You contradict what I say and then when questioned about it say you haven't got a clue.
Smart meter ?
- Thread starter jcaan
- Start date
Sponsored Links
By whose edict I wonder?
However, this may be somewhat of a 'special case' - one imagines that there could be issues regarding water supply on a very small island like IoW.
I would judge it has been forced on the water authorities, not by the government, but rather by increasing usage, limited supplies and not enough reservoirs. Almost every summer, there are water supply shortages in various parts of the UK.
Eh?
The only thing about which I "haven't got a clue " is what the suppliers have done to charges for non-commercial customers as their receipts from domestic ones have gradually declined - so, as a secondary consequence, I also don't have a clue as to whether their overall profit has gone up, down or neither in the period during which their profit from domestic customers has declined.
The figures for their 'overall profits' (or losses!) are in the public domain, so you can look for yourself if you so wish - in which case you will "have a clue", even if I don't
Sponsored Links
Indeed - but, despite that, I am not aware of owners of existing properties having been put under any significant pressure to have meters installed. The water companies tend to 'advise' people that installation of a meter 'could' result in their bills reducing, but I've seen nothing even approaching 'pressure'.
Kind Regards, John
I'm aware of millions of existing properties which were put under the greatest amount of pressure possible to have them installed. That pressure being "we're going to put you on a metered supply whether you want it or not". The only way to prevent metering being disconnecting your house from their water supply and sewage system.
Because water is on a totally different level of necessity compared to optional cornflakes, beer, electricity or petrol (etc. etc. etc.), and there's a good case for saying its supply should not be a source of profit, particularly when the water companies won't fix leaks, won't stop polluting rivers and seas, won't stop paying their executives excessive salaries, and won't stop making their companies unviable by borrowing vast sums in order to pay large dividends to shareholders.
That's news to me. In fact, in my case (since I was aware of at least two reasons {as above} why a meter would probably be in my financial interest),I had to put a significant amount of pressure on them to fit a meter ('free of charge'), since my initial request resulted in them saying that they would only do it for an (appreciable) charge
Last edited:
That's not what I'm talking about, or necessarily a suggestion I would argue with - in terms of 'basic water needs'.
It's reasonable that everyone should pay (directly or indirectly) the same for 'basic water needs' - which are essentially dictated by a 'per person' basis, regardless of thee nature, size or value of the property in which they live.
What I don't think is reasonable is that someone who uses vastly more water than represents 'basic water needs'(e.g. by watering their garden constantly, washing vehicles, filling hot tubs {and even swimming pools} etc. etc.) should pay no more than thee ones who are only using the 'basic water needs' amount of water.
Basic food is almost as important as water,and no-one would suggest that one should pay the same for food regardless of how much one buys!
Regarding water meters, the rule of thumb is that if you have fewer people living in your home than bedrooms, you should make savings having a meter fitted - and most areas allow you to trial one before changing over
Installing meters in our region | Help | Thames Water
Learn more about what getting a smart water meter fitted at your property means for you and your water bill, and how they help us find and fix leaks.
www.thameswater.co.uk
Per what I've previously said, that may well be a reasonable 'general rule of thumb', and would probably encompass a substantial proportion of properties, particularly those from which 'the offspring had flown the nest'.
However, the number of bedrooms is far from the only determinant of rateable value, hence the cost of unmetered water. A posh detached house with a significant amount of land in an 'expensive road' could well have a considerably higher rateable value (hence unmetered water charges) than would a much more modest house with the same number of bedrooms 'just around the corner'.
Wot's a 'smart water meter'?Installing meters in our region | Help | Thames Water
Learn more about what getting a smart water meter fitted at your property means for you and your water bill, and how they help us find and fix leaks.
I'm not splittings hairs. It was me, not you, who said that it was probably a reasonable general rule-of-thumb.
I was merely reminding folks that it is a "rule-of-thumb" - i.e. something which should not be relied upon.
As I said, probably more important than the number of occupants and bedrooms is the rateable value of the property. I know plenty of properties of sufficiently high rateable value that appreciable savings would result from having a water meter even if there were more occupants than bedrooms - and your rule-of-thumb would 'miss' those cases.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
