Water Bill Increase 😩

[RB2507]

I'm in shock. Just had our water bill through and it's going up £11 a month. It also went up by the same last year. So our bills have gone up from £25pm to £47 in two years. Nearly double!
We are a couple with a child in a small flat. I expected an increase last year when we had the baby but why is it increasing again this year? Nothing has changed in our usage.
Has everyone else's bill increased that much?
I'm just fed up that my pay rise is just wiped out straight away with water bills and council tax increases etc.

Are you on a meter or rates??
I have a meter, single person, part time kid. 2 bed house. I pay 11 quid a month.
Might be worth investigating.

@WhyArePiratesCalledPiratessss A meter I think as it gives the actual usage on our bill in cubic metres? I don't do any readings though. Is it automatically read? Theres not an individual meter in my flat. I live in a small block of flats and I think there is a meter under a manhole cover outside the block but we don't have access to it. How does the water company know how much water each flat is using?? Will each flat have it's own meter?

According to my bills I use 315 a day roughly

And I pay £43 a month

3 bed semi

Interesting point - I wonder if it's just divided between the number of flats in the building? Might be worth calling the water company to find out what's going on.

Apparently the manhole cover may have numbered meters under there for each flat...

@RB2507

You need to work out whether you're paying the right amount based on previous/estimated usage. Also worth checking for leaks - is the meter still clicking round when everything is turned off?

The water company should be able to tell you where your meter is.

I'd imagine there's one for each flat as the water co are not in a position to divide up usage between occupiers. It is though sometimes an issue where houses have been split into flats on the cheap.

If you're on a low/lowish income it might also be worth looking at any social tariff provided in your area:

https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/help-with-bills/#social-tariffs

@Bromptotoo we don't have access to the meter as it's under a manhole cover outside the block of flats. We've never done a manual reading since living here.

@RB2507 when you say a manhole cover do you mean something larger/heavier than a teaplate sized plastic or metal thing with the word Water embossed on it?

@Bromptotoo yes it's a large rectangular metal grate thing that says the name of the water company on it. I assumed that was the where the meter is located but perhaps it isn't?

Ours has also gone up, from £35 to £50pm! For the first half of the year we were using around £38 a month so fair enough an increase was needed, but the only answer I got when pressing their customer service was 'This is to stop you going into debt.'
I am considering cancelling the direct debit and paying for exact usage.

I’ve just had an argument with Thames Water about my bill. Also live in a flat but on my own. Had a water leak which apparently had been going on for a while without me noticing but then it turned into a big leak and I had no water pressure so they came and fixed it.

As a result, my water usage dropped massively and I was in credit. Thames Water cancelled my direct debit last July despite me saying previous usage was incorrect and an anomaly for that year only and the credit wasn’t enough to cover future water use. Just had my new bill and I’m in arrears to the tune of £200+ which they’ve added to this year’s bill. Payments have gone from £20 to £35 a month! I’m so cross.

Request the water company complete a water reading and give you the numbers - no point just paying money to someone willy nilly

We're in a detached house and our meter/external stopcock are on the pavement outside. I guess if you're in flats with a larger grate thing there will be a meter/external stopcock for each flat under there.

In your shoes I'd be lifting the cover to have a gander at what's in there!! Otherwise as it's flats I expect the freeholder to have a managing agent who would be in the know about it all.

My late Mother was in a flat in a newbuild block for the last ten years of her life Her water meter was in a cupboard she called the 'glory hole' off her hallway. The electric meters were under the main stairs inside the block's front door and gas in a covered 'pit' outside that was prone to flood.

I've had a further look at my bills and my usage has gone up from 65 cubic metres a year to just over 100m3. Which I don't think is an unusually high amount anyway? But also the standing charges and cost per unit of water have also increased. So even if I used the same amount of water it's more expensive. It must sucks 😩 think I'm going to have to phone them to find out more about the meter situation.

Would you be prepared to show us your bill? With the personal details blanked out of course.
I used to work for a water company customer services department.