Water bill doubled after getting a meter – does it sound normal?

Posted by knascy@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 40 comments

Hey all,

I’ve been living in a 3-bed house well, technically 2 bed but they count a tiny room as a third) in yorkshire for about a year with my wife.

Up until recently we didn’t have a water meter and were paying around £58/month on a fixed tariff. Our landlord said that was too high and that a meter would be cheaper, so we had one installed.

Now after the first 3 months on the meter, our bill has gone up to about £108/month, which was a bit of a shock. The meter reading for those 3 months was 48 m³, which feels quite high to me.

For context:

Just the two of us (no kids yet)

We don’t use the bath, only showers (once a day each)

No lawn wash, no car washing, nothing like that

Dishwasher every couple of days, washing machine around 3 times in a week.

Nothing in our routine feels excessive, so I’m struggling to understand where this usage is coming from.

Does this sound normal to you guys, or does it seem too high?

Also:

Is it possible to switch back to the unmetered tariff if we’re not happy?

Or is this something I should raise with Yorkshire Water in case there’s an issue with the meter?

Cheers!

[-]

Significant_Will_255@reddit

Mine has gone from 43 a month to 103 a month I phoned yorkshire water they said there's been a constant flow of water since September went to look at my water meter and its full of water turned stop cock off empty all water out went back in 30 minutes and it was filling up with water again so yorkshire water think I've got a leak by or from the water meter they are sending a engineer out to investigate it you probably got a leak somewhere there is no way you should pay that a month way to much

Fearless-Snow-5011@reddit

Take a reading, don't run any water for an hour, then take another reading. I did this and found I was leaking 163 litres an hour. I rang the supplier and reported it. Thames Water found a leak and presumed it was caused when the meter was fitted so they didn't charge for the repair or the estimated leaked water. Hope this helps.

who-gives-a@reddit

I'd call Yorkshire water for advise. As regards switching back to rated, I believe that you have 2 years.

However, this is what I would do. Collect as much water as you need for the day, buckets for toilets etc. Shower the night before. The next morning take a meter reading. Don't use any water for the day, use what you collected, maybe even shut down your stop tap. When you get home from work, take another read. See if the read has increased.

Purple-Caterpillar-1@reddit

I suspect you may be on a shared supply pipe and the meter may be metering one or more neighbouring properties’ usage as well as yours.

Amazing-Visual-2919@reddit

That'd exactly three times my usage over the last quarter.

Do you have any leaky toilets or taps ? We had a dodgy cistern once that trickled water but the water company alerted us to our increased water usage.

When we went to a water meter they promised that we could go back if bills were higher. I think you must have a leak. I'd ring your water company.

New_Line4049@reddit

Probably not a lot of point ringing the water company, any leak after the meter, as this will be, is not their responsibility. OP needs to contact landlord if theres a leak.

That does sound a bit excessive. Make sure everything that uses water is turned off then check the meter if you can access it and see if its still counting up, if it is youve probably got a leak somewhere youve not noticed. It might be worth contacting your landlord as a leak after the meter will be there responsibility to fix, as well as any damage that water has done.

Note, unless your showers are exceptionally fast youre not saving over a bath, and likely using more water.

Just-Standard-992@reddit

Sounds suuuuper excessive. Me and husband are on a similar situation.

We used to pay £58 in a rental flat without a meter. When we moved to our newly bought 100 year old house, it came with a meter, and we were put on £26 a month.

We used about 12m3 in the first 3 months, and went a bit higher after as we installed a rain shower and started watering the garden more during the summer, so our bill went higher progressively and is now £36 a month, but still considerably cheaper than without the meter.

s1pp3ryd00dar@reddit

48m3 is 48000 litres

That's about 533litres everyday

Take daily readings. Check to see if spinny/flashing thing on the meter is spinning or flashing (usage indicator) when no water is being used.

If it is you have leak somewhere. Shut off stop cock. Recheck useage indicator...If it still indicates use, leak is between meter and house (likely an underground coupling).

If no usage, turn stop cock back on, check usage. If usage is seen now, leak is around the house, check pipes going garden taps, toilet valves on toilet with internal overflows (especially ones with concealed cisterns), and relief valves on unvented hot water tank (if you have one) or cold water and heating tanks in the attic (if it's a old gravity hot water/heating system ).

costa_fot@reddit

slop

Splodge89@reddit

48 cubic meters in three months seems excessive. Our first month on a water meter we used 3. So 9 for three months. Similar situation to you and I do actually water plants with it.

When there’s no water being used in the house does the little gear on the meter spin?

Solo-me@reddit

We had 6 months bill and used 71 m³ same as 6 months before. 8 did post asking if it was normal for 4 people and it does sound correct or not far off. I do not understand how anyone can use 20 in 6 months like you!

CoffeeIgnoramus@reddit

honestly £58 sounds pretty reasonable. We pay that as 2 people on a meter.

But also, they usually do estimated until they take more readings... or do they do smart meters now??

melanie110@reddit

I have a water smart meter now

For some reason I can’t attach a picture but yes, it was installed on 21st Jan

zzkj@reddit

Ours got upgraded to smart and takes a daily reading that I can see on the website. Quite useful to see if I have a leak.

They’re sort of half smart. The one we have has telemetry, but it’s to a van that drives past every now and then.

Yeah you got a leak. We are super high usage ad a family of 3 adults 1 kid and it was £88 a month. Currently gone down now eldest has moved out and it’s £35 a month.

I’m with Yorkshire water too.

Please bear in mind you have 1 year from date of install to have it removed.

Definitely follow the steps for a leak test forstc

Remote-Pool7787@reddit

Yes. You were obviously paying far less than you were actually using before. Now you have a meter it’s accurate

eric-artman@reddit

Do not worry your CEO will have his bonus. My bill rose up by 100% … it was explained as necessary works. From£160 to £270 in 6 months 😬

Exita@reddit

That’s almost double my usage. Two adults, one child, two horses (and they use lots of water).

Something is wrong here.

Jokersxi@reddit

We pay 98 a month. I find that ridiculous. We do have baths tho instead of showers. I love a bath after a hard days work .

Lolabird2112@reddit

With Thames water, I can find my usage that shows about a week of hourly. That’s how I first knew I had a leak as it was 6l/hr 24/7. Find your stopcock and do all the water leak tests.

ProfessorVirtual5855@reddit

Why did you get a meter 😂

Biggest scam in the world

Dissidant@reddit

Depends on your household mate
Just 2 of you? You'll save money
Big household with kids, gardening and the rest you are better off unmetered
This is the way

It’s worked out significantly cheaper for us than rates. Two people, three bedroom house. Not exactly massive users but we’re not frugal either. Rates were £90 a month. With a meter it’s £20-25.

Not at all a scam, it’s literally quartered out bill.

LiamoLuo@reddit

For a lot of people they work out a good amount cheaper. Large families etc may have different experiences, but my neighbours not using a meter and having similar living situations to me are paying more than me. So who’s really getting scammed?

geeksandlies@reddit

Anglian Water by any chance? If so they have had a lot of issues of the meters the fit being leaky, it can be a faff to prove but its not too difficult. Are you able to see your usage on their app? If so, when you next leave the house for a 2-3 hour period or when you go to be at night, turn the water off at your internal stop cock if the water continues to meter then the leak is outside your house. Once you have confirmed this you then need a leak detector (done with gas) to see where the actual leak is once you have that you will know who bears the responsibility

whereami-ana@reddit

Sounds like you have a leak somewhere

Supernewt@reddit

Personally thats sounds high for me. Im in a similar situation and pay around 30. Dishwasher, 2 people, showers. Even occasional lawn and washing of the car. We are conscious of our water usage and do not take long shows which might be the difference between yours and out situation, but certainly worth checking the meter.

smushs88@reddit

Is the property you’re renting standalone - as in the landlord isn’t living in an annex or anything?

Just this bit seemed to confuse me, as in why would the landlord know (unless you asked him/her about your bills?) and equally why would they be so keen to suggest a meter?

Our landlord said that was too high and that a meter would be cheaper, so we had one installed.

I mention this just to be sure you’re not somehow being billed for something else in addition after the setup of the meter.

20namesandcounting@reddit

Uk water usage is about 139 litres per head per day. If you assume 90 days in 3 months that's around 25 m3 for 2 people in 3 months, so 48 is excessive. As others have said its likely you have a leak somewhere your side of the meter

Laescha@reddit

Either you have a leak, or one or more other units are connected to your meter.

Key_Hearing5146@reddit

108£ month for 2 people sounds high check for leaks or a faulty meter ASAP, as 48m³ in 3 months is above average.

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I suspect a leak somewhere. My wife has about 3 baths a week at least, and showers on the other days. I shower daily. Washing machine goes daily, dishwasher most days, wash the car atleast once a month; this time of year we’re watering the garden. So we’re quite heavy users and our bill is around £40 a month all in on a meter.

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