Water Meters

If anyone has excessive bills you could always get the meter checked, we have had one faulty meter and check for leaks too, we had several. 

We did that, and they did, but unfortunately although very nice on the phone and eventually paying back over £400 taken by DD, they could not organise the proverbial in a brewery. So unfortunately it was necessary to make our own checks. I struggled at my age, my mum at 90 had no chance. I am certainly not saying they are not a good idea. They just need to be easier to access.  Particularly with an ageing population.

We're paying £33 per month but the SW isn't as good as some areas for water charges.

Good point DK, I have just one principle when it comes to saving me money re utilities-it gives me pleasure so I'll do it

What's a water meter ?? I've never ever seen one !! What do they look like and are they fitted inside or outside the house. What purpose do they serve ??

K 

 .... just wondering how they are going to raise their finance if everyones bills are "cheaper"

Probably off me .... I refuse to have a meter on principle

I would be interested to know what "principle" is involved that prevents anyone having a water meter? I have heard the argument from some that water is such an essential commoditiy you shouldn't pay for it in the first place but given that you either pay via rateable value or measured supply I am not sure I follow that line of argument, especially if it was likely to be cheaper if its metered. However if the your rateable value is low and swapping to a meter would be more expensive I entirely see the point but its not a principle, its just a decision?

David

If you have a water meter installed and it turns out you are paying more, you can revert back to the rateable value method of payment within the first 12 months of having the meter installed.

If you move into a house with a meter installed you are stuck with it, you cannot change to rateable value in that instance.

We have resisted installing a water meter. Big garden, full of expensive plants, two ponds, four vehicles to clean, four bikes to jet wash, we launder dog beds every week, used to keep chickens and ducks, and of course usual bathing/ laundering routines. We are happy at the moment to stick with what we have got, we try and use as much rain water collected as we can for garden, but never enough. Mum had a meter installed years ago, daren't water her garden now! 

Living in Yorkshire, we seldom get a drought, so few restrictions on use luckily.

TDA, if I was in your position I'd fight having a meter too. A meter to you can only be lose/lose.

Yes that's our opinion Rocky as well. We are happy with what we pay, given that we never worry about our other hobbies, gardening, cars, cycling, animals. We have cut our other utility bills immensely, so our average across all bills is probably below most folks. When we downsize and move elsewhere, then it will become an issue. I used a hosepipe on garden for first time in a year last night, usually do it by hand, from water butts, but I wanted to soak everything ready for next couple of scorching days! 

What's a water meter ?? I've never ever seen one !! What do they look like and are they fitted inside or outside the house. What purpose do they serve ??

K 

 

My mums looks a bit like our old analog electric meter, with numbers that tick over showing cubic metres used and a little spinning thing showing water is flowing through at what speed. My mums is in the path in front of the house, in a 60 cm deep hole with a cover. As I said not very user friendly when you are 90. You get charged so much per cubic metre for the water and then a percentage of that for waste water, can't remember the figure I am afraid.

Recently had a water meter installed dont know if it is saving any money.  But it needed some pipe work altered so it was left for my tame plumber to install.  While it was lying about at home I remembered hearing a story where I think thames water had fitted loads to old houses and because they are plastic and because old houses could use the water pipes as an earth they instalation removed the path to earth.  I tested mine and a far a I could see it didn't conduct. So I have bridged it with earthing wire