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Help please - splitting a metered water bill between two properties

ME14addickME14addick
edited November 2011 in Not Sports Related
I live in a semi-detached rented property which has one water meter to both properties.  Our landlord is billed for the two properties as if they were one and then splits the bill between the two properties.  We know we use more water than the lady next door and are happy to pay our share, but as it is metered we don't know what that is.  Does anyone know if it is legal to split a metered water bill in half.  After all you wouldn't split an electricity or gas bill. The landlord refuses to have another meter installed (due to cost) so that we can be responsible for our own bills.

Comments

  • ValiantphilValiantphil
    Fit your own, (inside the property) as near to the first usage point as you can get.

    Then remove it when you leave.
  • eaststandmikeeaststandmike

    It sounds like you are part of a couple and "the lady next door" suggests she lives on her own.

    Why not split it two thirds for you and one third for the lady and pay the landlord.

  • CAFC, We hate PalaceCAFC, We hate Palace
    Or do a trial when either house is on holiday - take a reading before and after you go so you know what one house uses in a week.

    In theory you could cut down your usage in this week, but that would be a bit pathetic.
  • ME14addickME14addick
    We are a couple and are happy to do that but it is the principle involved, we think that if the supply is metered we should pay for exactly what we use, no more and no less.  We've been paying two thirds for 4 years now and feel it is wrong - we wouldn't be expected to split any other type of bill and think that water is the same.  
  • Robbo on the wingRobbo on the wing

    At the moment you are being billed for one supply (66%) of.

    If you went down the route of having two seperate supplies, then your fixed charges would be far greater than 66% of a metered one.

    If that makes sense?

  • LargeAddickLargeAddick

    confused. One semi deatched house converted into two flats or two semi detached houses? If two semi detached houses why only one meter, surely both houses should have a meter each?

  • ME14addickME14addick
    My belief too - it is a semi-detached bungalow with one water supply to one meter then split into the two halves.  I just need to know whether I am right to tell the agent/landlord that legally we should have a meter each.  I'm not worried about two standing charges, just want to be billed for what I use.
  • WilmaWilma

    See here:

    http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/mediacentre/leaflets/prs_lft_101117meters.pdf

    What happens if I live in a flat and I cannot have a meter?


    We have encouraged the companies we regulate to offer a common billing
    arrangement for customers in blocks of flats where shared water supplies mean
    that it is not possible for occupants to have individual meters.


    In such cases, the company will install a single meter to measure all water
    supplied to the block of flats. This arrangement would involve the landlord and all
    tenants agreeing that the company can raise a single bill for the supply to the
    block. They would also agree that a single person or organisation (for example, a
    landlord or management company) would take responsibility and recover charges
    from the tenants.

  • RizzoRizzo
    My belief too - it is a semi-detached bungalow with one water supply to one meter then split into the two halves.  I just need to know whether I am right to tell the agent/landlord that legally we should have a meter each.  I'm not worried about two standing charges, just want to be billed for what I use.
    Sorry but that's insane. You're probably paying roughly the right amount already but you want everyone to pay more just so you can get the amount exactly right?
  • ME14addickME14addick
    Actually I think we're paying less than we should.  I want to be responsible for our own bills and not to have to guess each time.
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  • Vinnie V.Vinnie V.
    Actually I think we're paying less than we should.  I want to be responsible for our own bills and not to have to guess each time.
    But at the moment you are paying 2/3s of the fixed charges If you have 2 meters (2 supplies) You will pay 100% of the fixed charges and the Lady nextdoor will pay another fixed charge at 100% You will in fact be forcing her to pay more than she already is. I would keep it the way it is.
  • LoOkOuTLoOkOuT
    There's an easy formula for solving this:

    40 + 40 x 0 + 1
  • Oggy RedOggy Red
    Vinnie has got a point - you're not only going to increase your bill, you're going to increase her's too.
    Why would you want to do that?

    There's only one winner - it's not you, it's not the lady next door ......it's the Water company!


    If the lady next door is happy with what she pays, then I can't see there is a problem - unless you make one.
    As the Americans say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
  • guinnessaddickguinnessaddick
    Share a bath with the wife or the old girl next door and pay half the bill.
  • golfaddickgolfaddick

    Move to a property without  metered water.

     

    *simples*

  • ChizzChizz
    Did you ever resolve this @ME14addick?
  • ME14addickME14addick
    Chizz said:
    Did you ever resolve this @ME14addick?
    The landlord arranged for separate water meters for each property, though we no longer live there.
  • Covered EndCovered End
    Baldybonce said:
    I thought it was going to be Damo and the Patels.
    Blimey it's been made into a Netflix series already.
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  • ME14addickME14addick
    I had forgotten I ever asked the question in the first place!
  • Manic_maniaManic_mania
    Baldybonce said:
    I thought it was going to be Damo and the Patels.
    and we thought Avengers was the boldest cross over in movie history...
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