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AIBU?

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Original poster

£60 a month for water is ridiculous, right??

160 replies

PrivateWeeingGoals · 01/03/2017 22:03

Posting here for traffic... Sorry for the dull subject matter!

Just received new water bill for the year, almost £60pm direct debit. Up from £43pm.
It's a rateable value bill, now thinking of switching to metered bill. Anyone have any experience of this working out cheaper? Only DS and me in smallish 3 bed semi.

I cannot fathom how the bill can possibly be £60pm! Will get on the phone tomorrow but wondered if anyone would care to share their experiences of water meters?

TIA

OP posts:
Yamadori · 01/03/2017 23:10

3-bed semi here, we have quarterly bills, and one just arrived the other day. It is for £89. We are on a water meter, and just two of us at the moment. When dc was still here it was a bit more, but not a lot.

LostInMess · 01/03/2017 23:23

You def need a meter. We are a family of 6, DC aged 1-9. Minimum 2 showers a day, at least one bath, sometimes 3, average 2 loads of laundry a day, dishwasher on 1-2 times a day......and ours is half yours.

It did go up when we had the patio jet washed, so I'd advise against that!

downwardfacingdog · 01/03/2017 23:44

On a meter here. 7 of us including 5 kids under 10. Bill around £40pm with Dwr Cymru.

Ilikedampcake · 01/03/2017 23:53

This thread has been an eye opener for me. I'm currently paying 59 per month rated, in the North West.

Washing machine on approx 7-10 times a week, dishwasher pretty much every day, not that many showers, I have mine in work most days after the gym and maybe one at the weekend and the kids are the usual teenage soap dodgers.

When I think about what I pay for gas and electric combined it's not much less and that is constantly on in this house. I've always been quite scared of a meter thinking that our usage is quite high, but I don't think it is really in comparison to some.

I will definitely be looking into a meter, thank you OP.

Grilledaubergines · 02/03/2017 00:02

Mine is £28 (not metered). They won't give us a meter either, since they get more money from us this way. Not that I'm complaining as I don't think it's that unreasonable.

avamiah · 02/03/2017 00:08

Just got our quarterly bill in its £297.
We are in London,family of 4.
(Not metered)

littlefrog3 · 02/03/2017 00:13

Some phenomenally low water bills here. £10 for a month for a family of 5?! Ours has never ever been that cheap. The lowest it's ever been (this century) is about £25-£30 a month. (Family of 4.) How can a normal functioning family of 5 only use £10 in water in a month?

Anyhoo, £60 a month does sound a LOT. I would say £30-£40 is more normal.

NotAQueef · 02/03/2017 00:18

Is it because you are paying usage for this year and projected for next year. Not sure if that makes sense but I think we pay 6 months in advance or something weird even though we are on a meter. So paying for water we have not yet or might not use.

LowDudgeon · 02/03/2017 00:22

OP's bill is currently charged on 'rateable value' so nothing to do with consumption, actual or forecast.

It seems like just profiteering Angry

ArticFox · 02/03/2017 00:45

When I was in the U.K. I worked for several water companies. Every 5 years the companies have to provide The regulator a report stating the condition of the equipment. They also said in the report they would need to increase bills x% equally across all customers in order to keep the equipment in a condition to provide the legal minimum service.

So if the utility has old pipes or they need to replace asbestos pipes etc they have to use this to justify increasing bills. The regulator will then approves or denies the request.

So it's unlikely to have anything to do with your usage.

ArticFox · 02/03/2017 00:48

avamiah Thames water is the cheapest in the country. Small pipe network, massive customer population.

........most expensive with the opposite issue, South West Water.

Bluefluff · 02/03/2017 00:48

I live up north. On my own. On a water meter and roughly pay £45 per quarter for my water

Bluefluff · 02/03/2017 00:49

Sorry should have said with Yorkshire water!

DJBaggySmalls · 02/03/2017 00:55

The problem with a meter is once you have one installed you cant get it removed. You really need to find out what people pay locally.

AndNowItsSeven · 02/03/2017 01:34

Some water companies will remove it within 12 months

Meffy · 02/03/2017 01:54

We are in east anglia and our bill is capped at £34 per month as we have children under 12... maybe ask about this... only happened when we went to a meter!

SparkleSunshine201 · 02/03/2017 03:08

Meters are so much more expensive and once you change you can't go back. I'd never go on a meter!

Peanutandphoenix · 02/03/2017 04:55

Your water bill is cheaper than mine I live on my own and pay double that every month.

Grindelwaldswand · 02/03/2017 05:00

Mine is £90 a quarter for 2 adults so about £30 a Month Shock

LightastheBreeze · 02/03/2017 05:40

Anglian Water here, £32 a month, daily dishwasher, daily shower, daily washing machine, water garden occasionally, 2 adults.

LightastheBreeze · 02/03/2017 05:43

and on a meter.

LightastheBreeze · 02/03/2017 05:46

Would it make a lot of difference if you are at home all day, we are both at work, think toilet use, don't some older cisterns use a lot, though you can put a hippo in them

NormaSmuff · 02/03/2017 05:56

op are your water bill and sewage bill in the same bill?
we have two bills but where we lived before we used to have one.

we have one for 27 and one for 45. i am not sure which is which.

lalalalyra · 02/03/2017 06:08

Meters are so much more expensive and once you change you can't go back. I'd never go on a meter!

That's not always the case. Our bill halved when we got a meter in - 2 adults and 5 kids in the house at the time.

We pay less than the OP and we have 2 or 3 adults and 6 kids living in the house at any one time, including 3 shower obsessed teens, a dishwasher and at least one load of washing every day.

londonrach · 02/03/2017 06:14

Buzzmoon...are you sure as from what i hear once on a meter she cant ask for it to be removed. Op have a word with your neighbours re their bills.