Help Needed/Can you solve this??

[JGreen]

Hi!

New member, no knowledge of plumbing, but desperate times and all that... I have a water bill problem and not getting anywhere with it, need to speak to a plumber but I decided to google it first. Here's my situation:

I live in a small flat, me and housemate only, no baths, no garden/hoses, no dishwasher, 2 -3 washing loads a week. Got a massive water bill early this year £600 for 6 month period, couldn't find any evidence of a leak (i.e. turned off water supply and checked gauge on meter was stationary) land lord blamed it on small leak in toilet. Fixed this, paid up.

Now today we have received another bill for 6 month period, £400. Same useage as ever, nothing has changed - leak is definitely not back! Called water company, they said thats roughly twice what we would be expecting. Said to check water gauge with stop tap off. Did this, still no leak.

So I asked the neighbours and turns out the flat above me has had the exact same problem... massive bill, thought his toilets were taking to long to flush, fixed it and paid up. Now he has another massive bill again, and still can't find any evidence of a cause.

Trying to figure out firstly what our problem could be, and whether it could be a bigger problem now I know about my upstairs neighbour! But I'm reluctant to have to pay lots of money for a plumber to come out until I've exhausted all other options.

Would greatly appreciate any help here whatsoever!!

 

[jackso]

Think you need to have a word with the supplier and take note of your readings, obvious theres no leak. I have a terraced house that i rent out which is split into two flats, just got bill this morning for £207 for 12 months!

 

[JGreen]

Thanks for your response. Supplier are just telling me to watch the meter more closely, because if there isn't a leak then as far as they are concerned we have used the water!

 

[jackso]

wouldnt take their word for it buddy, look into their billing and how much they charge per unit etc, the amounts sound ridiculous to me

I live in a 4 bed detached with my missus and two little ones and i,m on a meter, my bill comes to around 250-300 a year

 

[WaterTight]

Fight it!

I know someone who had this same problem and it took one hell of a battle to win. Monitor usage, make lists of showers taken, toilets flushed when and where... note how many digits the metre goes up by. Phone up company, demand to see someone, visit the head office in person. Bring notes, lists.

They will either end up suspecting that there's a fault with the metre or that you're paying for part of some one else's supply or that there's something else at foot but it doesn't matter because they won't insist on getting the bottom of it. If you fight them and demonstrate that your usage bares no relation to the charges they will just give in and give you a set monthly charge regardless of apparent metred usage.

But you have to make lots of noise and mean business. They'd much rather you just shut up and pay.

 

[tamz]

If something were to happen to the meter so it could not be read they would fit a new one

 

[Dannypipe]

What? Like someone accidently smashed the theiving lieing thing to smitherines!! LOL.

 

[tamz]

What? Like someone accidently smashed the theiving lieing thing to smitherines!! LOL.

 

[Resolute]

Before you take drastic action make sure you note usage! Can you isolate your supply? If so, does the meter go up once turned off at all? Is it a new meter? I'm guessing that if your neighbours also have a problem that they are either a dodgy batch or haven't been installed correctly - eitherway it's down to the suppliers to sort out.

 

[GreenArmy]

JGreen, is your meter internal (in your flat) or external (outside)?