Cheaper Water Bills Article Discussion

A question about : Cheaper Water Bills Article Discussion

It says in the article that having a water meter may effect your house price when you sell your house. However, in my experience when i moved house last August I was told by the water company that I had to have a water metter fitted.

Apparently, they say, anyone moving into a house now must have a water meter fitted - This was Southern Water, but they said it was a nationwide regulation that this should happen.

So, if that is true, then it should not effect your house price.

Best answers:

• It says in the article that having a water meter may effect your house price when you sell your house. However, in my experience when i moved house last August I was told by the water company that I had to have a water metter fitted.
  Apparently, they say, anyone moving into a house now must have a water meter fitted - This was Southern Water, but they said it was a nationwide regulation that this should happen.
  So, if that is true, then it should not effect your house price.
• Hi markmas,
  You shouldn't have to have a water meter fitted if you're moving house. However there is talk of making water meters compulsory in areas that are water stressed - Southern Water being one of them. But this is some way off yet.
  Also if you are moving into a house that already has a water meter fitted you are unfortunately stuck with it.
  Quote:
• One point that doesn't seem to be addressed is another saving.
  If your surface water (i.e. water draining from your roof etc) does not drain into the public sewer you are allowed to claim a saving from your water rates. This is if you have a soakaway.
  All you have to do is contact the utilities and they will come round and inspect your property and confirm that fact and then you will get a reduction. You have to claim, it will not be done automatically.
  Reg R
• Hi Reg,
  Thanks for that, we actually say this in the article:
  Do you have a ‘soakaway?’
  A ‘soakaway' is a large underground pit of gravel which collects water from your roof or drive. You're more likely to have one if you live in a small town or village than an urban area. If unsure, check your property deeds or visit your local authority to look at the planning application.
  The water companies should give rebates to any customer whose surface rainwater goes into a soakaway rather than the mains sewers, this is usually between Ј20 and Ј40 and can be claimed if you are on a meter or not. To apply for a rebate, simply fill out your water company's form; call or go online to request it.
  Quote:
• Please explain, someone. Martin has cost of Dwr Cymru metered cost for 1 in 4 bedroomed house at Ј153. How come I as single in 2 bedroomed bungalow pays Ј192?
• Thames Water have just informed me that yes, I can claim a rebate, but only if they check and find someone else in my area has already claimed - (how does that work the first time??)
  Apparently, having asked for it, I can now have it (based on the above) or they will send me a form to take it further in the next 10 working days...
  I also asked if I can claim this retrospectively - they didn't know but apparently, I can ask on the form....
  Will let you know what transpires.
  10 Mar, recieved confirmation of entitlement today from Thames. Have written to ask if I can claim retrospectivly on previous years. Awaiting revised bill
• Hi Archna,
  I have found out some more information now, for all Southern Water customers in Sussex they automatically install a meter whenever there is a change of customer, ie a house move, they say in their leaflet:
  "In Sussex, we are further managing
  demand for water by installing a water
  meter at unmetered properties when there
  is a change of customer."
• MSE Archna,
  I believe you are not correct in a couple of points you make.
  Firstly I believe that all water companies can insist that a meter is fitted when there is a change in customer.
  Some companies enforce that regulation 100% and others don't bother. There have been many posts on this subject i.e. where meters were fitted without being requested.
  Secondly Surface water drainage charges can be considerably more than the Ј20-Ј40 you state as typical. In Severn Trent a semi is Ј53 and a detached property Ј80.
  They can also charge for surface water drainage as a levy on each Ј1 of Rateable Value even though it has a meter fitted. For instance for my metered property this is 35.72p per Ј1 of RV. As my house has an RV of Ј700 this is a charge of over Ј250. You can elect for the fixed charge of Ј80 but unless you do elect, you will be charged as a levy on the RV.
  Incidentally had I been still assessed for all charges on my RV I would be paying over Ј1,300 - about Ј900 more than I pay on a meter.
  Water Companies have no way of changing the Rateable Value even for a whole area. RV was based on the notional rent a property could command and took into account size, land, facilities in the house(CH - bathrooms etc) location.
  It is highly likely that all houses built in the last 20 years or so will have a soakaway, you would not normally be allowed to build without one.
  It is also pertinent to point out, that having established that you are not liable for surface water charges, it is not unknown for water companies to reinstate the charge for new occupants of the same property!! Again posted on this forum.
• I live alone in an unmetered flat and my water bill is whopping Ј462/year!
  This is because Thames Water have used a rateable value of 359 which I guess is qutie high. Anyone know how and where I can check the rateable value?
  Is there any way to convert the rateable value back into something meaningful (even if it is in 1990 money)?
• *****! I just completed the USwitch test and it estimates my bill would be just £142 on a meter - thats a saving of £320!
  I will be ringing Thames tomorrow to see what they can do.
  PS final piece of info ... flat is probably worth something in the region of £220K.
  Q.Is there anyway to convert an RV back into something that we can related to? What is the abstact number 359 supposed to mean?
• Hi Cardew,
  Thanks for the note. I was actually given the incorrect info from the Consumer Council for Water. You're right water companies are entitled to install a water meter when there is a change in occupancy as long as they have not yet issued a bill to the new occupier. You can see more details of this here:
  https://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/19990009.htm#7
  Quote:
• I used to pay my metered Thames Water bill by direct debit every month like a good boy until they decided to up my monthly amount by 162% from Ј 26 to Ј 42 in Aug 2005 for no good reason other than to ensure I didn't underpay. There is no discount for paying monthly ( as per other utilities ) so I told them to cancel the direct debit and I would pay their 6 monthly bills in arrears thanks all the same - thus I earn interest on the money up until the moment I pay the bill by electronic bank transfer.
  Now I can pay my Thames Water bill using a cashback credit card through their website and still pay 6 months in arrears + then get 50'ish days interest free to settle my credit card bill & for no extra fees or charges.
  https://www.thameswater.co.uk/UK/regi...nload_0012 77
  Oh and all my metered bills since Aug 2005 have worked out at as follows:-
  Jul 05 - Dec 05 - Ј 119.16 ( Ј 23.83 )
  Dec 05 - Jun 06 - Ј 127.05 ( Ј 21.18 )
  Jun 06 - Jan 07 - Ј 158.95 ( Ј 26.49 )
  Jan 07 - July 07 - Ј 160.95 ( Ј 26.83 )
  Jul 07 - Jan 08 - Ј 151.33 ( Ј 25.22 )
• Does anyone know how to find out what your rateable value is? My neighbour believes that our rateable value was changed when a road was built behind our homes. I want to check that my water company are using the correct figure. My bill has just come in for Ј763 for the year.