A few weeks ago, we got this through our door:

I immediately wrote to my own water supplier Thames Water telling them we didn’t want a water meter and got no reply.

This morning we got this put through the door with the mail. It says we’re getting a water meter tomorrow.

I just phoned them and they say we HAVE to have a water meter TOMORROW and it’s a government thing.

Having a water meter:

1. Devalues our property.

2. Increases our insurance premiums as we need to cover for burst pipes losing metered water

3. We are paranoid every time we turn on the tap.

4. It’s an excuse to increase water charges and make increases less transparent.

Our house is modern with all water saving devices (6 litre toilet tanks, no tanks in attic/mains pressure/no overflow pipes/always shower rarely use bath etc). but we STILL don’t want a water meter.

Suggestions?

Hey 10110001

i live around the corner from you (dont worry I am harmless LOL but you may want to remove your addy from view!!), and we have not received anything about water meters and we are with the same water company as you. have you checked with your neighbours? do they also have to have the work done?

Legally I am not sure where you stand, but I keep hearing that everyone will eventually be on a meter for water.

Sorry i can't specifically help, but have you paid all of your bills on time? I just dont understand as locally i have not heard of any government intervention regarding meters.

Definitely start with your neighbours, and see what they have been told (not advised!!)

Red

can you also just edit out your address as well.

I'll ask the neighbours and report back.

I pay the water twice yearly so no issues of late payment of bills.

Hi. I've just been through southern water website. I can't find that phone number in any of their ,contact us, numbers or the address either. Have you tried ringing them on one of their other numbers? The main one seems to be 0845 278 0845.

UPDATE:

We had our unwanted water meter fitted and following a solicitor’s consultation here’s the legal position.

When the name of the water utility bill payer changed, the water company is allowed to compulsorily change the supply so it’s charged by reference to volume (metered).

The legislation is Water Industry Act 1999 and there is no legal precedent (yet) when a metered bill payer faces a disproportionately high water bill following the change (meaning greater than the RPI for the previous 12 months) to reclaim his financial losses.

The water company cannot charge you for installing a water meter as it’s inconsistent with The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971.

If you voluntarily opt in for a water meter, you can revert back to fixed-fee water billing within 12 months.

OTHER POINTS

A Water company can also force change to charging by reference to volume if:

1. You have a swimming/recreational pool larger than 4,400 gallons or a any pool that is replenished automatically.

2. You have a sprinkler or unattended garden watering device.

3. You change address

Well 1011, it sounds as if you did everything you could (I am impressed about the solicitor!) , and I hope that even though your meter is unwanted, I hope that it still works out with reasonable water rates for you.

I think eventually as previously stated that we will all have to have a water meter fitted in the future!

Thanks for the update

Red

Even though we are light users (we are Gatwick crew and out much of the time). I fail to see the benefits of having to pay for water via a meter.

We still have to pay a fixed charge for water at £24.57 a quarter plus our current waste water charge (to Thames Water) at £94.95 a year and the metered water bill is on top and charged at £0.76 per cubic meter.

The water meter is a charge increase.

Oh 101 that is not good then is it? I was under the (wrong) impression that water meters were a good thing, in the sense that they could be cheaper. Should have known really that this was not going to be the case.

I guess that when your current rental agreement ends, if you decide to move from the property that you will consider the water meter as a factor, as this is a lot more money, and at time of writing we don't know how much in addition to the fixed charge you will end up paying.

Please keep me informed!

Thank you

Red

Even if we move we cannot avoid a water meter because the company exercises Section 7(2)(b) of the Water Industry Act 1999, and that applies to anyone who buys our property.

Also the burden of liability for the pipe work under the front of the property passes to the consumer as this carries measured chargeable water.

There is no protection for the consumer for burst pipes even if it takes place out in the street.

Having just taken some photographs of our new water meter (covered in styrofoam) under the street (I lifted flap with a large screwdriver), we no longer have a stop cock or emergency shut off device at the metered water point, and it was replaced with this.....

Bloody hell 101, no wonder you were unhappy. It goes from bad to worse. Has said water company offered you insurance against any potential problems that may arise with your pipes? and is there any sort of guarantee or warranty along with this compulsory fitting? I guess not. I am really sad about this, where are the consumer's rights?

Sorry for my assumption that you were renting, and not owning!

red

Im afraid we have no such insurance policy to cover pipes out in the street and we are committed to our current annual home policy. To add metered water losses to our policy increases the premium and we still pay the first £250 policy excess.

The law is definitely not on the consumer's side and obviously designed to bring price increases in water bills.

Im afraid we have no such insurance policy to cover pipes out in the street and we are committed to our current annual home policy. To add metered water losses to our policy increases the premium and we still pay the first £250 policy excess.

 

The law is definitely not on the consumer's side and obviously designed to bring price increases in water bills.

Having a water metre doesn't devalue your house. Everyone will get one eventually and metred customers are effectively subsidising non metres customers presently.

Oh and its not just where a metre is fitted. You are responsible for your supply pipe leaks metres or not. In any case, if your hardly home, your bills will be cheaper.

These AMR meters emit wi-fi radiation which has been linked to various diseased including cancer (by WHO).

We need to be in touch with media about this compulsory metering issue imo.

These AMR meters emit wi-fi radiation which has been linked to various diseased including cancer (by WHO).

Without verifiable, independent peer reviewed reports, this kind of statement is, um, codswallop.

There was similar scare stories about microwave cookers, then mobile phones - All have been since debunked.

Without verifiable, independent peer reviewed reports, this kind of statement is, um, codswallop.

 

There was similar scare stories about microwave cookers, then mobile phones - All have been since debunked.

Nothing was debunked - you are referring to industry founded studies.

There is no doubt in my mind that wi-fi are affecting us in negative way. How do I know that?

Well we are looking at how they affect humans and I have to admit it takes much longer to see effects on people than on bacterias for example but let's not forget that we depend on the bacteria in our body! We know that bacterias have a much lower thresholds and are affected art much lower (thousand times lower) exposure levels.

The bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that comprise your body's microflora actually outnumber your body's cells 10 to 1, and it's now becoming increasingly clear that these tiny organisms play a MAJOR role in your health—both physical and mental.

The impact of our microflora on our brain functions has again been confirmed by UCLA researchers who, in a proof-of-concept study, found that probiotics (beneficial bacteria) indeed altered the brain function in the participants.

So I am asking you to consider that if bacteria have much lower resistance to wi-fi radiation (wifi, smart meters, mobile phones etc) than are we not affected by this as well. Just think about that.

Problem is that you do not feel that it is RF that it's causing your illness because it is associated problem always misdiagnosed by doctors who do not even take RF radiation into consideration hence so many syndromes and unexplained illnesses such as autism early Alzheimer's etc just research it and start connecting the dots this is the only way you can see the whole picture.

stopelectrosmog.weebly(dot)com is a good source of information

stopelectrosmog.weebly(dot)com is a good source of information

Thanks for that website.

I needed a good laugh.

Thanks for that website.

 

I needed a good laugh.

I am glad, however only ignorant would laugh. The amount of over 200 experts, professors, doctors from all around the world can't be wrong. I listen to those because they do not need to please any regulatory body like those payed by the governments or by the industry. I have refused my AMR meter based on medical grounds and requested them that the radiation is harmless to living organisms (including bacteria). This can't be done so far so good. People need to learn how to hold your grounds. That's my advice.

Can we please get back to the issue in hand and assist the OP.

Pete7811 If you wish to discuss the issue you raise further can you please start your own thread on that issue rather than on someone elses thread.

This one was kept quite.

http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf