Forced water meter

[Exige77]

We live in an older property without a water meter.

Out water company say they want to fit one but we don’t want one.

Can anybody clarify if the water company can force you to have one ?

Many thanks

[XCP]

Depends where you live. A quick google will tell you.

[cj2013]

It depends on your area - many areas have compulsory metering, meaning they are legally allowed to fit one against the resistance of the property owner.

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/1...

[CoolHands]

If in London you’re screwed they get some sort of special power under water shortage bullst

[XCP]

Reduced my bill considerably when I had one fitted.

[anonymous-user]

Why don't you want one?

You may actually save money, Many people do save:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/cut-wa...

In my opinion, everyone should be forced to have a meter.

I have one in my house, and my water bills are very reasonable. There are only 2 of us, but we do water plants and wash cars etc. We do make an effort in some respects to be a little careful with our water usage though, because we are on a meter. Garden sprinklers on a timer etc.

I don't think being made to watch your water consumption is a bad thing.

My parents have never had a meter, and they waste water like there is no tomorrow. They have a very large garden with water features etc, and they will happily leave a hosepipe running for days on end watering the gardens, filling water features up, pressure washing driveways, and so on.

I don't think it's appropriate these days to essentially be allowed to waste as much water as you want.

[matjk]

The only reason people don’t want them is because they are happy to piss away a valuable resource, think water sprinklers on in the garden all summer, hoses left running when cleaning the car, that type of thing !
What I don’t understand is why the water companies can’t simply offer a free meter upgrade and if it’s turned down simply multiple their current bill x10 , people would soon want them then

[Motorrad]

I wouldn't volunteer to put myself in 'water poverty' if I could help it. A friend of mine did and ended up using buckets of rainwater to wash away his piss and st.

Unsurprisingly he was a soap dodging single male with dubious personal hygiene. Seems to be a feature of these water meter enthusiasts.

[XCP]

Motorrad said:

I wouldn't volunteer to put myself in 'water poverty' if I could help it. A friend of mine did and ended up using buckets of rainwater to wash away his piss and st.

Unsurprisingly he was a soap dodging single male with dubious personal hygiene. Seems to be a feature of these water meter enthusiasts.

Hardly. We were a family of 5 and our bills reduced. I can't see how having your water bill linked to your rateable value is sensible. You don't do it for electricity after all.

[mygoldfishbowl]

I'm in an area where we are forced to have one. The last thing I heard it was being fitted in July - 2017, it wasn't installed although all the neighbors have there's but mine was problematic for some reason.

You have two years from the date it's fitted before you have to use it.

Edit to add.. In the area I live only business customers are allowed to choose their water suppliers. If i'm going on a meter I want to be able to choose who supplies the water enabling me to keep the price down, same as I do with gas/electric.

Edited by mygoldfishbowl on Sunday 4th November 17:58

[Sir Bagalot]

In answer to the OP I'm not aware of any area where you have to have a meter fitted. They may imply you have to have one but simply ask for a link to the legalisation and you'll be meant by silence.

I'm in a Veolia water area and received a letter a couple of years back. The long and short of it was I had to have a meter fitted, so I asked under what legalisation that was. Transpired it was recommended I had one but they actually agreed that my £450pa charge would go to ~ £700pa.

Where they wanted to place the meter was within my boundary so I simply denied them access to install it. What they do have the power to do is move you to a new tariff, and they did this, moving me to the No Access Tariff (I kid you not), it means I pay £100pa more than before, but that's still cheaper than a meter so I can live with that

[xx99xx]

Exige77 said:

We live in an older property without a water meter.

Out water company say they want to fit one but we don’t want one.

Can anybody clarify if the water company can force you to have one ?

Many thanks

Why don't you want one?

[donkmeister]

xx99xx said:

Exige77 said:

We live in an older property without a water meter.

Out water company say they want to fit one but we don’t want one.

Can anybody clarify if the water company can force you to have one ?

Many thanks

Why don't you want one?

My former neighbour resisted as he had an above-ground swimming pool (think paddling pool on steroids) that he liked to empty and refill several times per year... 25,000 litres into sewer and out of main each time (about £75 a go). Nope, I don't think he had the relevant permit to do that.

In summary the only logical reason to resist is that you use significant quantities of water without a medical need and can't afford to install a rainwater system.

[anonymous-user]

donkmeister said:

xx99xx said:

Exige77 said:

We live in an older property without a water meter.

Out water company say they want to fit one but we don’t want one.

Can anybody clarify if the water company can force you to have one ?

Many thanks

Why don't you want one?

My former neighbour resisted as he had an above-ground swimming pool (think paddling pool on steroids) that he liked to empty and refill several times per year... 25,000 litres into sewer and out of main each time (about £75 a go). Nope, I don't think he had the relevant permit to do that.

In summary the only logical reason to resist is that you use significant quantities of water without a medical need and can't afford to install a rainwater system.

.....or that you’re not on mains water and have a bore, filter and digester system that you’ve paid for and maintain.

Lots of us are.

I use as much as I need.

[Monkeylegend]

I live in the Anglian water region and they offered to fit a meter for a 12 month trial period, after which if we didn't save money we could revert back to unmetered. It reduced our bill by 50% from £505 to £250 pa.

Once you go beyond the 12 month trial there is no turning back.

If you move out of a property without a meter they now fit one automatically for the new purchasers.

[untakenname]

Sir Bagalot said:

In answer to the OP I'm not aware of any area where you have to have a meter fitted. They may imply you have to have one but simply ask for a link to the legalisation and you'll be meant by silence.

Thameswater are installing water meters and nothing can stop them, a neighbour of my parents wouldn't let them onto his land (gated driveway) and the police were called to force entry.


From their website: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/my-account/water-met...

Do I have to have a meter?
Yes, there are real concerns about the lack of water in London and the Thames Valley, and we have legal powers to fit water meters at all properties in our region.

What legal powers do you have to fit the meter?
We have the right to fit meters under the Water Industry Act 1991 section 162, under our Resources Management Plan for 2015 - 2040. This act grants permission for water companies to meter domestic premises on a compulsory basis in areas which have been determined by the Secretary of State to be of serious water stress (this includes our region). We will always try to fit your meter outside where we can. However, in some cases this may not be possible, so we’d need to fit your meter inside your property. We will make an appointment with you to do this.

[anonymous-user]

Motorrad said:

I wouldn't volunteer to put myself in 'water poverty' if I could help it. A friend of mine did and ended up using buckets of rainwater to wash away his piss and st.

Unsurprisingly he was a soap dodging single male with dubious personal hygiene. Seems to be a feature of these water meter enthusiasts.

Water poverty?

What hell are you going on about?

You seem to have been unfortunate enough to come into contact with someone who is clearly deranged, and have then decided in your own mind that anyone on a water meter must be the same.

How completely bizarre.

As several people have pointed out on the thread, there is money to be saved by having a water meter while not particularly conserving water.

[Sir Bagalot]

Monkeylegend said:

If you move out of a property without a meter they now fit one automatically for the new purchasers.

No they don't. They might say they will, but you can refuse permission

[Sir Bagalot]

untakenname said:

Sir Bagalot said:

In answer to the OP I'm not aware of any area where you have to have a meter fitted. They may imply you have to have one but simply ask for a link to the legalisation and you'll be meant by silence.

Thameswater are installing water meters and nothing can stop them, a neighbour of my parents wouldn't let them onto his land (gated driveway) and the police were called to force entry.


From their website: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/my-account/water-met...

Do I have to have a meter?
Yes, there are real concerns about the lack of water in London and the Thames Valley, and we have legal powers to fit water meters at all properties in our region.

What legal powers do you have to fit the meter?
We have the right to fit meters under the Water Industry Act 1991 section 162, under our Resources Management Plan for 2015 - 2040. This act grants permission for water companies to meter domestic premises on a compulsory basis in areas which have been determined by the Secretary of State to be of serious water stress (this includes our region). We will always try to fit your meter outside where we can. However, in some cases this may not be possible, so we’d need to fit your meter inside your property. We will make an appointment with you to do this.

I would question why the police were called when it's a civil matter. Interesting that Thames Water, who are in a water stress area (as determined by secretary of state), take a hard line approach not in line with other water companies also in a water stress area.

Bottomline is it's all about the money. A certain water company was instructed to reduce leakage by 10%. They did this by reducing the water pressure by 10%

[MitchT]

We have a meter and we pay £612 a year! Seems very expensive. Two of us. Small two bed house. One bathroom with toilet, one downstairs toilet... not that the number of toilets should make a difference - if you piss in one you don't piss in the other!