Are people with water meters getting fleeced more than those without?

[KievLoverTwo]

I'm confused, I've never had a water meter so please excuse my ignorance. There's a Martin Lewis post on FB this morning (can't link, FB won't allow, search 'More water bills rises announced today, on top of those already planned').

https://www.facebook.com/mrmartinlewis

In the comments, several people are claiming their water bills have doubled. But, as far as I'm aware, the highest rise OFWAT allowed this year was something like 47% down South.

So, where are these DOUBLE bills coming from?

I'm not on a meter and my bill has gone up 19%, which is exactly what I expected after the press releases earlier this year. I understand non metered charges are attached to rateable values from 1991 which can't be changed. Mine's £712 a year which feels a lot, but it's nothing compared to down south. A friend in London balked earlier in the year when Thames Water wanted £1200 a year for one person living in a 2 bed flat (he's not on a meter). He was paying £800 before (which was also silly, he should've got a meter before now).

I guess I'm asking because we're in the process of looking to move and I don't want to get lumbered with a massive water bill (for disability reasons, have to use quite a lot of water, unfortunately).

Also, WTAF, if people's bills really have doubled from one year to the next?

BBC article Martin linked to:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg4jkexgl1o?fbclid=IwY2xjawNUjWBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrWTai9igdnva4u1qSOuXX_S7DaGwZ34ZFI3XMcD8bvmmfy_e_mEvN14Br_O_aem_XCrqJpPRO8lrYSiSlxAGYA

tyia

They won’t do it as one of the stop cocks is in a field
They've told us we have to move it nearer the property
We were originally being charged for a domestic supply and a farm supply but as we are no longer a farm we asked for the two to link to the house as the whole house is now domestic. They told us we had to pay as we at least had water in part of the house so we weren’t without. Plus it’s our land

It’s not like we haven’t tried. We even had our MP talk to the water board on our behalf

On a water meter you are billed for what you use ( and what you dispose of assumed at around 80% of what you use). On a non metered supply it is an assumed occupancy and usage rate based on number of bedrooms. Broadly speaking if you have more bedrooms than people you should be better off on a meter

I worked for a while with, but not for, Anglian Water speaking to their customers.

New builds in England since the rates were abolished have meters installed at build. Usually externally under a plastic cover. If there is one and we called AW they could tell us exactly where it was. Mine's at the end of next doors drive om what's technically pavement.

There can be all sorts of reasons why they can't be retrofitted ranging from lack of space to complex pipework; houses converted to flats often feature this. If they couldn't fit one they'd estimate metered usage based on water outlets, ie taps or loos and number in the household.

It’ll be because they don’t own/have responsibility for the pipes in your house, liability ends at the boundary box.

Ours is estimated on number of bedrooms.
It has nothing to do with occupation despite usage obviously does but that’s open to abuse

Some are based on rateable value and some offer assessed bills on occupation but you have to request that. We did but were refused I have no idea why and neither did anyone at the water board 🤣🤣

Im looking forward to a meter if we ever move, never thought I’d say that

Occupancy rate is assumed on the number of bed rooms so 2 bed assumes 3 people 4 bed 5 people etc…

I was paying £156 per month without meter and £50 with. Large house DC now left home.

Yes. That’s how ours is done

there are no allowances for Uni kids only here for a few weeks a year. I get that as it’s open to abuse

There can be all sorts of reasons why they can't be retrofitted ranging from lack of space to complex pipework; houses converted to flats often feature this

Yes I can understand problems with retrofitting in converted flats and complex pipework, but not space - as I said my meter is about the size of half a shoebox and in a cupboard.

In any case, meter or no meter we all face higher bills!

That’s higher than ours and we pay the top wack for SE water

What area are you with rates at £156 !

Not at all - that's why I suggested to @DrPrunesqualer that they get a meter.

Thanks @sorrynotathome
if only

When we move to a metered property I’ll post my new bill amount. Might have to wait a few years though

Sorry missed the last bit you can get reduced rates if you need to use more water for medical reasons and also get put on a priority user list, if water goes off for any reason priority users are given priority for bottled water etc….often given prior notice and water if it is a planned shut down as well.

I’m confused. I live in a 1 bed in London. Didn’t think it through properly and got a water meter installed 6 months ago. They charged me 34 a month, and now tell me actual charge going forward will be 40. This is what I was paying before the meter. Should I switch back. You can ditch the meter within first six months, do I? My thinking is I’m better off at a fixed rate of 40 and using as much water as I like. With a meter I run the risk of going higher. I have a garden and lots of plants in it.

I wonder if people are looking at monthly DD payments. Ours was £47 and went up to £82 (monthly, for 6 people). I called to ask why it had almost doubled as price increases were nowhere near that and, what do you know, it has now reduced to £20 for the remainder of this period as they’d miscalculated. Apparently. I suspect this would not have come to light had I not called.

And we are on a metre which is definitely cheaper!

Not much difference from mine
i pay £153.80 a month with southern water
large house and the family of 6

Does that include the recent price increase in both payments? Or would your monthly payment also have gone up if you stayed unmetered? If you call them they should be able to tell you.

£59 a month. Four of us in a four bed semi. North West, no meter.

I live in a three bed 1930s style home in South Birmingham. We are a couple in our late 20s. We were on a rateable with Severn Trent and the cost was over 1k a year!! We now pay £35 a month on a meter. My poor grandma has a two bed and she was paying £900 for a year and now only £18 on a meter. We don’t live in a particularly large house or fancy area so no idea why our rateable values were so high and of course, you can’t query them as they’re historic!

Kind of obvious that the rateable value is going to be based on the average consumption for a house of that size.

So if you under occupy the house or are more frugal than the average you will be far better off on a meter.

I don't understand why people seem so averse to paying for what they use on a water meter. You don't pay a flat rate for gas and electric and use as much as you like for a fixed fee so why should water be any different??

Water is different because we have no choice in the company we have to use - it's a private monopoly and that bit grates.

That is why the bill increases are set by OFWAT. The water companies can’t increase costs just how and when they feel like it and the work they do with the customer money is also carefully monitored and if not delivered money is taken back from the company. How they spend customer money is also laid out so it is a monopoly but a controlled one

I am because I use more water on average - BUT - I don't understand how bills could raise so much. My water usage, while high is consistent. My bill is double this year what I was paying last year.

(Current bill is £54 a month, 1 bedroom apartment - solo occupier).