Thames Water says it wants to suit a ‘sensible’ water meter: Is it a rip-off?

I’ve acquired two letters which look like from Thames Water. 

The letters declare that Thames Water has some type of proper to enter my dwelling to put in a sensible water meter. 

I’ve heard of sensible electrical energy meters, however not sensible water meters, so I’m questioning if it is a rip-off. Can you advise? D.W, London

Helen Crane, This is Money’s shopper champion, replies: Thank you for getting in contact. The very first thing I need to say is that you’re completely proper to be vigilant.

Scammers and would-be criminals are seemingly getting higher at spoofing actual firms daily. 

Just final week, I wrote a few girl who handed over a £500 tv she was returning to a very convincing impostor of a supply driver – earlier than the true one turned up half an hour later. 

And Lloyds Bank has not too long ago warned that extra folks than ever earlier than had been tricked into shopping for pretend live performance tickets, holidays and even automobiles this 12 months. 

So when one thing does not really feel fairly proper, it by no means hurts to check the water. 

A great way to do that is to contact the agency in query straight – ensuring to make use of the telephone quantity from its official web site moderately than one from a probably suspect letter or e mail. 

But in fact, that could be simpler mentioned than accomplished given the gargantuan name ready occasions at some companies.  

In your case, you dropped me a line to see if I might assist.  

Having spoken to Thames Water and proven it the letter, I can affirm that it’s real. 

But sensible water meters aren’t all that extensively recognized so I can see why you handled this with warning.

Below, I define what sensible water meters are, what powers companies must forcibly match them, and the way they may have an effect on folks’s payments. 

What is a great water meter? 

Similar to electrical energy sensible meters, they depend on wi-fi know-how to transmit common readings exhibiting a buyer’s water utilization to their provider. 

This means they don’t have to ship an individual out to learn the meter – this, in flip, ought to save the water agency cash.

Water companies say becoming them additionally helps to scale back the water utilized by households in areas the place provide is scarce, or could be scarce in future. 

Having them additionally permits the provider to establish and repair leaks faster. 

The Thames Water area was designated an space of ‘extreme water stress’ by the Government in 2007, and in 2012 the agency was given the facility to make it obligatory for his or her prospects have meters fitted. 

It is in a position to do that below provisions within the Water Industry Act 1991.

A spokesman from Thames Water mentioned: ‘The South East is a water harassed area and we have to act now to guard our future assets. 

‘We have authorized powers to suit water meters in any respect properties in our area.’

You had been advised within the letter {that a} meter could not be fitted outdoors your property, so it must be indoors.

You had been fearful about somebody forcing entry into your property to suit a meter, given the scandal that erupted with electrical energy companies breaking into prospects’ properties to put in pre-payment meters earlier this 12 months. 

The second letter of the 2 did additionally use some pretty heavy-handed language, calling itself a ‘ultimate reminder’ and mentioned you wanted to make an appointment inside 14 days.

The letter additionally harassed that Thames Water had the ‘authorized authority’ to suit a meter in your house. But Thames Water reassured me that this might not be the case. It mentioned: 

‘We can even solely enter a buyer’s property if we have booked an appointment with them and have permission to enter their dwelling. 

‘We will proceed to put in writing to prospects to advise them of our sensible meter rollout.’

Will it make my water payments cheaper? 

Water companies argue that the meters are fairer, as folks solely pay for the water they use moderately than being billed based mostly on estimates. 

Thames Water advised me: ‘Smart meters are the fairest possibility for purchasers, as folks solely pay for the water they use. 

‘Our knowledge exhibits that on common metered prospects have a tendency to make use of 12 per cent much less water.’

Households and not using a water meter – sensible or in any other case – pay estimated payments based mostly on the rateable worth of a property as calculated not less than 30 years in the past. 

It could not work out cheaper to have a sensible water meter, particularly for big households residing in smaller properties who most likely use greater than their estimate suggests. 

But for many who are cautious with their utilization, it might lower payments considerably. 

Customers will not be charged on a metered account till one 12 months after their meter has been activated, until they select to change sooner.

This means they’ll get used to the meter and their payments will not change right away. 

Thames Water added: ‘We’ll write to prospects to allow them to know the date we have activated their meter, after which begin sending comparability letters at 3, 6 and 10 months, exhibiting what they may pay on their sensible meter, in comparison with their present invoice.’

> Water payments set to soar by as much as 44 per cent by 2030: See how a lot additional your water agency desires to cost 

What if I refuse a sensible water meter?  

As with electrical energy sensible meters, some prospects might be uncomfortable with digitally sharing knowledge about their water use with their provider. 

The roll-out of electrical sensible meters additionally exhibits that they are often unreliable – and in that case the price of becoming them in so many properties additionally added to prospects’ payments. 

Those that do not need a sensible water meter might find yourself with increased payments. 

If a buyer doesn’t e book a sensible meter set up appointment, Thames Water will transfer them onto its ‘no entry tariff’.

The no entry cost is a set annual cost, which can be greater than what a buyer would usually pay.

For 2023/24 it’s billed at £764.04 every year. According to Water UK, the common family water invoice in England and Wales is round £448 a 12 months.

I hope this helps to clear the muddy waters.