If your property is supplied via communal or shared services, we may be unable to provide a water meter. In the case of multi-occupancy premises, such as a block of flats where separate meters cannot be installed sensibly, we will install a single meter producing a single bill if an individual or company accepts responsibility for payment.
Metering terms and conditions
If you switch to a meter, the following terms and conditions apply:
If your property was built before 1966, incoming metal water pipes may be used as an earth for electrical systems. Fitting a water meter to your supply may mean that this system will no longer work. If you are in doubt about how your property is earthed contact a qualified electrician for advice. If work needs to be done, you will have to pay for it and may wish to consider this when deciding on whether to apply for a meter.
We will automatically stop charging you on an unmetered (rateable value) basis from the date your meter is fitted. If you owe us any outstanding unmetered charges, we will send you a final unmetered bill or reset your payment arrangement. Any money we owe you will be refunded to you when your new metered bill is set up. Your existing payment arrangement, such as Direct Debit, will be transferred to your new metered account. The payments will be adjusted to reflect your estimated bill.
Your meter will be fitted for free provided it is practical to fit one and the cost of fitting will not be unreasonable. When we fit your meter, your water supply may be turned off for a bit. We aim to fit your meter within 30 working days of receiving your application. If we don’t manage this, and it is our fault, you'll receive free services from day 30 until the new meter is fitted. We’ll amend the charges when we set up your new metered bill.
If your meter can only be fitted inside your property any work to make the internal stop tap or pipework accessible will be the responsibility of the occupier or landlord to carry out. Our surveyor will advise what needs to be done.
If we cannot fit a meter, we may be able to offer an alternative called an assessed charge. This is an annual charge based on the number of people in your home. An assessed charge can only be applied if it is too expensive or physically impossible to fit a meter. Assessed charges will apply from the survey date.
If you are a household customer who has requested to have a meter fitted, you may want to go back to paying unmetered charges.
You can go back to unmetered charges at any time during the first two years of having a meter with the cut-off date being 30 days following the bill at the end of your second year. To qualify for the Money Back Guarantee you must keep your meter for the full two years and then ask to switch back. If you choose to return to unmetered charging before that point, you'll have to pay for water and sewerage services used up to that date.
You will not be able to switch back to unmetered charges if:
- you have had a meter for more than two years,
- you have opted for a meter twice at the same address, or
- you have had a meter fitted through our change of occupier initiative.
If you would like to switch back to unmetered charges please complete our form or call us on 01225 528222.
When we fit your meter we check for leaks. If we find one on your service pipe, we'll repair it free of charge as stated in our leakage policy. It's a good idea to check your meter readings regularly for unusually high water use. Water in the meter chamber doesn't necessarily mean there is a leak - the chamber allows rainwater and water in the soil to get in.
The meter is manufactured and tested to European and International Standard EN ISO 4064 (2014). If you think the meter isn't recording accurately, you can ask us to test it. If the meter is recording accurately, you'll be liable for the cost of the test which will be no more than £70 plus VAT. That's a total of £84. If we find a fault and this has affected your readings, we'll revise your bills based on your normal usage level.
Your metered bill will be made up of a standing charge and a volumetric charge for your water and wastewater services. The standing charge is a fixed annual fee for our services, and the volumetric charge is based on how much water you use.
To work out what this would mean for your bill, see Our charges.
Please note, the standing charges for metered and unmetered customers are different. This is because water and sewerage service charges are included in the standing charges for metered customers, whereas they are included in the Rateable Value unit rate paid for unmetered customers.
We understand that some customers are unsure whether a meter will save them money, so we offer a Money Back Guarantee. This is our promise that if you don't save money after two years with a meter, you can revert back as if you had never switched and we will credit your account with any overpayments.
You can switch back at any time during the first two years with the cut-off date being 30 days following the bill at the end of your second year. To qualify for the Money Back Guarantee you must keep your meter for the full two years and then ask to revert.
This option won't be available after you've been billed for two years on metered charges. If you do go back to unmetered charging, you'll have to pay for water and sewerage services used up to that date. We won't normally remove the meter.
If you choose to go back on a meter for a second time at the same address you will not be covered by our Money Back Guarantee and you will not be able to switch back to unmetered charges.
The meter remains our property and we are responsible for its maintenance, repair and eventual replacement. If you damage the meter or any device connected to it, such as remote reading equipment, you will have to pay the repair or replacement costs. Tampering with the meter is a criminal offence.
We will read your meter every six months if you are a household customer provided we can gain access to it. If we send you an estimated bill, you can submit an actual meter reading online. If you have a meter we recommend you check it regularly.
Your metered sewerage bill is based on 95% of the water you use returning to the sewer. The 5% allowance covers all household use, eg, drinking, cooking, watering the garden and washing the car as well as taking into account wet and dry years. If you think that considerably less than 95% of the water you use returns to the sewer, you can apply to have your charges reduced. To apply email customer.services@wessexwater.co.uk with a completed non return to sewer claim form and reference number.
You may be on the border of our area and receive your water supply from us and sewerage services from another provider. If so, we'll forward details of your water use to the other company so your sewerage charges can be billed in relation to the volume of water on the meter.
If your property shares pipework with others we may need to do some work to ensure we fit the meter where it will measure your water use only and where we can read it. We may need to install a device that allows us to read the meter remotely. When it's impossible to put the meter outside, we may have to fit it inside your property. If so, we'll normally need access to read the meter twice a year unless we can fit a remote reading device. Where we can't gain access to read a meter, we may have to go back to charging on an unmetered basis. In some cases it may be too expensive or physically impossible to fit a meter. If so, we may offer you another way of charging - see assessed charge above.
Your property will need to have a meter if you:
- use a hands-free device (such as a sprinkler or automatic irrigation system) in your garden
- automatically replenish a pond
- have a swimming pool with a capacity greater than 10,000 litres.
If any of the above apply to your property, please apply for a water meter.
If you're a tenant and want a water meter, we suggest you contact your landlord before applying. If you have a fixed term tenancy of less than six months, you can't request a meter without your landlord's approval. You will need to send us copies of your landlord's written permission and tenancy agreement. Other types of tenancy may not need approval.