General Chat

My OH doesnt use water to wash her old car. She uses some sort of liquid polish. Her car is parked outside and does get mucky but the stuff she uses brings it up great. I stick to water tho.

Ere's a bit more for comparison. Our company Yorkshire Water. 2 of us live 3 bed semi. Water bill £416 pa. We are considering having a meter installed and if we don't like the bills after a year we can go back to the old system as it is now. Several friends have meters and pay far less than us.

I have just had my 3rd quarterly bill since swapping to a water meter... First bill they estimated at 26 units... I read it and I used only 9...so they sent me updated bill Second quarter estimated again to 32 units and after reading it I had a total usage of 17... so they sent me an updated bill This quarter they sent me another estimated bill for 36 units.. that was last week but have not read it yet... but I do expect it to be no more than a reading of 25... I live alone... have a washer, bath, shower, garden hose (don't use it much though, and the usual running of the tap now and then, dishes, toilet flushing ( I do flush every time... I pay £16 monthly but am in credit already... I do expect them to lower payments after next quarter.. if they estimate it again I will ring and ask for it to be read by them. Anne x

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Well I'm glad I live down south in a 4 bed detached house then :-)

Penny No, no mansion - an ordinary 3 bed terraced house in a VERY expensive part of the country. The water rates for unmetered water are now £700 per annum (so next door says). I was paying £490 when I decided to go metered. OC

Deanna, have been on a meter for just over a year, my bill was halved in the first year .This year they have set it higher (I pay monthly then they send a statement every so often) as we used more water than they initially estimated for two person household but it is still around 2 thirds of what it would be un metered. Last year it was £15 a month, this year £24. I live in Wales which has higher water bills than most areas of UK despite the rain! It is me and my eleven year old, I use the washing machine virtually every day (boys are messy!), plus wash curtains,rugs etc as have quite a large bungalow, usual water for washing up, cooking , cleaning etc, son has baths I usually use shower, I don't use a hosepipe but water lots of indoor plants (and I mean lots!), Rosex

Wow OC your bill must have been huge in the first place . I pay less than a £1000 in 3 years & I'm not on meter!! You must live in a mansion :-)

I have a meter - one person household, with lots of visitors. One bath a week,(more in winter) showers everyday. Washing machine on every other day. Clean the car with a hosepipe and (occasionally) water the garden with a hosepipe. I have saved over £1400 in just over three years, by having a metered supply. OC

Currently we pay about £38 per month. Three adults, dishwasher and washing machine. Mrs M is an avid gardener and uses the hose a fair bit. .

Maybe they have worked your bill out as an average with all the other properties around you - it doesn't seem fair but I think you need to ask them why it is such a big increase. Ann x

tried that last year. I had quite a go about it. The thing is that we live in a warden controlled area, where there is the use if a washing machine in ther 'unit'. I do not use that because we have our own washing machine. And drier. Perhaps the water board sees the amount of the other bills and decided that we are not trying!! But these other people are watering gardens IN THE RAIN!! Getting angry now.... :-0) Deanna X

I know just what you mean. Can you try explaining your situation to them and come to some agreement. My local water company are very approachable so didn't have any probs. in fact they asked me what I could afford, I just wanted them to explain the large increase, which I would have paid at that time but yours has almost doubled, it sounds as though they may have made a mistake and if not how can they justify such an increase Ann x

Just for comparison. We don't have water meter. Have 4 bedroom house - there are 4 of us living here - so lots of washing etc. We pay just over £300 per year.

Thanks Ann. I did that last time and had quite a 'to do'. We are pensioners, and I hate to shout *poverty* because we are okay.... but we certainly can't afford that. it is almost £500 per year!! Deanna X

Deanne I got a big leap in charges a couple of years ago and rang to ask why and they asked what I could afford and thats what I paid for that year, but it didn't pay off completely the charges still increased the following year, but seem to have settled around the £22 mark over the last couple of years - I also live in small bungalow - I hope mine don't increase so much - I cant afford that I would try ringing them and compromise somewhere in the middle. If you don't ask you don't get. Ann x

Anne, we have a one bedroomed bungalow. Had a water meter for about 10 years. two people....washing machine, shower, new small sized toilet cylinder.... most of the water I drink is bottled (fizzy) We have just had out new bill. We used to pay £24 per month...and now they want £41 per month!! Deanna X

Yes Deanna I have a water meter, there are 3 people in my home I pay £22.50 per month. I have washer, shower, (but do have more baths than showers especially in winter) don't have a dish washer (unless you count OH lol) Oh yes I have a garden hose too Ann x

Hi Deanna Yes I have had one for about 5 years now - and my bills have halfed. One person. Washing machine only - 2-3 washes each week. Bath every night - hair wash every morning. Hosepipe - when I can use it lol I pay £6 monthly for water supply - about £8 monthly for waste - but often have to claim back some over payment.

Are you on a meter? How much do you pay a month for your water? How many people live in your home? And what apliances do you have ? I need to see what is going on. we really do try so hard to save water. Deanna X