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My water company has said I cannot have a meter fitted. Is this right?
An amendment to the Water Industry Act 1991 became law on 1 April 2000 and made it possible for all household customers to request a free meter. This includes household tenants who are renting their property on leases that are for longer than six months.
Ofwat requires all companies to fit meters free of charge unless the location or pipework makes it impracticable or unduly expensive for the company to do so. If for instance pipework has to be moved or split to serve your property alone, the company can advise you what needs to be done. Your company may agree to carry out the work but may make charges to do the alterations or ask you to have the work done before it fits a meter.
Sometimes it is just not practicable to fit a meter. If the work involved to separate the pipework is impractical or too costly, such as in a tower block where a header tank serves all the occupants, or where there may be communal laundry facilities, the company has the right to refuse to install a meter. Ofwat is currently reviewing this policy.
Any dispute between a water company and a consumer as to whether it is reasonably practicable to install a meter, or whether fitting a meter would involve the company in incurring unreasonable expense, may be referred by either party to Ofwat for determination under section 144A (4) of the Water Industry Act 1991.
If you cannot have a meter fitted you can ask your company to base your bill on an assessed charge. Some companies calculate an assessed charge based on the number of occupants, some use the type of property (flat/maisonette, semi-detached or detached), some use the number of bedrooms and some on the average household charge. You will need to compare the assessed charge with your current bill to decide if you will save money. Your water company will be able to give you more information.
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