Thames Water meter rip off?

[vladi]

Has anyone else had a water meter fitted in the last couple of years but is not being billed on the actual consumption as measured by the meter.

I ask because after our meter was fitted 18 months ago, we could see the actual meter readings on our online account. This was helpful in terms of monitoring the consumption down to a day to day basis. However after about 6 months, the meter readings were no longer published online.

I recall earlier advice from TW that  we would have a 12 month "trial" period after which we could opt to switch to metered consumption or stay on the rate based on the rateable value of our house. 

As there's only two of us in the house, I reckon our actual consumption is well below the RV based consumption rate so with a bit of cynicism I reckon TW has deliberately discontinued publishing the meter reading.  Had the readings continued to be published, then we could have made an informed decision on whether or not to move to metered billing.
Is anyone else in a similar position?

[ed_pete]

Not in the same position but are you able to access the physical meter to take your own readings ? You could do this as frequently as you wanted to.

I think TW are rolling out smart meters that don’t need to be physically read by them, and perhaps that’s what you have.

I think that TW will only change your monthly direct debit once every 6 months, when you get the official statement.

[Rumbero]

2 hours ago, vladi said:

Has anyone else had a water meter fitted in the last couple of years but is not being billed on the actual consumption as measured by the meter.

I ask because after our meter was fitted 18 months ago, we could see the actual meter readings on our online account. This was helpful in terms of monitoring the consumption down to a day to day basis. However after about 6 months, the meter readings were no longer published online.

I recall earlier advice from TW that  we would have a 12 month "trial" period after which we could opt to switch to metered consumption or stay on the rate based on the rateable value of our house. 

As there's only two of us in the house, I reckon our actual consumption is well below the RV based consumption rate so with a bit of cynicism I reckon TW has deliberately discontinued publishing the meter reading.  Had the readings continued to be published, then we could have made an informed decision on whether or not to move to metered billing.
Is anyone else in a similar position?

I’m in exactly the same position.  They badgered me for ages to have a water meter fitted.  I’d prevaricated simply because it’s so tedious dealing with these people but eventually gave in when the communications became increasingly frequent and aggressive and it was done in March 2023.

I just assumed I’d then be charged on actual consumption but I received an email this morning with details of the latest price increase and it said, “Since your property doesn’t have a water meter, your bill is calculated in advance based on fixed rates rather than water usage”. 

I’m sure they’ve realised I’d be paying much less if they billed me on actual consumption but have not gone out of their way to inform me.  Trawling through their website, for me anyway, is an unutterably tedious chore, but I think I’ll now have to work up the energy over the weekend to pick up the phone on Monday morning and have a word with them.  

[vladi]

@Rumbero Just as I had suspected. The meter is outside under the pavement with an easy access metal cover and so I shall be taking regular readings from now on for about the next 60 days. Then I will have an accurate measure of consumption.

There is a device immediately under the cover connected to the meter which guess sends the data to TW.

[froggy]

If you remember the date when your meter was fitted, the reading on that date would be 0.  So you could review your consumption over a longer period, which would be more meaningful.

As an aside, our meter was initially fitted the wrong way round and therefore gave negative readings which TW couldn't report on our account.  They had to come and refit the meter and readings then appeared daily on our online account.

[Froglander]

10 hours ago, Rumbero said:

I’m in exactly the same position.  They badgered me for ages to have a water meter fitted.  I’d prevaricated simply because it’s so tedious dealing with these people but eventually gave in when the communications became increasingly frequent and aggressive and it was done in March 2023.

I just assumed I’d then be charged on actual consumption but I received an email this morning with details of the latest price increase and it said, “Since your property doesn’t have a water meter, your bill is calculated in advance based on fixed rates rather than water usage”. 

I’m sure they’ve realised I’d be paying much less if they billed me on actual consumption but have not gone out of their way to inform me.  Trawling through their website, for me anyway, is an unutterably tedious chore, but I think I’ll now have to work up the energy over the weekend to pick up the phone on Monday morning and have a word with them.  

They said you didn’t have a meter even though you did? Utterly bizarre.   I also thought that the water company wasn’t allowed to fit a meter unless you asked for one.  

[Penguin68]

10 minutes ago, Froglander said:

  I also thought that the water company wasn’t allowed to fit a meter unless you asked for one.  

No, unlike power meters they can force one on you, whether you want one or not. They did on me, and it's on the stopcock in the pavement outside my house. They can also force you to accept metered charges. 

[Rumbero]

7 minutes ago, Froglander said:

They said you didn’t have a meter even though you did? Utterly bizarre.   I also thought that the water company wasn’t allowed to fit a meter unless you asked for one.  

Exactly that.  From all their communications at the time I just assumed it was something that was going to be done anyway so I just went along with it.  As per Froggy’s suggestion above I just went out to have a look at the readings (for the first time ever!) and it said 000078,231.  That’s for just short of three years.  I’ve no idea how that would translate to an actual bill though.  

[vladi]

2 hours ago, froggy said:

If you remember the date when your meter was fitted, the reading on that date would be 0.  So you could review your consumption over a longer period, which would be more meaningful.

As an aside, our meter was initially fitted the wrong way round and therefore gave negative readings which TW couldn't report on our account.  They had to come and refit the meter and readings then appeared daily on our online account.

I recall that when the meter was installed it it was not set at zero. Presumably it had come from elsewhere or was a recon one. 

 

2 hours ago, Froglander said:

They said you didn’t have a meter even though you did? Utterly bizarre.   I also thought that the water company wasn’t allowed to fit a meter unless you asked for one.  

Same here. I phoned TW today to ask if there was a meter at our property (even though I knew there was) and I was told quite categorically that there was not and that our bill was calculated on RV value
When I asked why we used to get our meter readings shown online in our account, It they could not provide an explanation.

Our RV value according to TW is 547 which equated to a 4-5 bedroom property with a large garden. With just two of us living here then our consumption must be well below the expected volume.

Given the facts, I am totally convinced no that TW have an algorithm that hides the actual meter readings when the actual consumption is below the RV based consumption suggesting they are a bunch of shameless rogues!!

 

[malumbu]

I'm pleased to have gone onto a meter as it has saved us money.  When first fitted we found there was a leak and TW replaced the old lead pipe with plastic (we had to pay the last few metres into the house but some geezer did this at a fair price).

No doubt others have positive experiences too.  

Otherwise I'm no fan of the private utilities but that shouldn't colour our opinions.  

[Sue]

30 minutes ago, malumbu said:

I'm pleased to have gone onto a meter as it has saved us money.  When first fitted we found there was a leak and TW replaced the old lead pipe with plastic (we had to pay the last few metres into the house but some geezer did this at a fair price).

No doubt others have positive experiences too.  

Otherwise I'm no fan of the private utilities but that shouldn't colour our opinions.  

Apart from potentially saving money (which TBF is more likely if there are fewer people living in your home) it is better for the environment to have a  water meter,  as you have an incentive to use less water.

But roll on the re-nationalisation (is that a word?) of the water companies, before our green and pleasant land is covered with raw sewage.

And so that the money from our water bills goes to improve the infrastructure rather than lining the pockets of already rich people.

Vote Green! Ooops sorry, that's another thread.

[froggy]

3 hours ago, Rumbero said:

Exactly that.  From all their communications at the time I just assumed it was something that was going to be done anyway so I just went along with it.  As per Froggy’s suggestion above I just went out to have a look at the readings (for the first time ever!) and it said 000078,231.  That’s for just short of three years.  I’ve no idea how that would translate to an actual bill though.  

That would be 78.231 m3, that is 78,231 liters.  The average water consumption per person in the UK is around 141 liters per day I believe.  So I'd say you're doing very well 👍

Have you tried to report your reading online?

[Rumbero]

43 minutes ago, froggy said:

That would be 78.231 m3, that is 78,231 liters.  The average water consumption per person in the UK is around 141 liters per day I believe.  So I'd say you're doing very well 👍

Have you tried to report your reading online?

Thanks for taking the trouble to do the calculation.  To be honest, it’s never occurred to me to report it online.  I’ll have to look into it.  I’ve just spoken to the ‘helpline’ and, after listening to ten minutes of some, admittedly, not too disagreeable jazz music, eventually got through to the call centre.  After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, during which the operator was clearly reciting from a script, the essential question of why I continue to be billed by the RV method, despite their insistence on fitting a meter three years ago, went unresolved.  At first they couldn’t confirm whether I had a meter at all (not their department) but then agreed that I do have one but that it’s ’inactive’ (despite clearly recording usage as detailed above).

I was told to contact the ‘meter department’ separately on a different number (Mon-Fri only) and was then asked if I wanted to sign up for various ‘pensioner’ benefits, none of which I understood (probably because I am a pensioner) before being asked to provide ‘feedback’, which I politely declined.  Looking forward to listening to some more jazz on Monday morning though.

Edited 1 hour ago by Rumbero
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