water meter removal

A question about : water meter removal

I moved to my present property 2 years ago and then found that it already had a water meter fitted.

We are a family of 5 and my bills (despite rarely washing cars or using sprinklers) are about Ј250 more than those of my neighbours who haven't got a meter.

Apparently it is impossible to revert back to paying by rateable value even though I never requested the meter in the first place.

If you have a reasonably large family you will definately be worse off on a water meter and this is worth bearing in mind when buying new properties!

Best answers:

• Wrong, family of 6 here and water bills are considerably lower on meters than on rates. Perhaps sitting back and seeing where water may be wasted is an idea.
  How many times do you use a washing machine? Dishwasher?
  How many baths/showers a week? (our kids share bath water)
  Do you use bath water for flushing the toilet?
  Do you have big flush/little flush toilet?
  Do you flush each time loo is used? (If it brown flush it down, if it's yellow, let it mellow).
  Do you leave the tap running when brushing your teeth?
  Do you have any dripping taps? Do you have save rainwater for washing the car or watering the garden? (yes you can attatch power washers to water butts.)
• We happen to have the most expensive water charges and sewerage charges in the UK, South West Water!
• If you move into a house that already has a water meter fitted, you cannot request that it be taken out (even if the meter has only been in for a day).
  If you request to have a water meter fitted, you can, within 12 months of it being fitted revert back to unmetered supply.
  All new properties are now fitted with meters and you cannot change to unmetered even if you are the property's first owner.
• The policy on whether you have to pay by meter upon moving into a property varies. For example Cambridge Water state that a new occupier cannot revert back to paying by rateable value, whereas Wessex Water will allow the new occupier to revert back within the first year of owning the property.
  It is also not clear whether the water company will actually remove the meter if you choose to revert back to rateable value chargin. They may leave the meter in place but not use it.
• There's no reason at all why the suppliers would remove the meter. It costs next to nothing to leave it there, and it saves re-installing it when the next person wants it.
  And it means that the next customer will be supplied on a metered basis which is fairer all round.
  I can't honestly see why anyone should not pay on a metered basis - water is no different to gas or electricity. If you use more, you should pay more.
• On RV we paid Ј170 per year, since moving to a house with a meter we are on target for Ј400 plus . Family of 6 - using 3 water butts for everything outside. I am sure it worked out well for the previous owners who were an elderly couple, but we knew this would be the case.
  It does make you a lot more conscious of what you use/waste, and I don't think that that is an entirely bad thing.
• Does anyone know what the charge is for a Water Meter, that is in use. Is there a standing charge and then X pence per litre? finally I am assumming each Water Board has a different rate.
  Doubt it would be worthwhile for us.
  Three Bed Semi in Warrington with family of four two Kids and two Adults, Washer is on daily, Kids and wife have Bath although Kids share the water and we have a small flush big flush toilet.
  Rates for 07/8 - £464.97 compare to £321.98 in 03/04.
• Just answered my own questions from another psot and used the United Utilities Water Meter Calculator and it comes out costing me £176.20 so I'm staying unmetered.
• If you are a family of 5, assuming 3 are kids under 19, you should ask your water company about their vulnerable household (or similar name).
  I have seen large families save a good 100 pounds if not a lot more.
• I have a water meter and we are a family of 5 soon to be 6 and our meter costs us 14.50 a mth for water. Before we had a meter we were paying 25.00 a mth
  We use lots of water as they are small kids/babies and we have saved an awful lot of money
• Thankyou cardew for your most articulate post.