A question about : Advice needed on Water meter.
Hello all!,
Need some advice for my mother who has been told she must have a water meter installed. The following is an email from her, explaining more. Would appreciate any help provided. Thank you! 
Just received an email from landlords saying the water co have the right to charge for a meter whatever the financial circumstances of a tenant.
That the social housing tenanted block is approx 15 years old, that it was built as a new development on an old street(terraced) property. (which is probably why it is listed with them as a terrace).
When I took over the tenancy from the previous tenant, (so far I think there were two previous tenants before me) there was no water meter inside the property. There were no notifications from the Water Authority to my address in the whole time I have been a tenant. No bills, nothing from either the landlords or Water Authority.
I made an enquiry to United Utilities around November of last year and they told me they would look into it. Heard nothing for ages, then I get a voice message months later asking me to get in touch. They informed me the property was not registered with the Council. Again some time elapsed and I get another call from them asking to get in touch, which I did. They then wanted to arrange for installation of a meter. I went along with that because I thought it was compulsory and there would be no charge. An appointment was arranged immediately. Then I get a letter the following day I made that appointment saying there would be a charge of Ј380. I cancelled that appointment and updated the landlords (that I had cancelled and will look into it further). Just prior to arranging the meter installation landlords had already been in web chat contact with UU and I was informed that the landlords requested U.U to send a copy of the web chat to me. That never materialised but I received two cheques for Ј25 each from U.U which apparently related to the delay in getting back to me with a response after my initial enquiry. I should mention here that I was informed by the landlords that the Water Authority never got back to them either with their own issues re water charges for the whole block, which I'm assuming why the property has not been registered.
Bearing in mind that there was no meter installed inside the property when I moved in and that the property has not been registered with the council (which would have been the landlords responsibility from day one) am I, the tenant, legally obliged to pay for a meter that should have been installed in the first place before I moved in?
Also bearing in mind that I received no notification whatsoever from ANY source regarding water charges during the whole of the tenancy period prior to myself contacting U.U with my initial enquiry last year.
It seems so unfair to slap not only this insane amount for the meter but to have to backdate all charges from the start of the tenancy, this despite someone I spoke to at UU on the phone telling me they would only backdate 6 months.
Awaiting the response.
Thanks
Best answers:
- United Utilities (U U?) fit meters for free https://www.unitedutilities.com/about-water-meters.aspx You need to find out exactly what the Ј380 charge is for.
- Welcome to the forum.
Normally water meters are fitted free see this UU link:
https://www.unitedutilities.com/about-water-meters.aspx
Also, unless in special circumstances relating to area water shortage, water meters cannot be imposed on existing tenants once they have received a water bill.
On change of tenant water companies can insist on a meter being fitted - but it is fitted free.
However everyone has to pay water charges and since April 1990 all new properties must have a meter fitted. Properties built before that date should be charged on the basis of their Rateable Value(RV).
If your property was converted 15 years ago it could not have had an RV as that system stopped in 1990. It is obviously the fault of the developer that meters were not fitted when the property was built - as they were mandatory.
There is provision for occupants to be placed on an assessed charge - which you can look up on the UU website. This charge is used when occupants want a meter, but it cannot be fitted for technical reasons - shared mains water/no space etc.
Technically occupants can be back-charged 6 years for water. However I cannot see any way that could be applied in your case.
The Ј380 is, I assume, the price UU would charge if you were having a new property built and wanted UU to lay a water main and fit a meter; and obviously doesn't apply.
Anyway the issue has to be sorted out between your landlord and UU. I would send a recorded delivery to your landlord and UU asking them to sort out the matter; then do nothing!
If their solution is unsuitable from your perspective, contact the Consumer Council for Water. https://www.ccwater.org.uk/ - Agree with Cardew that this is something that the Landlord must sort. However your mum will be responsible for the back charges that UU May charge.
Also agree that the Ј380 is the charge for a new connection (only a guess based on this https://www.unitedutilities.com/documents/AWS1_form.pdf) - its not a new connection though as it already has water
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