Household Bills
Water Meters: When One Could Lower Your Bill and When It May Not
An unmetered water bill is based on your home’s rateable value; a metered bill on what you use. A meter tends to suit fewer people in a bigger home and may cost a busy household more. In England and Wales it is fitted free if you ask, and you can usually switch back within a set period.
- Free to fit in England and Wales
- Often suits fewer people than bedrooms
- Usually a window to switch back
Keeps the water company, the amount and the bill with your other household costs.
Your water
- Charging
- Metered or unmetered
- Water company
- From your postcode
- Bill
- On record
Example. Your own details appear once you add them.
Metered or unmetered
Unmetered
- Based on
- The home’s rateable value
- Changes with use
- No
Metered
- Based on
- The water you use, plus a standing charge
- Changes with use
- Yes
England and Wales. Your water company’s charges set the actual rates.
The full guide
In England and Wales a home without a water meter pays a set charge based on the property’s rateable value, however much water is used. A metered home pays for the water it actually uses, plus a standing charge. A meter tends to suit fewer people in a larger home; a busy household in a small home may pay more.
Metered or unmetered
| Fact | Unmetered | Metered |
|---|---|---|
| Based on | The home’s rateable value, set long ago | The water you use, plus a standing charge |
| Changes when you use less | No | Yes |
| Suits | Larger households in smaller homes | Fewer people, or homes with more bedrooms than people |
A rule of thumb
The Consumer Council for Water suggests that if your home has as many or more bedrooms than people, a meter could lower your bill. It also publishes a calculator: put in your household and see an estimate for your water company. It is an estimate, not a promise.
How to get a meter
- Ask your water company. In England and Wales it fits a meter free of charge if it can.
- If a meter cannot be fitted, the company may offer an assessed charge instead, based on your household.
- Some areas are moving every home to meters, so the choice may already be made.
Switching back
If you ask for a meter and your bill goes up, you can usually switch back to unmetered charges within a set period, typically 12 months from fitting; your water company’s terms give the exact window. A home that already had a meter when you moved in usually stays metered.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Scotland most homes pay water and sewerage charges with council tax, by band. In Northern Ireland homes do not pay a separate water charge.
When you move
Tell the water company for both homes the date you move, and take a meter reading on the day if there is a meter. Moving Home starts from the new postcode and shows which company most likely supplies water there.
How Wisemium helps
Add your water bill to Wisemium and it keeps the company, the amount and the bill with your other household costs, so a change after a meter is fitted is plain to see. Wisemium does not fit meters or estimate your usage; your water company does.
Keeps the water company, the amount and the bill with your other household costs.
Common questions
Will a water meter save me money?
It may or may not. It tends to help where there are fewer people than bedrooms. The Consumer Council for Water’s calculator gives an estimate for your household.
Is a water meter free?
In England and Wales, water companies fit a meter free when you ask, if it is practical to fit one.
Can I go back to unmetered charges?
Usually within a set period after the meter is fitted, often 12 months. Your water company’s terms say exactly.
Useful to someone you know?