Tenant - Water Meter Installation - Help Please
Discussion
Hi All,
I am a tenant with a 12 month tenancy agreement. The landlord refuses to allow me to request a water meter installation. The water charges are £400+ in this property without a meter. In my last property I used less than 60 cubic metres in the 12 months. This would cost around £150 where I am now.
The local provider has sent me the request papers and it states the landlord should sign if less than 6 months tenancy.
Could somebosy advise me whether this means I can get the meter installed anyway, despite the landlord refusal. I do not see why I should pay more than twice as much because he is a 'dinosaur'.
Many thanks in advance.
I am a tenant with a 12 month tenancy agreement. The landlord refuses to allow me to request a water meter installation. The water charges are £400+ in this property without a meter. In my last property I used less than 60 cubic metres in the 12 months. This would cost around £150 where I am now.
The local provider has sent me the request papers and it states the landlord should sign if less than 6 months tenancy.
Could somebosy advise me whether this means I can get the meter installed anyway, despite the landlord refusal. I do not see why I should pay more than twice as much because he is a 'dinosaur'.
Many thanks in advance.
Edited by Kevin VRs on Wednesday 26th May 10:42
Kevin VRs said:
Hi All,
I am a tenant with a 12 month tenancy agreement. The landlord refuses to allow me to request a water meter installation. The water charges are £400+ in this property without a meter. In my last property I used less than 60 cubic metres in the 12 months. This would cost around £150 where I am now.
The local provider has sent me the request papers and it states the landlord should sign if less than 6 months tenancy.
Could somebosy advise me whether this means I can get the meter installed anyway, despite the landlord refusal. I do not see why I should pay more than twice as much because he is a 'dinosaur'.
Many thanks in advance.
What have you agreed in your tenancy agreement?I am a tenant with a 12 month tenancy agreement. The landlord refuses to allow me to request a water meter installation. The water charges are £400+ in this property without a meter. In my last property I used less than 60 cubic metres in the 12 months. This would cost around £150 where I am now.
The local provider has sent me the request papers and it states the landlord should sign if less than 6 months tenancy.
Could somebosy advise me whether this means I can get the meter installed anyway, despite the landlord refusal. I do not see why I should pay more than twice as much because he is a 'dinosaur'.
Many thanks in advance.
Edited by Kevin VRs on Wednesday 26th May 10:42
Why do you think you should be able to alter his property without his consent.
You are renting - go and buy a property if you want control of the property. (in the nicest way possible)
ps did you know that once a meter is installed it cant be uninstalled. its permanant. perhaps the landlord used a lot of water but just got billed a flat rate, maybe he will be moving back in at some stage.
Meters help low useage but not high use.
smileys as my reply sounded short. Edited by superlightr on Wednesday 26th May 13:04
Edited by superlightr on Wednesday 26th May 13:09
Kevin VRs said:
Could somebosy advise me whether this means I can get the meter installed anyway, despite the landlord refusal.
Well, the landlord owns the property, you don't, so I imagine that as long as he's not breaking the law or your contract, then he gets to decide.He will have a reason even if he hasn't told you - for example, he may feel that a water meter is a negative point for tenants.
In the nicest possible way you should leave the landlord's property as is. It is HIS property not yours.
When you chose to sign a tenancy agreement you presumably asked "how much is the council tax, what furniture is included etc etc". It's your fault you didn't ask how much the water bill was, you are now in a contract and if the landlord doesn't want to change his property to suit you then that is his right.
At the end of your tenancy find somewhere else or if you want to stay because you like the property/location etc just see the extra £250 as an extra £250 rent per year.
When you chose to sign a tenancy agreement you presumably asked "how much is the council tax, what furniture is included etc etc". It's your fault you didn't ask how much the water bill was, you are now in a contract and if the landlord doesn't want to change his property to suit you then that is his right.
At the end of your tenancy find somewhere else or if you want to stay because you like the property/location etc just see the extra £250 as an extra £250 rent per year.
If the water company won't allow you to do it because your tenancy is for no more than 6 months, it's entirely at the landlord's discretion.
BTW, depending on local water supplier, there are some entitlements to go back to an RV based charge. You need to check what your supplier says.
BTW, depending on local water supplier, there are some entitlements to go back to an RV based charge. You need to check what your supplier says.
Kevin VRs said:
Could somebosy advise me whether this means I can get the meter installed anyway, despite the landlord refusal. I do not see why I should pay more than twice as much because he is a 'dinosaur'.
If it is the dinosaur's house then it is his choice whether he has a meter.If you buy a house, you can decide whether you have a meter.
If you don't like paying water charges not on a meter, don't rent a house without a meter.
OP seems to be a muppet, he moves in knowing the house has a mater fitted and for the sake of 12 months rent time wants to shaft the landlord who might well be able to rent to single people, but might struggle to rent to families after one is fitted
currently paying £9 per month, so that is a bit more than the rateable value he is paying, which with hindsight seems to have gone up a bit from the £5 that i was paying in 2005, but moved in 2001 or so...
currently paying £9 per month, so that is a bit more than the rateable value he is paying, which with hindsight seems to have gone up a bit from the £5 that i was paying in 2005, but moved in 2001 or so...
Just to clear up a few things.
I rent because it is not practical to buy since my wife and I both work in the contract market and move around the country every 6-12 months based on the contracts we win.
We did not know until after signing the contract that there was no meter (nearly all prpoerties now have them), it is a question I have now added to the list.
The question I am asking is looking for a legal response, perhaps I did not word the original post very well, so here goes again:
Is there a legal requirement for a landlord to allow a water meter where there is a long-term contract (greater than 6 months). I ask this because it is implied in the correspondence from the water company. If so I would like a link to the law concerned.
Many thanks.
I rent because it is not practical to buy since my wife and I both work in the contract market and move around the country every 6-12 months based on the contracts we win.
We did not know until after signing the contract that there was no meter (nearly all prpoerties now have them), it is a question I have now added to the list.
The question I am asking is looking for a legal response, perhaps I did not word the original post very well, so here goes again:
Is there a legal requirement for a landlord to allow a water meter where there is a long-term contract (greater than 6 months). I ask this because it is implied in the correspondence from the water company. If so I would like a link to the law concerned.
Many thanks.
Kevin VRs said:
Is there a legal requirement for a landlord to allow a water meter where there is a long-term contract (greater than 6 months). I ask this because it is implied in the correspondence from the water company. If so I would like a link to the law concerned.
Many thanks.
No - your tenancy agreement governs what you can and can't do in your Landlords property. Many thanks.
Unless you can find legislation proving a contrary rule. ie LL& T ACT, or another ACT, Its up to you to find the legislation (if one exists) saying you can install a meter against the Landlords wishes..
BTW - Im in the letting business and uptodate (hopefully) on the legislation. So please prove me wrong (Im allways looking to learn more)
Kevin VRs said:
.
We did not know until after signing the contract that there was no meter (nearly all prpoerties now have them), it is a question I have now added to the list. Many thanks.
No they dont. Most of the few hundreds we look after dont have water meters.We did not know until after signing the contract that there was no meter (nearly all prpoerties now have them), it is a question I have now added to the list. Many thanks.
Next you will be saying you are entitled to TV reception/aerial/........ hint next time you rent make sure the tv aerial is connected and working or has a sky dish and cables installed as there is no obligation for a LL to provide entertainment/tv reception. Thats a hint for the future for you to add to your list of questions
Edited by superlightr on Thursday 27th May 12:08
Edited by superlightr on Thursday 27th May 12:10
Thanks SuperlightR, that is the kind of answer I was looking for. As mentioned before the paperwork from the water company implied that if it was a longer term lease I did not need the landlord's permission.
I have now been in 7 rented properties in the last four years, only one other has not had a meter for the water. When I was in the Herts/Essex area the water company told me they always fitted a meter when a house was sold if it did not have one, they also implied this was a legal thing.
As regards TV etc, I always check what is available at the property.
I have now been in 7 rented properties in the last four years, only one other has not had a meter for the water. When I was in the Herts/Essex area the water company told me they always fitted a meter when a house was sold if it did not have one, they also implied this was a legal thing.
As regards TV etc, I always check what is available at the property.
Kevin
As a landlord I would hate to have you as a tenant. Looking for a legal loophole to stuff the landlord against his wishes when you're going to move on in 6 months to a year anyway.
Chalk it up to experience, you've learnt that you should check whether a property is metered or rated, but don't make the landlord pay long term for your naivety by reducing the rentability of his property to higher water users.
In relative terms anyway what are we talking a difference of a £200 quid at most over the 6 months and with both you and your wife contracting that must be less than half a days income.
As a landlord I would hate to have you as a tenant. Looking for a legal loophole to stuff the landlord against his wishes when you're going to move on in 6 months to a year anyway.
Chalk it up to experience, you've learnt that you should check whether a property is metered or rated, but don't make the landlord pay long term for your naivety by reducing the rentability of his property to higher water users.
In relative terms anyway what are we talking a difference of a £200 quid at most over the 6 months and with both you and your wife contracting that must be less than half a days income.
I recall when we had our WM fitted you could ask for it to be removed within a period for the payment of a £100 fee???
If that is the deal and you agree to cover that cost the landlord might relebnt but if his next tenant is a family or is growing cannbis in the loft hydroponically they may not favour a meter.
If that is the deal and you agree to cover that cost the landlord might relebnt but if his next tenant is a family or is growing cannbis in the loft hydroponically they may not favour a meter.
Kevin VRs said:
We did not know until after signing the contract that there was no meter (nearly all prpoerties now have them)...
Kevin VRs said:
I have now been in 7 rented properties in the last four years, only one other has not had a meter for the water.
Surely an 'old hand' who has had exactly the same situation before in recent history ask beforehand if they were unsure?Regardless of this, myself and the wife are pretty low users of water too, and we just paid £240 for 6 months on a meter and that is being careful not to waste it and even using the shower rather than bath etc.
I would happily swop to paying £200 for as much as I wanted.
JustinP1 said:
Regardless of this, myself and the wife are pretty low users of water too, and we just paid £240 for 6 months on a meter and that is being careful not to waste it and even using the shower rather than bath etc.
I would happily swop to paying £200 for as much as I wanted.
Blimey, my last 10 months water bill was less than £200. We used less than 5 cu m a month. What charge per cubic meter was that?I would happily swop to paying £200 for as much as I wanted.
Obviously we will not have a meter fitted without the landlord's consent, what I was trying to find out was whether he was legally obliged to let us fit one.
As a matter of interest we are considered model tenants by our previous landlords, we take good care of the property and generally return it in better condition than when we moved in.
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