

When we moved into our house we realised the water was metered. I don't know why we didn't spot it on any of the sale documents, anyway, I called the water board to try and change it. They wouldn't let us, apparently once you've gone on to metered you can't switch back.

I panicked, I love a long bath, twice daily showers are the norm, car washed weekly etc etc.

We've lived here three years now, and our water bill is £25 a month and we are not stingy with it at all. We've got a pond which gets topped up and changed once a week in summer, lawn and plants watered, car washed, twice daily showers, regular baths, dishwasher etc etc.

To put that into context, my elderly father is living alone in a small 2 bed house and he pays £46 a month non metered.

They do say that the general rule is if you have less people living there than bedrooms it will work out better for you.

flopsyrabbit1 · 03/10/2018 16:26

yeah i think its a no brainer now its only me and my little one

i always pay the bill for the year so maybe i will get a rebate in April

teaandtoast · 03/10/2018 17:06

As a family of 5, I avoided any house with a water meter.

teaandtoast · 03/10/2018 17:08

Ha ha, that was badly worded...

Original poster

ciderhouserules · 09/10/2018 09:10

Well they came and fitted the meter yesterday, and I can choose to swap to a metered bill. They guarantee that I won't pay more now, for the first 2 years. During that I can still change back.

At the mo I pay a DD over 8 months, and it's about £390pa. (about £50 x 8) Do those on a meter pay monthly? Or 6monthly? I don't want a huge bill at 6monthly!

OP posts:

OddestSock · 09/10/2018 13:26

We pay monthly. I think we’re currently paying £40 a month, across the entire year & are possibly in credit (on a meter).

Our friends - same size family, same type of house — are unmetered & I think they pay over £50 a month

Tallace · 09/10/2018 14:52

We paid 400 per year on our 3 bed. Moved to a 4 bed on a meter and its about 300 per year. 5 people ( but my kids are soap dodgers!)

Buxtonstill · 09/10/2018 17:40

We were paying £600 a year. Two adults in a 3 bed detached. They fitted a meter 15 months ago, and despite having a hot tub (1000 gallons) that we refill 3-4 times a year, and we water the garden/sprinkler for 45/60 mins a day in the summer. Just read our meter reviews. Our new water bill will be £314 a year, and we will also be getting a refund for the difference between the two !! so around £300 just in time for Christmas yippee!!!

Original poster

ciderhouserules · 10/10/2018 07:28

Result, Buxton!

It's odd, the difference in rates/bills for the same family set-up. The water company reckon that I'll save about £40 a year on a meter.

I do think everyone ought to be metered, we ought to pay for what we use. I read the 'how much washing do you do' threads and wonder - those who chuck the clothes/bedding/towels into the machine every day; are they on a meter? Because it's a really valuable resource and it's being squandered/overused.

OP posts:

holycityzoo · 10/10/2018 11:27

I've just looked into this, we are a family of six in a five bedroom house.
Our bill for the year is £1300 and the calculator seems to suggest it being on a meter would bring it down to £850 does this sound about right?

Original poster

ciderhouserules · 10/10/2018 14:52

Wow that's the highest water rates I've seen! It might be worth looking into; I think you have at least one year to see if you can save money after having a meter fitted. If you don't, you change back!

Do you have water butts? Showers? Dishwasher? Hot tub?

OP posts:

Meet0nTheIedge · 10/10/2018 15:08

I'm beginning to think ours (£40 a month, metered) isn't so bad seeing some of these. However it was £20 a month on rateable value so we are quite a bit worse off than before.

flopsyrabbit1 · 10/10/2018 15:42

still waiting for mine to be fitted

hows it going op.are you now aware of your water use??

Original poster

ciderhouserules · 11/10/2018 12:50

Flopsy - I am super-aware! I'm listening outside the bathroom at my boys shaving (tap running!) and I don't flush after every use of my ensuite (only me) I don't worry about using the dishwasher - apparently it uses less water than a bowl, but I use a bowl as well!

I'll jsut have to see after 6 months, when they are due to read the meter. And let me know how much it would be if I was charged on the meter.

OP posts:

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