Water meter in our new house - are they more expensive

[CountingToThree]

We have just found out the house we're buying has a water meter - have never had one before and don't know how much it's going to cost.

we're a family of four (DD 5, DS 3) - probably do about 5 washloads and dishwasher loads a week, showers every day for adults, kids share a bath every other day (though will move to showers as they get older).

How much might this cost us - are we going to have to be really careful? Our current non metered charges are about £50 a month.

Thanks

I've read that a rough rule of thumb is if you have more bedrooms than people in the house, a meter works out cheaper.
This site helps you calculate your water usage. I think water companies are fixed by geographic area so you should be able to find out who you will be covered by and roughly work out what your bills will be.
I'm not sure it'll be too much more than 50 a month. We are 2 adults having a (non-power) shower every day, washing machine and dishwasher run twice a week each, and we pay 20 DD a month and there is usually some credit leftover when we get our monthly statement.

FYI - I think currently if you buy a house without a meter, the water company will fit one shortly after you move in whether you like it or not.

I have never been on anything but a water meter in 15 years so it amuses me when people question them. You pay for what you use, it is like asking how long is a piece of string.

I know you are trying to budget your new costs but we moved into a much bigger house and my gas bills came down and electricity stayed the same due to us installing LED lights and bulbs etc

I am in Yorkshire so I believe our water prices are cheap but we are a family of 4, I shower daily (DH showers at the gym) Ds1 showers 2 - 3 times a week and ds2 has a shallow-ish bath twice a week.

We run a dishwasher daily and I put a load of washing every day sometimes two loads. I am a SAHM so use the toilet in the day and brew up a lot few cups of tea.

We pay £32pm DD.

Even when I had builders here using a cement mixer and hosing everything down to clean up daily it never went above £100 for the quarter.

we moved into our home last year that had a water meter and I was really worried at first.

we are a family of four, washing machine is usually on twice daily, baths every day as no shower.

we pay £42 per month direct debit so it actually works out cheaper!

Thanks for your replies. I can already sense my husband becoming a water miser and rationing visitors (and us!). Hopefully this will reassure him!

We have just bought a house with a water meter and we are a family of 5. We previously didn't have one and paid about £60 a month. I am waiting for a bill. Apparently we get billed in August. Dh has been reading the meter and trying to work out our usage. I am a bit worried too, as Wessex water is one of the more expensive water companies. I really hope it isn't too big a jump in costs. I reckon maybe £60 - £70 a month for us.

We volunteered to have one put in 8 years ago when we moved into our previous house. Our average would have been £51 a month and we paid £35 on average with the meter so saved money.

It depends where you are in the country as water prices do vary widely . We are in the SE ,and pay about £32 a month and that's 3 adults , a teen , washing machine on daily , baths and showers daily , dishwasher and nobody being particularly careful except DH .

Moggle - this isn't currently true. Compulsory water meters are only applicable in areas of 'serious water stress' - predominantly in certain Southern counties.

We moved to a house with a water meter last year & so far we are paying about the same as before possibly marginally less despite installing 2 new power showers & a watering system for the greenhouse.
In our favour is that we have a high rateable value house but there is only 3 of us so our usage is low.

I'm in the NW and pay £12 a month but that's just for me
I would just watch things like not leaving taps running when cleaning teeth etc

We moved from a 3 bed house without a meter to a 5 bed with a meter and were worried about how much we'd pay, particularly as we'd changed areas and moved somewhere where charges overall are higher.

So far it hasn't made much difference, but we are very aware of paying for water and make efforts to use less. I used to have baths 2/3 times a week, now I go for weeks without having one (I do shower, I hasten to add!). We're using water butts to water the garden, where possible. You can hear the water meter whizz round when the washing machine is on or a bath is being run, which is quite off putting!

as noted it depends on the area, you have no choice of supplier unlike other utilities.

ask the current owners what their bills are.

obvious and painless water savers: don't wash veg under running water, don't leave tap running when cleaning teeth (WHY would anyone do this?), five minute showers, washing machine and dishwasher only when full, don't water lawn.