Water

[macliam]

I have received an email from my water company urging me to send them my meter reading. Why?

They have already cut meter readings to nothing, they bill on estimates, they have no wish to embrace smart technology as this would cost them money they'd rather give to shareholders. Instead, they want to outsource this duty to me.......

Given the money they have already robbed from me by selling assets, ramping debt and NOT maintaining or improving a decrepid system, they can sod off.

Renationalise all water companies now!

[Richard Frost]

I have received an email from my water company urging me to send them my meter reading. Why?

They have already cut meter readings to nothing, they bill on estimates, they have no wish to embrace smart technology as this would cost them money they'd rather give to shareholders. Instead, they want to outsource this duty to me.......

Given the money they have already robbed from me by selling assets, ramping debt and NOT maintaining or improving a decrepid system, they can sod off.

Renationalise all water companies now!

Presumably to give you an accurate bill. Without which as you say they will bill you on estimates. Which may then mean you either underpay, therefore building up an amount which will need to be paid in the future, or overpay which will then mean they are hoarding your money.

[macliam]

I have received an email from my water company urging me to send them my meter reading. Why?

They have already cut meter readings to nothing, they bill on estimates, they have no wish to embrace smart technology as this would cost them money they'd rather give to shareholders. Instead, they want to outsource this duty to me.......

Given the money they have already robbed from me by selling assets, ramping debt and NOT maintaining or improving a decrepid system, they can sod off.

Renationalise all water companies now!

Presumably to give you an accurate bill. Without which as you say they will bill you on estimates. Which may then mean you either underpay, therefore building up an amount which will need to be paid in the future, or overpay which will then mean they are hoarding your money.

You are too trusting...... once you start giving your own readings, I'm sure they will stop sending anyone to do them (which they supposedly must now do only every 2 years). It's another little cost-saving that has been slipped in..... how many "metered" offerings only require a bi-annual reading?

I have prior experience with Gas and Electrickery. I arranged for smart meters to be installed almost 2 years ago. The gas one never got fitted as they "didn't have the right parts" and then "didn't have anyone to carry out the installation" (this was Bulb). The electricity one worked for one month and then stopped transmitting and has never been fixed. Ever since I've had to provide monthly readings.... no visits. (Hopefully this will be fixed tomorrow morning !)

[blythburgh]

We were with Bulb and not Octopus. Got a smart meter since the switch and no problems (hopefully).

Water Essex and Suffolk Water. Got a meter but it cost more. Cancelled meter as we were allowed to. Offered 50% discount on water bill if they could use the readings on meter but we would stay on old system. No brainer.

Sewage Anglian Water. Yes 2 standing charges because we have two suppliers.

Social media someone says they have been told we will only get one bill from both companies in future. Then we got the official confirmation but no idea if that means one standing order. Will we have to pay less or will there still be 2 standing orders? I bet the 2 standing orders will be added together and we still pay the same amount.

[macliam]

Engineer arrived today (slightly later than arranged.

Immediately said that Gas smart meter was no problem and he had the kit required. Then saw electricity meter and said he was going to replace it as the transmission hub wasn't working. After 1.5 hours, both meters have been installed, tested and are working.

Shame it took over 18 months of constant complaints to get here!

Oh - and a new in-home display provided as he said the one I had been given was "Carp"

[Sarah]

I couldn't easily read my water meter even if I wanted to. It's down a hole (iirc) and possibly needs tools to access it. I ain't doing that and have never been requested to do so. The supplier can read it themselves without my presence.

Octopus still regularly ask me for gas and electricity meter readings, despite their smart meters successfully recording and sending readings every minute of every day. I don't bother responding and can't remember which buttons I'd need to press on the meters anyway. They eventually send someone to perform the manual readings, who pretty much shrugs at the futility of still doing it.

[macliam]

Remember this?

Well, I ignored their "request" that I read my own meter..... and today a meter reader turned up to do it.

So it was indeed just a way for them to save money by not assigning someone to do it........ and I'm pretty certain that would have been the start of continuous requests.

[jaytee]

Water Essex and Suffolk Water...

Sewage Anglian Water. Yes 2 standing charges because we have two suppliers.

In my experience 2 standing charges - one for water supply and one for sewerage is the norm, unless you have a septic tank for sewerage which is a whole different ball game.

Both my water and sewerage are supplied by South West Water, and my bill shows a daily fixed charge of £44.37 ÷ 366 days for water and a daily fixed charge of £61.49 ÷ 366 days for sewerage.

2 standing charges but only one supplier.