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Opting for a water meter In 2007-08, the proportion of metered households is forecast to be 33%. There are now five companies that have more than 50% metered household customers, these are Anglian, South West, Cambridge, Folkestone & Dover and Tendring Hundred. Where a customer chooses to have a meter installed their water and sewerage bill will be based on the volume of water consumed, plus a standing charge. Details of measured charges can be found in companies' charges schemes, which are approved by us. Who can opt for a meter? From 1 April 2000, household customers have been able to choose to have a water meter installed free of installation charge under the Water Industry Act 1999 Before April 2000 some companies charged customers who chose to have a meter installed. Free meters can now be fitted in any domestic property. Tenants, as well as homeowners, can take advantage of this provision, unless their tenancy agreement is for less than six months. In some cases, however, tenants will need their landlord's consent in order to have a meter fitted internally, for example where alterations to plumbing are required. Some companies provide free optional meters to non-domestic customers who wish to move from unmeasured to measured charging. Other companies will charge for this. However, companies generally require all non-domestic properties to be metered and if this is the case, they may not charge a business customer for installing the meter on a compulsory basis. Non-domestic customers should contact their company to find out the current policy. Can I be refused a meter? Companies can refuse to install a meter where it is not practicable or is unreasonably expensive to fit one. Any disputes about this are settled by us. Will I benefit from opting for a meter? Water and sewerage companies will provide advice to customers on whether or not they might benefit from the installation of a meter. Many companies have leaflets/websites which provide this information. Some include a 'ready reckoner' which will calculate an approximate annual water usage and the metered charge for this amount, and compare this figure with the current unmeasured bill. Customers who consume low volumes of water and/or have high rateable values may find that they have lower water and sewerage bills as a result of paying on a measured basis. Where will the meter be put? The choice of meter location is a matter for the companies and may be internal or external to the property. Customers can be offered a choice of meter location if they are prepared to meet any additional costs over and above the reasonable expenses of installing a meter in the companies' preferred location. Installing a meter is free provided that the costs are reasonable. Reasonable expenses include provision of the meter; its installation; reinstatement costs (putting the property back to a reasonable condition); and, for internal meters, the cost of an outreader – where the company considers this to be necessary. An outreader allows the company to read the meter without entering the property. Can I return to an unmeasured charge, if a measured supply costs me more? Customers who choose to have a meter fitted and then find that they would prefer to pay on unmeasured basis can choose to revert to their original method of charging. There is a time limit within which customers can revert to an unmeasured charge. The time limit is within 12 months of meter installation. Customers will, however, have the opportunity to establish how their measured bill compares to the unmeasured bill before a decision has to be made. How quickly will the company fit a meter? Companies are required to specify in their charges schemes the timescale within which meters will be fitted. We consider that meters should be installed within three months of a customer's application. Where companies cannot meet the deadline for installation they should make provisions to ensure customers are no worse off, by allowing customers to pay bills that better reflect the charges customers might have paid had they been metered. Most companies will backdate metered charges to the date on which the meter should have been installed. What is our approach to disputes about meters? We have not set a limit on the reasonable cost of installing a meter. However we have set out the types of expenses that are reasonable and those that are unreasonable. Unreasonable expenses include:
Companies are encouraged to offer single meter agreements to blocks of flats and other properties in multiple occupation where it is not possible to install meters for individual customers. In some circumstances, where the costs are not unreasonable, companies may install meters in individual flats. Where the total costs of installing meters are judged to be unreasonable, customers cannot switch to meters unless they have the necessary work carried out at their own expense to enable the meter installation. The installation would then be carried out free of charge. If a company is unable to fit a meter how will I be charged? If it is unreasonably expensive or impracticable to install a meter (and a single shared meter is not feasible) companies should offer an 'assessed charge'. Assessed charges should be a better reflection of customers' consumption than their unmeasured charges. Companies use a number of different bases for determining assessed charges, for example:
Can a company insist that I pay by meter? Companies can install meters in properties, but cannot insist that the existing householder pays by volume, except in certain specified circumstances which are set out in the legislation. For instance, where a householder:
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs makes decisions about whether or not an area is 'an area of water scarcity'. Folkestone and Dover Water is currently the only water company to have been granted Water Scarce Area status. This allows the company to meter its remaining unmetered household customers compulsorily. By 2015, it estimates that 90% of its household customers will have water meters. In the past, some companies fitted meters to properties that had been altered or extended. Companies can no longer impose a meter on a customer in these circumstances. Some companies may, however, charge customers in altered properties, on the basis of a notional rateable value or an assessed charge. Water companies may install meters in properties when there is a change of occupancy, and charge the new occupier according to that meter. Most companies install meters in new properties. The new occupier, in both circumstances, will be charged on the basis of usage without the option to move to an unmeasured supply. Are there any circumstances in which metered customers may get help with paying their bills? The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued Regulations that allow some metered customers to pay the average household bill instead of their measured charges. This applies to metered customers who receive specified benefits and:
Customers who consider they could be eligible to pay on this basis should contact their water company for application details. June 2000 Revised June 2007  |
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