water

hi mates. got a question for ya,s. i live in a band B semi bungalow.i have a direct debit for all my utillities. my water bill seems to be very high, considering i pay more than my neighbours. on enquiring about this, i was told it was because i had this, and i had that, and the B band were all factors in assessing the bill.would i be better off with a meter???i hear so many frightening tales. theres just two of us dwelling here, but we do have a large garden(five water butts)i was just thinking this morn, when we run the tap for hot water, i will be paying for water running down the sink hole???whats your experience with meters, those of you who have one.
await your post with abated breath.

I also live in a Semi - Bungalow, Billy - along with my wifey. Changed to a meter about 6 years ago now I think - as most of the kids had left Definately noticed a difference - and we didn't do anything different really. We also have water butts - a great saving in the summer. Thing is, everyone seems to be doin' it now, and I think the Water people have cottoned on to it, and my bills seem to be always more. If there's only two of you though - I'd say it's definately cheaper...(If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown - flush it down.) Thing is - wifey won't - I will. (Now we'll get 'You men are all the same!)

I have had a water meter for a few years. I live alone and my water rates were crippling so I got a meter and saved loads of dosh. My bill is well under £100 per year. I live in an area that has the most expensive water in Britain.

..That wouldn't happen to be Cornwall would it SM ? I'm in Devon, and I'd agree with you. Even so, I wash car - Power Wash drives and paths etc,- in other words, don't hold back - there;s two of us, and our are just over the £100

I changed to a water meter in May, 2005, after my annual water 'rates' had just gone up to £440.00. First year my 'meter bills' came to just over £260.00. The 2nd year will be 'up' this May and looks like it's going to come to about £280.00. So, as you can see, it was worth it for me, but I have heard some 'horror stories'.

yes Im in cornwall £894 a year mine were then I got a meter.

mine are just under £485!!!i have a sneaky feeling i would be better off by probably £80/100 per year.anyway, the united utillities tell me i can change back if not satisfied.thanks for your input mates. tonks..how many are in your household?you didnt say.theres two here,so i am going for it.
hell seamonkey, thats some water bill...i feel sure you are better off by miles.

Five in ours, Billy. Washer's on all the time, dishwasher, two bathrooms, no jetwasher (I make her wash the cars with a bucket). You'll be better off, definately, unless you have a swimming pool dug in your garden!

I wo,nt tell you our water rates,I will anyway I,m Irish.My last bill was $48 after $9 pensioner discount,this his for 108 days.It use to be about $30 for 3 months but we have just had an I Increase per kilo litre.Convert that to Pounds ,you,ll find It,s a bit cheaper.WE are 4 persons In all usualy.Be cheaper next time my eldest daughters gone to University.We dont waste any water ,we use grey water from washing machine for garden,also In shower we use bucket to catch to cold water,this then gets put In washing machine.It takes time to do all this,I have plenty of that ,also get exercise.

{?] What puzzles me with some of these stories,is how did the water authorities work out your bill without a meter? All the houses in Canberra have meters and as far as I am aware that is the case in most Australian cities,in fact our local government have just upgraded the water meters in some suburbs which means that if anyone is found to be breaking the rules on the current water restrictions they can actually put a limit on there water usage as well as being fined.
Of course none of this really effects me as I live in government owned Older Persons Accomodation and all rates and such are included the rent,though we can still be fined for wasting water.

house banding
central heating
double glazing
estimated on these factors. government idea. but, it can be very unjust. a meter is the answer i think, then ya pays fer wot u uses.

Ya don't wanna get me started on my water bills, I aint goin on a meter cos of the kids and the extra kids here weekends, but my bill is one of the three highest on warrington road in Abram.Yet I got one bathroom same as everyone else. The house aint flash, no gas only part double glazed and on a main road.I'm sick of fighting over it grrrrrr

water bills are a big rip off but not as much as council tax is!

water
electric
gas
rates
council tax
they must think we the public have a bottomless pit when it comes to cash flow. i forgot to mention the taxes that go with car ownership.
i read in the daily blatts, that some of the councillors in england, are on more money than tony blair???so thats where all the council revenue is going...to pay these exhorbitant salaries for pink bellied no-marks.same goes for hospitals, money is pumped in, and the biggest cut goes to the morons who have nothing to do with dr,s or nurses.apart from running the business side of it.

You can check your council tax banding here and those of your neighbours. It came as a surprise to find a neighbour in a higher band than me, very similar property.

If you use too much water In Coffs ,they put you on an higher rate per Kilo Litre.Beats me how they know how much water you use without Meter.

I was very surprised to read that if you had a water meter and didnt like it, they would change it back, not here my old buddy once you have got it there is NO going back , also I find that a lot of people in this area The Cotswolds they have trouble selling their house if they are on a Water meter, a lot of people here do not like it , and as I said there is no going back even if a new person moves buys your property

we have an extension, so that makes my home bigger and more tax to pay??still, we are all coming under attack now by this gov. they have snoops going round and re-assesing your property.

Hey Billy i think they use Google maps so they can zoom in from the air.They dont have snoops here they dont need them.Any extensions are seen right away.

The council tax thing in my understanding goes on the value of property in the immediate vicinity. My little house is next door to 3 apartments which were sold for £1 million each last year my council tax with a 25 per cent rebate is £1,299 per year. Stupid int it

when did ya ever get good reasoning from the town hall pink bellies. ???
by the way, re the water meter thing...they are coming up on the 30 of this month to see where it can be installed.

and yes, you can switch back to the old system. (made a phone call)