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Assessed charges
Your water company can refuse to install a water meter at your property if it is not practical or is too expensive for it to fit one.
If you cannot have a water meter installed, your water company should offer you an assessed charge. This is an alternative to your rateable value charge.
You will not be offered an assessed charge unless you apply for a meter.
Setting assessed charges
Assessed charges are generally based on on of the following:
- the number of bedrooms in your property
- the type of property you live in
- the number of people who live in your property
- the average metered bill in the water company’s area
You may also be offered an assessed charge if your property has been altered substantially. For example, extensive rebuilding work may invalidate your property’s original rateable value.
The way that assessed charges are set varies from company to company. However, each company must treat all of its customers on assessed charges in the same way.
Special circumstances at some water companies
Please note that if you are a customer of:
- Anglian Water, the company will estimate how much water you use and charge you based on the appropriate metered tariff.
- Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water, you will pay the standard metered charge on the expected usage for the number of people living in the property.
- Dŵr Cymru, the company will apply a charge based on the number of people living in the property and an assessment of the expected water usage (normal or low).
- Northumbrian Water, you will be charged a fixed rate based on a usage of 120m3. The company reduces this to 70m3 if you live on your own.
Eight of the companies who do not base their assessed charges on the number of people living in the property offer a separate lower charge for single-person households. Further details about each water company’s assessed charge can be found in its charges scheme.
