Can United Utilities forcibly fit a water meter?

[reb78]

I dont mind us having a meter until our friendly neighbour ploughs up part of our 1.25 mile water supply pipe. Yes, we have that much pipe after the meter.

 

[brightspark]

I dont mind us having a meter until our friendly neighbour ploughs up part of our 1.25 mile water supply pipe. Yes, we have that much pipe after the meter.

thats bad news if u get a leak big££££££on water rate and repair

 

[reb78]

thats bad news if u get a leak big££££££on water rate and repair

Had one... water co wanted £6500 (yep!). Beat them down to 350 after a lot of arguing for my one time leak allowance. I live in fear of it happening again and the neighbour doesnt seem to give a toss. His insurance co will be paying if it happens again whether he likes it or not.

 

[Robotstar5]

A workmate moved into a house with a water meter, but found the tap in his garage was fed from somewhere else so he could water his garden, wash the cars etc. without clocking up the meter

 

[The Artilleryman]

I dont mind us having a meter until our friendly neighbour ploughs up part of our 1.25 mile water supply pipe. Yes, we have that much pipe after the meter.

I thought water pipes had to be buried to the same depth as electric on agricultural land - 1.5M - what was your neighbour doing ploughing to that depth, or wasn't it buried that deep ?

 

[reb78]

I thought water pipes had to be buried to the same depth as electric on agricultural land - 1.5M - what was your neighbour doing ploughing to that depth, or wasn't it buried that deep ?

Wasnt buried deep enough perhaps and over the years i think its migrated higher. The field is on a slope and if ploughed carelessly the soil migrates leaving higher ground shallower. He knows exactly where it runs and doesnt care.

 

[Turbo]

you are correct in this comment

however a meter can be fitted if the bill is not payed that you owe and once in you wont get rid of it

most of the time when new mains are being fitted they will fit a water meter base where your stop tap is so that one can be fitted and then is capped off

you can request one if you think your water bills are too high, penny pinching idiots come to mind

They are replacing the old steel water main around here with a new plastic one & every property/site is getting its own manhole. I think they are leaving the facility for a meter at all properties. Won't affect us as we are already metered (a farm).

 

[Wozzaaah]

I don’t see the problem here, get a meter, pay for what you use?

What if you think you use an above average amount? Why would you voluntarily pay extra?

 

[reb78]

What if you think you use an above average amount? Why would you voluntarily pay extra?

For the good of humanity and that nice warm feeling.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

What if you think you use an above average amount? Why would you voluntarily pay extra?

Why should you be able to refuse a meter when the majority of the population have to pay per use ?

 

[bricol]

One good thing with a water meter - you can always see when you have got a leak.
One bad thing with a water meter - you can always see when you have a got a leak.

My meter is inside the house - water company send me letters saying I'm responsible after the meter, they are up to it . . . I keep declining their expensive insurance for pipe damage . .

I cannot see a reason to refuse a water meter if you aren't washing a HGV inside and out every day - massive savings to be made if your water useage is average.

 

[not done it yet]

To answer the OP. They can fit one - they are normally not on your property, anyway - but they cannot force you to be charged by its readings - until a new owner takes possession. Simple as that.

It is clear from the OP’s post that it is the actual honest situation. They are giving a choice of whether or not you adopt the meter. Unless you irrigate your lawn/garden regularly or are a high water consumer for other reasons, it id likely a better option to be charged for your actual usage. You can adopt the meter reading charges at any time in the future, should you wish.

The meter belongs to them, it is connected to their supply - so it need not affect your property - snd you cannot stop them fitting it. The water supplier can use it to determine if there are leaks on their system, and where those leaks may be. That they are installing them in one place all at the same time, means they are doing the job most efficiently. Give them a break, just for once!

 

[northwest]

I don’t see the problem here, get a meter, pay for what you use?

We are on the old rural rate so the last thing we want is a water meter, I think annually we pay something like £80

Once went to court over water rates on a piece of land where I had a "workshop" Two very large portacabins together with the joining walls taken out. They wanted a couple hundred pounds a year yet I had absolutely no water or sanitary facilities on site. After quite a bit of to and fro-ing (they were using the old argument of "managing the water runoff") I was calling it an act of God the judge awarded them £1.00 annually.

 

[Wedg1e]

I'm sure I read that if you go for a meter, you can change your mind back to standard billing later, but the meter is left in and any following resident will be charged by the meter readings.
My mate is a water and sewage engineer (not just a s**t engineer ) and he reckons he saves quite a bit by having a meter; however unlike me he doesn't jetwash his drive, wash the company van and a motorcycle or spend ages in the shower...

 

[brightspark]

a few folk i know with water meter use there neighbours outside tap that hasnt a water meter

 

[the artfull-codger]

We live in a village & the rateable value of our property is very high,since changing to metered supply (our choice) our bill has gone right down mind you there's only me and the missus, we have a large veg garden but have about 900 galls of rain water storage, in the North East we will never have a hosepipe ban as we have kielder water supplying us.

 

[Trevorleach]

We paid yes paid to have ours fitted over 20 years ago, saved us a pretty penny since then.

 

[Shox Dr]

a few folk i know with water meter use there neighbours outside tap that hasnt a water meter

We have a meter fitted as soon as we moved in went from £34 to £11 per month. The house needed a rebuild so we used nextdoors water as he wasnt on a meter.

Move on a few yrs, a few mates helped me laid turf, so we used nextdoors outside tap. We're all having a beer when n/door comes home, to tell us he had one fitted awhile back

 

[gaz1]

id rather pay a set fee than a water meter charge if you knew what was coming in you wouldnt want to be on a meter
its what the water companys want but they have to have enough water meters installed at propertys to do it
and you certainly wont want both water main charge and the sewer charge to be payed

dont get me wrong ive hated paying the water fee at 600.00+ for a single person in a one bed
to a 300.00+ for a 3 bed house a bit of an insult

I also hated the comment from the water comment i got charged more due to postcode lottery ( living closer to a city/main town area ) living near a main road and also near to a bus service line
all of these excuses are an insult

id expect the bills to be the other way around


as goes for you lot paying the peanut water charges you lot should be charged 300.00 a year
you have to pay for a sewage charge as well as water service charge even if you was to half the fee between them it would be a fair payment system

I can see why they are doing it but when the new charges come into effect you wont agree

 

[reb78]

What are you on about gaz?!