To think they’re having a laugh charging this

[FlyingSoap]

We have recently bought a 3 bed semi with no water meter. Fixed yearly price of £582.47.
They have (somehow) worked out that although we missed the first 3 months of the year, we will be paying £62 a month for water. I think this is stupidly high for a 3 bedroom house, 2 adults and a baby. They aren’t budging on the price & saying we’ll have to just request they instal a water meter.

AIBU thinking it’s high?

It can depend on what area of the country you live OP, when we lived in Wales last year I was paying £17 per month for 2 adults, and an acre of garden which was watered as necessary during the summer. We recently moved South, and now pay £66 p.m.

Oh, and I should add that in Wales we WERE on a meter!

Mines £38 a month with no meter for a 3 bed terrace. It was lower when we moved in. I suspect if I got a meter it would be more. 1 adult and 2 teens. One teen with additional needs where water can be run for a long long time.

I thought Council tax and Water Rates were over ten months, not twelve?

It doesn't matter how many months the amount due is spread over. Different councils have slightly different policies.

There are 12 months in the year, so the total annual charge - which any council or (non-metered) water bill will state - covers you for 12 months.

If you live in that property for 9 of the 12 months (from July onwards) - your total bill is therefore 9/12ths of the annual amount due.

Whether the water company then tells you you need to pay this over 9 months, or 7, or 6 is immaterial in terms of whether the amount is 'correct' or not. As long as the op's total bill is 9/12ths of the fixed annual charge, it's correct and not 'too high'.

My nan was paying about this, we had a meter installed for her and it dropped to about £6 a month!

Fixed rates are based on your house rateable value, that is what your council tax is also based on. Your council should be able totel you the rateable value of your property.

Fixed water rates are not negotiable.
You should be paying 9/12 ths of the annual fixed rate if you moved in there 3 months from April. The water company website should give more advice on how it works.

Water meters are considered better value if you have more bedrooms than people at home ( or is the other way round?) , it's a Martin Lewis advice thing and I can't quite recall.
I think there was a scheme where you could go back to fixed rate after a year but I'm not sure thats currently available.

£40 per month for a family of 4 on a meter.

Gosh mine is so cheap, I’m never getting a metre installed 🤣. £365 for the year in a 6 bed 5 bath house with 2 teen dd who live in the flaming shower. I do have a soak away so maybe that’s the difference 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sounds about right, it's based on your council tax band.

Get a meter, problem solved

I was paying £99 a month over 8 months (think this is typical) before I moved no meter, I pay £32 a month on meter approx, we actually pay twice a year dd

Reading this, I'm starting to think we've got a good thing going! £36 a month, two adults and a toddler, Wessex Water.

@FlyingSoap OP why did you post this and never return?

That was not my intention, why are you monitoring it? I’m very busy. I have read the replies.

I'm not "monitoring it". All Mumsnet threads have the option of viewing just the OPs posts so it was clear you hadn't responded despite the many many helpful replies. How ungrateful.

I pay £49 a month..2 bed council semi with 2 adults...sounds fair to me