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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be shocked at our water rates this year - £920!

103 replies

Tensixtysix · 03/04/2019 09:08

And we live in the South West and hardly use any water (not on a meter).
I feel like using loads now!

How much do you pay and which area?

OP posts:
CoraPirbright · 03/04/2019 09:10

That’s shockingly high! Ours is around the £400 mark and we have a pool that has had to be drained and refilled twice in the last 18 months due to leaks. SE here too so would assume it would be pretty expensive. Do you think you might have a leak somewhere?

killpop · 03/04/2019 09:11

Wow that's a lot. Is that on top of council tax?

womanhuman · 03/04/2019 09:12

We reduced ours from about 80 to 40 by getting a meter. Family of 4, not shy about using what we need.

Blue5238 · 03/04/2019 09:12

Can you ask to go on a meter?

popcorndiva · 03/04/2019 09:14

It is based on your house size if not on a meter. The rule is if you have less people living in your house than bedrooms then it is cheaper to be on a meter.

Ellabella989 · 03/04/2019 09:14

That’s crazy! Ours is about £400

BitchQueen90 · 03/04/2019 09:15

That is shocking.

I'm Severn Trent which is one of the cheapest in the country though. I pay £15pm. Not on a meter.

callymarch · 03/04/2019 09:16

unless you cant physically have one, why wouldnt you just ask for a meter. my bills halved from the water rates.

GOODCAT · 03/04/2019 09:17

Our metered water is less than £120 a year. There are only two of us, but even if you have a family of 8 that is still cheaper than the amount you are paying.

HarrysOwl · 03/04/2019 09:17

I'm Severn Trent too, not on a meter, £55pm

Ellabella989 · 03/04/2019 09:19

I’m also Severn Trent and we pay about £34 a month

BasilWhoosh · 03/04/2019 09:21

You should ask to get a water meter fitted. If your bills are higher with it you can switch back to water rates in your first year.

Original poster
Tensixtysix · 03/04/2019 09:23

It's on top of council tax @killpop. Our rateable value is 320, but we're not a business, but it's based on the rates of 31/03/90.
So they calculate it as;

Supply charge; £110.90 X 3.20 = £354.88
Sewage charge; £163.79 X 3.20 = £524.12
Standing charges; £41

Daylight robbery!

OP posts:
Original poster
Tensixtysix · 03/04/2019 09:25

No point on having a water meter. The rateable value will stay the same. It cannot EVER be taken off as per their website.

OP posts:
Hereward1332 · 03/04/2019 09:30

Isn't the rateable value only an issue if you don't have a meter? It doesn't affect the cost of metered consumption.

Original poster
Tensixtysix · 03/04/2019 09:31

I'm going to look further into this. DH pays it each year without question. But now it's getting ridiculous how much they want.

OP posts:
BlueSkiesLies · 03/04/2019 09:33

No point on having a water meter. The rateable value will stay the same. It cannot EVER be taken off as per their website.

I think you misunderstand.

The rateable value is used to calculated the charges if you are NOT on a meter.

If you are on a meter you pay the standing charges + usage. WAY lower than £1.2k a year for most people!

I pay between £21 and £28 a month for 2 people

justthecat · 03/04/2019 09:33

Ours are the same op, we’re on a meter.
I remember finding out as a kid you had to pay for water and I was amazed!

redwoodmazza · 03/04/2019 09:34

Get a water meter for blooming sake!

Chlo1674 · 03/04/2019 09:34

Definitely get a meter that is shockingly high. I pay about a third of that have a biggish house

Walkerbean16 · 03/04/2019 09:35

We are on a meter, ours is £864 a year but there are seven of us. Between us we have 4 showers and 2 baths a day and way too much washing up/washing.

DieCryHate · 03/04/2019 09:36

If you don't use that much, request a meter. The RV won't dictate any metered charges. It doesn't matter if you shower once a month or if you have 20 children bathing every day if you have RV, the charge is the charge.

chillpizza · 03/04/2019 09:38

We pay £66 a month and that’s metered.

HappySeven · 03/04/2019 09:39

Definitely agree you need a meter. We are a family of 4 and pay £31 a month with a meter. Our rates would be similar to yours without.

AnnaMagnani · 03/04/2019 09:40

Get a meter. I had water rates like that. Phoned up the water company who suggested that even if we were a family of 6 and did washing and watered the garden every day, we'd still be quids in with a meter.

As it is, we are a family of 2 and now pay about £60 a quarter.