Water meters

PS We were told that if the meter bill was higher at the end of a year than before the meter then the meter could be un-installed free of charge but if we sold the house within the year the meter would have to stay.

Maggie yes that just shows the importance of checking your local supplier - what the legislation did was to enable not direct local water companies so basically they can choose - my area has chosen that on change of ownership, you have to have a meter installed. This is an interesting ttthread isn’t it?

Just the two of you (like us) - a water meter will save you pounds.

in my area water meters are installed whenever a house has a change of owner
I'd never heard of that, maryeliza, so I've checked out the situation in this area. Apparently if you have a water meter installed here, you can opt to stop using it within a certain period after installation. Someone moving into a house with a meter installed, though, has no option but to use it. Interesting.

We had one installed a few years ago, there's just the two of us, no shower or outside tap or hosepipe so minimal water usage. Our meter is in the kitchen cupboard because the outside stopcock is imperial and the equipment is now in metric so the whole stopcock would have had to be replaced at our expense. No-one reads the meter, it is done electronically and the bills have dropped to a fraction of what they were. The installation made no mess at all.

I am so glad that that you posted this topic BAMM 2015.
I have been wondering about a water meter for ages as my Partner and I live in a bungalow. Not boring at all, very, very helpful. Thank You.

I had a water meter fitted at the last house and saved a lot of money, but I was on my own then, working full time and with the commute was only at home for 10 hours a day, when I didn't go out in the evening after work!

Now there are two of us, both retired and at home in the day time. We spend longer in the shower because we move slower, need the loo every couple of hours (I worked out 20 flushes a day on average...), use the washing machine more because we tend to leak, and so on. Plus the other half insists on washing most dishes by hand before loading the dishwasher. We also have a garden pond which needs topping up with tap water when the water butt runs dry! so I have resisted having a water meter at this house because I think we are likely to need more and more water as we get older. I am afraid of winding up like my mother who moved to a house with a meter & was so worried about the water bill she stopped showering regularly, only flushed the loo once or twice a day etc.

Most water boards (or whatever they're called now) have a calculator on their website which you can use to determine whether you are better off with a water meter; I suggest you check this before you commit as once you opt for a meter you are stuck with it!

That's very kind, and mine to you!

We had a water meter fitted 25 years ago. Our bill is only 24.00 a month and we have a large house. 25 years ago it was 50.00 before we had it fitted.

If your house is in a higher council tax band then a meter is a definite saver. Your bill size suggests you will make a huge saving by having a meter. I saved a fortune. Add a bit of fun by finding new ways to reduce water consumption whenever they put up the charges, hence making your bill go down instead of up.

If the thought of the impact of a meter might have on selling worries you, check the rules in your area - as I said upthread, in my area water meters are installed whenever a house has a change of owner

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If you have a big house that you may want to sell in the future a water meter can be unpopular with families. I believe that you can have the meter removed but someone buying can not. If you have a smallish house or have no intention of moving I believe it will save you money. I have a old house and the water company said they could not fit a meter so I have a specially reduced bill based on number of occupants. It seems that in older properties the pipes can go on to other houses so difficult to isolate. It seems that someone in my area was paying for the water used by the house behind them as well as their own.

B9exchange My late husband was a "penny counter" too. I give you all my sympathy.

My Bank advisor on a regular advice meeting I took up, noticed my Water outgoings and was amazed;

Without meter about £35 some 2-3 years ago.

He said a single person is better off with a meter.

I changed to one. My payments are £15 and the Water Co. owe me £20.

I was reluctant to change because I use my washing machine a lot as I put rugs/covers around because of the rescued dogs. I'm so glad I did change!

Maggie in my area when a house is sold, the new owners have to go onto a meter

My reason for not wanting a water meter, or a smart electricity meter, is that it would cause non-stop arguments on cutting down on usage. Having DH hovering, and being told my shower was taking too long, or any other use of water or electricity was costing extra money, would probably end our marriage!

Have a water meter which has saved me £££!
Now thinking of installing a water softener, any ideas/ hints?

We are on the lowest band of council tax, but would probably still save by having a meter installed. We choose not to, as we hope this will be a family home again one day and wouldn’t want to lumber a young couple with higher charges. And no, we do not waste water just because we could.

Let's get this straight
You are paying the same rate for your water whether metered or not.
The difference is that you NOTICE your usage when it's metered and generally cut back.
It's not cheaper water, it's your usage that you are reducing.

I had a water meter fitted on a 6-months trial. My water bills are so much less now - I live on my own, bath every day (sometimes twice), use my washing machine twice a week, my dishwasher at least 4 times a week, water my garden (when we don't have rain!!), and my water bill for the last 3 months was less than I used to pay for one month. However, I wonder if when everybody has a meter it will be an opportunity for the water companies to increase their prices - but that might just me being sceptical.

Goodness me!
That's a massive bill. Do you each have 4 showers a day and do 7 loads of laundry a week?
If you're a customer of Thames Water, as I am, then you'll be on the same tariff (there is only 1)
I pay £144 pa in monthly instalments. There is only me, retired and doing proofreading from home. Use the washing machine 3 times a fortnight, no dishwasher, shower every day.
I doubt you'd be better off with a meter.
If you want to pm me with your last and current reading or your reading from last March and today's reading together with the standing charge and waste/fresh water charges, I can give you a definitive answer.
Whatever you decide, ask your water provider.

Big reduction in our bill when we installed a metre a long time ago.

Definitely get a meter. General rule is if there are more bedrooms than occupants of the house, a meter will be cheaper.