Enforced water metering and legal rights?

[joyous77]

I have owned my house for 20 years, we receive unmetered water from Anglian (who are a dreadful company) - our area is now being forced to have water meters installed although we can choose not to use the meter and remain on the current tarriffs. What I want to know is - what is a householders legal position - do I have to allow them access to fit this meter, as far as I am concerned it is the thin edge of the wedge - once installed, in a few years time, everyone will be paying on meters and the OFWAT set charges will then be revised and increase. So - even though I am 'green' what are my rights - can I stop them forcibly fitting this meter on my property? I would appreciate the legal side, not the 'you will save money'. Many Thanks.

[EDDIE51]

sherrardk They can not cut off your water supply if you have children in the house, not certain of the age limit.
I know people who have had the water cut off for non payment, there is one house just over the road where the water is cut off. Two guys in their 20s live there and don't seem bothered by the lack of water.'

[mrs.chappie]

My meter is inside. It was already here when we moved in. I wish we'd had one fitted years ago. I used to pay £43 per month water rates...I now pay about £12 per month.

(Sorry, I know you don't particularly want to hear the "saving money" aspect, but thought that others might be interested).

[cazzz1975]

I had a water meter fitted, saved a fortune despite not changing my usage, excellent stuff

[sherrardk]

Sorry Eddie, think you have mis-read my previous post. I am pointing out that you can get your water bill considerably reduced if you fit the requirements.

[EDDIE51]

Ok , so no excuse for not paying then !

[cazzz1975]

sorry joyous, I posted what you didnt want to read!, that being said even if you do not have a meter ever, the water company can still up the rates.

[askyourgran]

I would have thought that it would take a change of law to enforce anyone to have a water meter installed to private property. At the present time people can ask (and I believe, pay for) for a water meter, but once installed it cannot be removed. My SIL lived alone and then her daughter and 3 children went to live with her for a while, the cost of the metered water was horrendous for her.

[Brenden]

Should we all not pay for the amount of utilities (same as gas and electric) we use, and the meter system sounds pretty fair to me (I am metered), They are already saying that water could become a problem in the future.

[EDDIE51]

askyourgran not suprising the water cost went up if your DIL went from single occupancy to haveing 5 in the house! You would expect a 500% increase with the kids and extra washing / baths etc.
One warning, if you are on a water meter do not connect up a hose pipe and water the garden. I know of a case where a keen gardener moved into a house with a water meter and ran up a £2000 bill in 3 months from watering the lawn and garden every day , he had sprinklers which he kept on all night in dry weather.

[starone]

I have had one fitted. It is outside the gate in the path. My bill halved and I have become more conscious of wasting water. I think they are great.

[EDDIE51]

I am in a council house and pay £9.86 a week water rates, I am trying to get a meter as it will save at least £5 a week , but so far the council will not give permission. The council collect the water rates with the rent so I suspect they have a vested intrest in keeping tenants on rates, I bet they only hand the cash over to the water company after hanging on to it for a few months and collecting the intrest. Our council has over 12,000 houses so if they each pay an average of £10 a week that is £120,000 a week the council are collecting on behalf of the water company. Nice little earner if they hang on to it for a few months before handing it over.

[boxtops]

We've had a water meter for years - we had it installed after we had a very substantial leak, principally to check that all was well after it was repaired - but it's been one of the best things we ever did. Our water usage has not changed but our bills have dropped by over 50% - and yes, that does include using the hose in the summer, washing machine, filling the water butts, etc.

[EDDIE51]

Filling the water butts Boxtops ?
The idea of them is to collect rain water, filling them with a hosepipe is pointless .

[boxtops]

Yes Eddie - of course - but during last summer, our two butts (fore and aft in the garden) were nearly dry, so had to be refilled. Only once or twice during the summer, but it needed to be done. At the moment, they are overflowing!

[EDDIE51]

Boxtops, you are lucky here we have had almost no rain all summer, look at last months data (the weather station is only 200 yds from my house)
Last month sunshine +126% while rain fall - 54%
http://www.iceni.org.uk/index/1111.htm