Water Rates

[Crazyface]

Meter or no meter? My lad, has three bed semi. Three of them in it. Grandson has 20 minutes shower, I kid you not. They pay £30 a month on a meter. Is this the way forward? We are paying £48 a month and there is only two of us, we have no meter. Seems like a no brainer. Any advice would be great.

 

[Neilds]

Two of us in a semi, pay £34 a month on a meter. Had no choice to eget one fitted as it was policy when you buy house (not new build)

 

[jim8flog]

I went to a meter over 20 years ago.

At the time the non meter rates based cost was about £300 a year and metered it came down to £180 with a house full.

Now there is only me in the house and it is still only £180.

There are only a couple of houses left (out of 40) in the close where I live that have stayed on rates based (you can spot it by the meter access points on the pavement).

 

[Lord Tyrion]

2 people in a house, meter every time.

If you had kids, washing machine going constantly etc then rates are usually better.

Get the meter booked in

 

[Bunkermagnet]

We had no choice but had to have a meter due to this part of the country being desert. Initially it were cheaper, but not now.
Can you name a business that makes you have something so you pay less and they get less? Was always going to end up dearer.
All the time you can stay away from a meter, do so.

 

[Hobbit]

£30+ a month! Ours is €16 a month. Electricity has gone up though at €105, but that also includes the pool heater. No gas bill, everything on elec and solar.

 

[Mandofred]

£25 a month. Neither my wife and I are long shower takers, although during the winter we like a bath.

 

[HeftyHacker]

About 35 quid a month for us on a meter. 3 bed semi with 2 adults and a kid (soon to be 2) so daily baths run.

I think they wanted 54 quid on fixed.

Our neighbour is a gent though and has said if we're watering the garden or filling paddling pools etc to give him a shout and he'll chuck his hosepipe over as he's on fixed.

No such hosepipe bans up here in the North-west to consider FYI.

 

[Crazyface]

Using those water calculators we wouldn't save much, if they are to be believed.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Was paying £25 a month back in MK, there was a meter in the garden, got a significant credit back when we moved out last month. All showers in our house, none of us use the bath. Not sure how it works up here i.e. whether there's a meter or not. The fee is included with the council tax, the bill I have just received seems to put it about the same per month.

 

[Crazyface]

Update:-

A bloke from United Utilities came yesterday to see where to put the meter.
1. He couldn't find an outside stop tap. Brilliant!
2. To install one inside he'd have to make a right mess, cutting into cubboards and what not as our pipes were not going the way he thought, and then couldn't be certain that the meter could be installed where they would have to cut. This would mean he could make a huge mess and not be able to correct it and leave us with no meter. Brilliant!

The wife sent him packing. UU are supposed to be sending us a proposed revised billing taking into account there is only two of us. Well, I've already had that, as they reduce it to £40 per month, going off average usage from other 3 bed houses. I see another row coming.

Surely every house has an outside stop tap?

 

[Neilds]

Our outside stop cock is shared with next door - only found that out when they were doing work next door and turned off their tap and our water went off. It took the water company a few visits to find where to put the water meter as the pipe comes up next doors drive and then across their garden and into ours under the front window.

 

[jim8flog]

Surely every house has an outside stop tap?

Not on older properties.

My mother in law shared the same tap with two other cottages.

She rented as did the others and one bill was sent to the owner of the 3 which was shared out equally between each renter..

 

[Crazyface]

Our outside stop cock is shared with next door - only found that out when they were doing work next door and turned off their tap and our water went off. It took the water company a few visits to find where to put the water meter as the pipe comes up next doors drive and then across their garden and into ours under the front window.

And did they fit it outside ?

 

[Crazyface]

PS our bill for the next year is £700. Hence me trying to get a meter installed. I think the summers where we needed to water the lawn to keep it alive are gone forever.

 

[Hogieefc]

We have got a 3 bed semi, just me and the wife and we pay £29 a month.

 

[Neilds]

And did they fit it outside ?

Yes, in front garden. It’s now covered by a plant pot so we can find it in the gravel

 

[full_throttle]

currently paying £27pm, as from March it goes down to £21

2 adults in a 3 bed semi,

 

[Crazyface]

Yes, in front garden. It’s now covered by a plant pot so we can find it in the gravel

Thanks. When they offer a paltry reduced amount I'll get them to find the pipe and put the damn meter in

 

[Crazyface]

So much for my words. A lovely lady called to explain out pipes come into our house from next doors so unless we chance our kitchen cut up for no reason, or it may be ok, then we cannot have a meter. The best they can offer is a reduced rate to £45. Which is unacceptable but it appears we have no other option . Nutz