Im currently in the process of buying a house and it has been newly fitted with a water meter. The previous occupants died and the house had to go through probate so was unoccupied for about 12months, so they had a water meter fitted to save money. The current meter only has about 3-4m3 so hardly used. I've contacted united utility's about getting it removed but they are telling me that it can't as I'm buying it with a meter. They also said even if the current owner had it removed under the 13month terms and conditions as soon as the house is signed over to me then it would have to be on the meter as there is one fitted. Does this sound right? Is there anything I can do to get it removed as my wife has the washing machine on constantly and the dishwasher etc, and is going to cost me a fortune. [img]http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rob2529/range-rover[img/]
04, 4.4V8, Vogue Oslo Blue with LPG.
"You can sleep in your car, BUT you can't race your house!!!!"

If something can't be fixed with a hammer....... You have yourself an electrical fault!

buy a house without a meter and you're quids in but buy one with one then you can not get it changed.....

The last 2 houses i bought had no meters when for sale, both had meters by the time i moved in.

Think they get details from land registry. 2004 black Vogue TD6

Best you can do is get your surveyor to check where all the waste water and storm drainage goes, if its not going down the mains sewer you can get a reasonable deduction from your bill. You have to tell them / they have to agree but its worth it.

In today's eco-friendly world, its no bad thing to see how much water you are going through, and to make adjustments in the house e.g. brick in the cistern, showers instead of baths (not power showers!), wash car in the rain so you don't have to rinse  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Joe90 wrote:

.....e.g. brick in the cistern, showers instead of baths (not power showers!), wash car in the rain so you don't have to rinse

Nothing wrong with having a water meter.
We had one fitted by choice and our water bill then became about half what it was when assessed on the Rateable Value.
We also use a fair amount of water.

So on average how much does water cost for a years supply if you are on the meter?

Afraid once its in its in

If you use that much maybe consider another property?

I also wash the car at night as the rain this time of year is quite nippy

washing at night means less streaks and no drying of the shampoo on the car

i'll tell you shortly as mine has just been read so the bill will come soon....

@47p2

£400 the past year, but it may depend on which supplier you have.
Thats with United Utilities.

Thanks, just wondered what you guys were paying. I think I am around £280 for water and waste

I work for our local water company and what they have told you is true. For some, water meters save loads, but the bad news is the government have plans to slowly role out water meters for all. All new homes have to have them fitted by law, and Southern Water is allready rolling out compulsory meters. We have 2 guys with Southern Water now seeing how they do it ready for when we do it for our customers.

And just to add to that, whilst I do think its fair that you pay for what you use, what worrys me is people will start using less, as the government want us to, but then the water companys will up the prices. Reformed

Reformed wrote:

I work for our local water company .............

So you can advise us how to rig our meters then?

! Not the news I was hoping for! Now the riging sounds handy. When it was just me and the mrs in the last house on a meter we were going through £40 a month on DD, the new house plus toddler means I think we might have to manage our water better. [img]http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rob2529/range-rover[img/]
04, 4.4V8, Vogue Oslo Blue with LPG.
"You can sleep in your car, BUT you can't race your house!!!!"

If something can't be fixed with a hammer....... You have yourself an electrical fault!

Best thing rob is to get some water butts rigged up to water the garden and help wash the car.

While the water cant be used for the final rinse or mixing for the shampoo froth it can be used for hte inital rinse to get the worst muck off