High water bill, constantly spinning meter

A question about : High water bill, constantly spinning meter

Hi all,

We have recently had a considerable increase in our monthly water bill due to 'high usage', from Ј34 to Ј77.

We live in a flat and don't think our water usage has changed or is above average. Washing machine 2-3 times a week, Wash dishes 2x a day (No dishwasher), 2 quick morning showers and a rare bath.

I checked our outside water meter and noticed that the circular black dial in the center was constantly rotating, even with no taps running.

After researching online I am thinking this may be due to a water leak of some kind. Has anybody had any experience of this before and can give me some advice?

Thanks very much

Best answers:

• Firstly make sure the stopc0ck in your flat is turned off and ensure the meter is not turning.
  The most common form of leak inside a property is a cistern overflowing(silently)into the bowl.
  If there is a leak you just have to take steps to track it down.
• If the little black dial is rotating then water is flowing through the meter and being recorded.
  As Cardew says, try turning off the stopvalve inside your flat and check if it's still rotating.
  If it is then you've got a leak between the meter and your stopvalve (or another flat is sharing your water) - you might need to shut it off for several hours or overnight to establish that there is no one else connected.
  If you establish that there is no outside leak then you've got to check stuff like toilet cisterns, overflow tanks and even boilers to try and establish where its going.
  LoFlush toilets are notorious for letting by into the toilet bowl - make sure that the valve closes properly after it's been flushed and that there isn't a continuous trickle of water running into the bowl.