Water bills

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Apr 19th, '07, 18:45

I found out how much our water bill is for the year. We are in a one bedroom flat and it's just the two of us.....£614.87.

Last years was £509.72.

Me being the sort to speak his mind, especiely when it involves my money, I phoned them up and told the lady I wanted to make a complaint. I started by saying I think there must be some sort of mistake

Anyway complaint made. I'll give it a month or two and see if anything's been sorted.

So how much are you paying for what size property?

If you look on the service charges page of the book you'll see a bit saying Rateable value of property. Ours is 136 which the lady said was in the middle

IT'S A 1 BED FLAT

This is a bit like council tax banding and was done when Thatcher was in power

Anyway if like me you're pissed of cos SWW know they've got us by the balls ring 'um up and ask to make a complain. It's free phone and might make a differernce

Dynasangel · Post by **Dynasangel** » Apr 19th, '07, 18:59

We are on a water meter and pay by direct debit and are monthly payment is £35 so over the year its £420 which I dont think is bad especially as we are always in credit. We live in a 2 bedroom house and I use lots of water

Maver-Nick · Post by **Maver-Nick** » Apr 19th, '07, 20:22

Dynasangel wrote: I use lots of water

You must drink lots then... 'Cause you certainly don't bathe or shower in it... Stinker...

Jak · Post by **Jak** » Apr 19th, '07, 20:35

Trouble is Devon is probably the most expensive county as far as water is concerned - longest coastline to be maintained. Shocked me when I moved down here from Sussex - twice the price here!

Dynasangel wrote:We are on a water meter and pay by direct debit and are monthly payment is £35 so over the year its £420

That's about what I pay on a water meter too - again that's for 2 people. If you can change over Mike it'd be well worth it .... check out your usage http://www.swwater.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2366.

Banditdave · Post by **Banditdave** » Apr 19th, '07, 20:39

I am on a water meter in a 3 bedroom house and pay £36 by direct debit each month, so we pay about £432 a year, but we are normally in credit.

CvPiper · Post by **CvPiper** » Apr 19th, '07, 20:42

Unlimited water anyone????

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Apr 19th, '07, 20:54

Our worry is that when they've got enough people on meters (they're hoping to get 95% of us on 'um in the next 10 years) they're gonna jack the unit prices right up.

As for the amount of costline maybe they should charge hotels, campsites, b&bs more so that people who come down here on hols and enjoy the beaches are paying to help keep them nice. Yes? No? I don't know?

But £420 is loads better than £614. But then maybe they're trying to price non meter users onto meters so they can put meter prices up.

It's also the principle. SWW say they need to put up bills to do repairs etc yet they had a lot of profit last year. If they had enough left to have a large profit why haven't they done the repairs.

Blimey · Post by **Blimey** » Apr 19th, '07, 21:03

they are trying to get everyone onto meters eventually.

4 of us in a 3 Bed house £40 a month. £480 a year.

Never bath though only shower and thats everyone one at least once a day.

Jak · Post by **Jak** » Apr 19th, '07, 21:23

I'd rather be on a meter coz then at least I'm only paying for what I'm using - after all that's what we do for gas & electric.

As for spreading the cost - well it used to work like that when water was 'national' but then it got privatised and places like Devon lost out.

tony · Post by **tony** » Apr 19th, '07, 21:26

before my meter, my water rates were £68 per month

now its direct debit of £35 per month and well in credit

chris_1127 · Post by **chris_1127** » Apr 19th, '07, 22:12

its definitely a rip off - dont forget we pay for the treatment of hundreds of tonnes of shit from all the grockles in the summer too.
on a meter in our place now - even with 3 big fish tanks (300 gallons all in!!) with weekly water changes and a veg patch to water in the summer its only £20 a month now which is a lot more manageable

Post by **TLS-Moose** » Apr 20th, '07, 00:35

chris_1127 wrote:.............. even with 3 big fish tanks (300 gallons all in!!) with weekly water changes and a veg patch to water in the summer its only £20 a month now which is a lot more manageable

tony wrote:before my meter, my water rates were £68 per month
now its direct debit of £35 per month and well in credit

blimey wrote:they are trying to get everyone onto meters eventually.
4 of us in a 3 Bed house £40 a month. £480 a year.
Never bath though only shower and thats everyone one at least once a day.

Wellwe're obviously doing something wrong ..... we are paying about £60/month at present, but do keep in credit .... 2 boys who seem to spend hours in the shower every morning

, cause the washing machine to be going most of the time

and make us lazy enough to use the dishwasher every day too

along with the wife watering the garden and me/the kids washing the cars

time to check for leaks, me thinks

Mike Daytona600 · Post by **Mike Daytona600** » Apr 20th, '07, 21:08

By the looks of what you guys have been writting we'll end up gritting our teeth and getting a meter (and a brick for the toilet sistern). Thanks for the replys.

greg · Post by **greg** » Apr 20th, '07, 21:16

CvPiper wrote:Unlimited water anyone????

Yes I do have free unlimited water and have for the last 15 years. A borehole is the answer, I didn't even know what it cost for water till I read this thread, and no you can't come round to wash your bikes/cars nor fill up water bottles. And you definitely can't have a bath or a shower.

Jak · Post by **Jak** » Apr 20th, '07, 21:23

Mike Daytona600 wrote:and a brick for the toilet sistern

Actually - the brick for the toilet isn't so silly as it sounds. For anyone with a water meter - have you got a hippo bag? Well worth getting if you've got an older loo, cuts down the amount of water used to flush.