UK Bill Help

Water meters are an option that most families or individuals can turn to in order to save money. They are available from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water for both property owners as well as tenants, and it is the customers right to have one. Meters are installed for free by the company to its over 3 million customers as needed, and the aim is to balance out the monthly cost.

When to get a water meter installed by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

If you do not use a low of water then a meter may benefit you. It will give a more accurate reading of your usage. It does this because the a representative of the company will need to come to the property (whether a flat, home, building, council housing, etc.) to read the meter. You will only need to pay for exactly what you use. There are hundreds of thousands of customers in Wales that use a meter to help them control their costs.

A meter allows the customer more control over their monthly Welsh Water bills. The monthly reading encourages conservation and new and better appliances. As an example, someone who use less water in a shower, who turns it off after brushing their teeth, who does not allow a faucet to run stop can control the amount of water their property uses. The water meter will in effect “reward” the customer for this conservation as when the meter is read that month, the usage will be less and thus a lower bill.

Free water meters are allowed for tenants too by the company. This is required by both UK and Wales laws. There are two different ways to get one. First, if the tenancy agreement is less than 6 months, then the landlord needs to agree to it. They need to put this in writing. However if the tenancy agreement with the property owner is longer than 6 months, then a landlords permission is not usually required. The tenant can speak to their water company as well as property owner about either option. Citizens Advice is also another resource for renters.

Also, if the size of your property is larger in Wales, but maybe there are not that many people that live there, you may be using less water by default. A meter will pick this up. As often water usage correlates to the number of people that live in the home or flat. Therefore the less people that live in a house, the more possible savings from a free water meter.

Other options from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

If the Wales property owner or tenant does not have a water meter installed, then they are charged a fixed rate. This is often based on the size of the home or flat and number of rooms. Some properties in the UK as well as Wales are charged for their water bills based on a Rateable Value. This is a law going back to the 1990s and it is based on what a home or flat could be let for each month. This too can lead to higher monthly water bills as the property more than likely has changed since 1990.

Water savings can also be provided from a tariff. There are less expensive options out there for Dwr Cymru Welsh Water customers or families. This may have the effect of helping the customer save money on their water bills.

How to get free meters or other water savings

It is recommended to call the Dwr Cymru Welsh Water company for applications. Most also have websites that the customer can go to. There will be calculators on the Dwr Cymru websites that show how much money, if any, a free water may save a certain home or customer per month. Also the customer service representative at a water company can discuss tariffs as well. In either case, it is possible to save money each month on water bills. It may be possible to save 10 to 20 %, or up to £80 per year on the average water bill. Ring the Welsh Water company at 0800 052 0145.