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It's that time of the year again

Grey Goo

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 11:41AM

When this years bill demands start arriving. Just had Thames Waters latest offering. Bill gone up by 7.5%. To meter or not to meter that is the question, always seem to be a large proportion of leaking meter installations around here.

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buteman

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 1:28PM

I could save 50% by having a water meter and applied for one.

Chap came to fit it and said he had to go get a drill.

What do you need a drill for I said.

He had to drill a hole in my wall beside the door and fit a grey box to the wall about eye level and connect a cable to the water pipe that comes into the house. Probably only a small box to so that they could take the readings but a bit of an eyesore I would have thought.

No thanks I said I will do without it.

So still paying full price and there is only 2 of us in the house.

I was expecting them to put a water meter outside the house and not in it.

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canarieslover

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 1:58PM

buteman The small box is so that the meter reader can access it even when there is nobody at home. The only problem with that is that vandals can also access and destroy it as has happened to several people that I know.

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ordep

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 3:42PM

I've had two tax rebates this week amounting to over £900! Sorry about that!

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Grey Goo

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 5:35PM

buteman You may have a shared stopcock in the road so they need to meter just your usage. Otherwise the reading is taken in the pavement,or they want to fit a smart meter and scan your house as they flash past.

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Aitchbee

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 6:23PM

My friend's rent, went up by 6.3%, he was only expecting a 3% rise.(kicks in from 28th March)

His pay (council worker) has been frozen.

In Scotland the Water Charge is included in the Council Tax, and works out about 1/4 to 1/3 of the Council Tax.

Personally speaking, I pay about 80 pence per day for water. (Glasgow)

I would rate my usage as very low. ( a bath once a year ;o] )

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buteman

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Posted February 25, 2012 at 6:38PM

Yes he was going to join something on to the water supply that comes in the house then run something to a box about 5 ft up the wall of my house.

I was not that confident in what he was about to do.

He had a pair of adjustable grasps in his hand as though he was going to switch of the water a the stop tap and cut the pipe.

I knew that the stop tap did not shut properly so was waiting to get flooded.Then when he went for the drill and that is when I said stop no wantie go away.

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Forum Editor

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Posted February 26, 2012 at 12:29PM

buteman

In my area (Thames Water) the meters are fitted under a small cover in the street - outside the property boundary. No drilling is involved - the meter replaces the old stopcock between the water company's main and the domestic supply pipe.

There are meters that can be fitted inside the house, but the disadvantage to those is that the supplier must enter your property to take a reading. With the pavement meters that doesn't apply - a reading can be taken without anyone having to cross your boundary. Thames Water takes a reading once every two years or so - the householder can do regular readings and enter them online.

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exprog

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Posted February 26, 2012 at 12:51PM

I had a meter fitted about 18 months ago. This was installed in the house, just after the house stopcock, inside a cupboard. We have never had anyone in to read this meter, so I assume this is a smart meter and done remotely.

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buteman

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Posted February 26, 2012 at 2:42PM

Forum Editor

Most of them are the same way as yours here as well and that is what I was expecting.

To expensive to do it that way any more he said.

Could have saved him a journey if they had told me that at first.

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