Hello
My tenant has just had a water meter installed. I think it’s a good thing, it may reduce his bills. But shouldn’t he have asked me first?
What does your contract say ?
It is a good thing . It will keep the bills down unless it’s a shared supply then it’s a whole new problem
Sometimes you have no choice, thames water did mine at home without asking, either.
I have one at home ,all my surface water drains into the land, (thru large holding tanks for garden use) not the sewers If on rateable value it would be 4 times greater . I like them…
That’s not to do with the meter, though, surely? The meter measures the clean water going in not the sewage going out.
Have you checked your water bill ? They are in 3 parts 1 Water in 2 Water out . ( as sewage or waste water) 3 Water that falls on the surface area of your property as rain and goes into the sewage system. I have lived in 3 places where in one home I had a septic tank so only paid for water in. Very cheap and two where the rain water discharged into my own land. so paid roughly a third less
This is true, although in my area there are not separate sewage and surface water drains. It is possible under Thames Water to apply for a rebate for either surface water or wastewater if you’re not using their drainage services, but I think that’s unrelated to having a meter fitted.
We bought our house 11 years ago and Thames Water were supposed to fit a meter then.
Our mains isolator in the pavement failed and they didn’t do it then.
Got a letter over a year ago saying they would be round to fit one - still waiting
Not sure I want one with 4 adults in the house
only 2 in our house So a meter good for me and having storage tanks for the car washing and garden watering I am on a winner. If it were on the house rateable value , I would be on a loser
in our road its the same thing, everyone’s isolator was in the road so they fitted the meters there on public land and said they didn’t need to get our approval! fitted 2 years ago now but never switched on! and you wonder why they are going bankrupt
he tenant doesnt have to ask unless youve made it a condition of the tenancy.
They don’t use the data because it would lower their revenue , and therefore their profits
Utilities that your tenant pays for are theirs to vary the contract terms and choice of suppliers. So, if they choose to have a water meter, that is their prerogative.
Beware, if a tenant is forced or chooses to have a pre-payment electricity meter, the utility company will charge the next tenant or the landlord to have it returned to its original format if so desired. Ensure you check the cost on their vacation and charge them accordingly or deduct from their bond.
Sewerage is calculated as a percentage of your incoming water use.
This is true in the case of other utilities, where you might want to switch away from prepay. But once a water meter is installed, the law seems to allow the water company to refuse to uninstall it for new occupants, and to refuse to return to an unmetered tariff. So once it is there you are probably stuck with it.
In Bristol when there’s a change of tenancy Wessex/ Bristol water automatically install a water meter ( if it’s feasible to install in the pavement ) and it’s not a shared supply and I don’t think they need approval from the tenants or the landlord .
Once it’s installed it can’t be reversed to a normal meter
I knew about 1 and 2 but not about 3. How do they calculate that? Doesn’t rain water falling on your land get absorbed in the soil and not go into the sewage?
On older properties of which I have a few the run off the roof goes into the sewers , even if it travels across the pavement first . Some later properties may have a dual system, so foul goes to sewer and rainwater to nearby ditch , more common on estates on edge of town . On bigger plots ,such as my house Waste into the sewer or septic tank , rainwater into a soakaway, ditch or small river. Thus less water rates. They calculate the surface area of your roof/ yard etc . and charge accordingly if the surface water is going into their system. It will be on your bill.
Thanks for the clarification!
Absolutely he should have asked your permission after all it is your property. Clearly though he’s diligent with his money.