does anyone have a water meter? is it cheaper?

[paddingtonbear1]

We currently pay £56 a month water rates. My friend has a water meter (installed before she moved into her house), and pays £25 a month! So a water meter can be cheaper? Do you have to pay to have one? We don't have many baths - generally use shower - but we do have a dishwasher. Only 3 of us live in the house, dh, dd and I. We don't use a hose much or have a sprinkler. Has anyone changed to a water meter, was it better?

wE PAY £23 PWE MONTH

Remember though that water rates are paid for 10 months per year aren't they and water meter is 12 months per year.

FWIW though I think ours is cheaper than it was in our old house. They installed ours for free - had to have it as all sold prperties have themm installed in this area.

I have a water meter, there's just me and dd and I pay ~£35ish per month

Havn't changed - but the impression I get is that it is generally cheaper - particularly for smaller families. How many children do you have?

BTW you sound negative about having a dishwasher, but I thought they used less water than hand washing.

BTW if you have 3 or more children and get tax credits you can get your water bills capped. Check you water boards website for vulnerable housholds scheme.

BTW I pay £24 per month on a water meter and appear to pay 10m of hte year.

£24 is hte capped rate - so is considered to be the average household bill in my water board area.

I don't have a meter but heard from the money saving bloke on GMTV that if you have less people in your house than the number of bedrooms you have it could be cheaper to go on a meter. He said the water rates are worked out by how many rooms in the house.

Our current house has a meter, the old one didn't. We moved from a 3 bed to a 4 bed (but still only 3 of us) and we seem to be paying slightly less. If we'd stayed with rates, we'd be paying more as rates go on no of bedrooms.

We're currently paying £18 pm on a water meter which seems to be covering the cost so far (only been here 6 months so far). Previously our water rates were about £350 pa in a slightly smaller house but probably consumption would be similar.

It is cheaper - and allows you to use a sprinkler.

I have always had meters fitted wherever I lived.

I've just had my direct debits revised to £8 and £10 per month down from £10 and £14 per month (for supply and waste - we have 2 companies here!) - so £18 per month for both!

Doesn't cost to have a meter fitted either...

shit Charlie £18 a month?!?!? what region is that?

I am sure I'm getting conned

Kent - have to pay mid-kent water for supply and Southern water for waste - god knows why

We live in a 3 bedroom house. We only have 1 child. I just assumed dishwashers must use a fair bit of water, but I am probably wrong! It is a fairly new one, and not a full size - don't know if that makes any difference!
My dad lives in a 4 bed house on his own and he finds a water meter cheaper.

perhaps you should ask water company to check your meter and no leaks MOH? Does sound a lot...

I'm with Anglia water and it seems to cost me a fortune.. can you shop round for water supplier nowadays?

I have 3 beds, washing machine on every day, dishwasher on every night, showers, hose etc etc and still only pay £18 per month

Mascara - I'm with Anglia too - we pay £38 a month (or somewhere round there)

we pay £560 a year atm. wow!

£35 per month does sound expensive, for 1 adult and 1 child.

For 2 adults and 2 children who like to leave the tap running we were only paying £24 a month before we were capped.

What area are you in?

oh - and we're not on a Meter.

I don't think you can shop around - This 2 company situation is non-negoitable (?sp) - odd isn't it?

YOu can't change water supplier

£56 a month for water sounds a lot to me. Water meter could be cheaper.