If you want your supply to remain connected and you are not on a water meter, there are only exceptional circumstances where you may claim a reduction in your water bill. If you are a metered customer then you will only pay for the water used, unless you have your supply disconnected. Metered standing charges will nevertheless remain applicable regardless of the amount of water used.
Landlords can only request to have their supply disconnected, they cannot claim for a reduction in charges.
Commercial customers can only request to have their supply disconnected, they cannot claim for a reduction in charges.
Unnoccupied properties undergoing renovation cannot claim reduced charges as it is believed that a water supply would be required.
The best option to ensure that you only pay for what you use is to be on a water meter.
If you have a water meter, your water services bill will have the following elements:
Water supply: 1. A fixed 'standing charge' for your water supply. 2. A charge for the amount of water you use.
Wastewater removal services: 3. A standing charge for your wastewater removal by Thames Water or Anglian Water. Three Valleys Water collect the charge on behalf of both companies.
The wastewater removal service for customers living in the North Surrey area is handled by Thames Water.
We aim to read your water meter at six-monthly intervals and your bills will be based on those readings. However, sometimes it might not be possible to read your meter when you are due to be billed. In this case we will estimate your water usage based on your last bill.
If you receive an estimated bill, you are welcome to read your meter and fill out our online meter reading form with the 'actual' reading and we will re-issue your bill.
Customers who have water meters normally receive bills for their water charges every six months. Your standing charges for your water and wastewater services are split between these two bills, and also include the charges for your water use and wastewater removal during the previous six months.
The important thing to check is that the numbers on your bill are a little lower than the numbers on the meter. The dates of water use you are being charged for will be identified on your bill.
Although there are no discount schemes available for those on income support or receiving Job Seekers Allowance, we can set up a charges scheme to help you manage your income, or you can have your charges deducted from your benefits payments and sent to us direct.
If you would like to do this, you will need to contact your local DSS or Benefits Agency office (where you collect your payments) who will arrange it. Please let us know as well, either via e-mail on this site or by telephone or letter. We can also send you an application form that you can pass to your DSS office who will then decide whether or not your water services charges can be deducted automatically.
If you had a water meter installed after 1 April 2000 and you decide you would prefer not to remain on a meter, you have the option to change back to your bills being based on the rateable value of your home but only if:
It is within 12 months of having your meter fitted or, within 30 days of your second metered bill (the transfer bill is not included in this two bill limitation).
You are the person who applied for the meter and still live at the property.
This is the first time you have opted to change back.
You have opted to have a meter. You cannot return to Rateable Value if you have had a meter fitted on change of occupier, i.e. after moving in/into the supply area.
And, the meter remains in place.
If you purchase a property that has a metered supply, or you sell a property with a metered supply, there is no option to change to a non-metered supply.
If you would like to apply to change back please complete the enquiry form and we will send you the appropriate forms.
We need to know. If you have any problems paying your water charges, please contact us as soon as you are aware of them. There are a number of ways in which we might be able to help. Simply telephone us on 0845 769 7985.
Did you know that there are a variety of convenient ways to pay your water bill.
If you have a water meter, it is normally positioned on your supply pipe close to the boundary with public highway. If a leak occurs prior to the water passing through your water meter, then your meter will not register an increase and you will not be charged for this water. However, if a leak occurs after the water meter, this will register an increase and you may in certain circumstances be eligible for a leak allowance.
Identifying leaks:
Apart from the obvious presence of water where it shouldn't be, there are a number of pointers that you can look out for which might indicate that there is a leak on the water pipes supplying your property. One such check you can make is to see if your meter is spinning when no water is being used in your property - If it is, the likelihood is that you have a leak somewhere and should get this checked out as soon as possible.
If you do find there is a leak then please contact us if it is on your external underground pipework, or your own plumber if it is inside. We are always happy to provide initial advice, however we regrettably do not offer a service to locate or repair any form of leak internally. We will always repair leaks on pipes for which we are responsible at our own expense. However, if the leak is on pipes that are your responsibility we may make a charge to cover our costs, or alternatively you can choose to employ private plumbing contractors to make the repair.
Until 31 March 1990 the rateable value of your property was used by local authorities to calculate the general rates payable for each property. The rateable value was set by the Valuation Officer, who is an Executive Officer of the Inland Revenue. It was replaced on 1 April 1990 by the Community Charge, which has now been superseded by the Council Tax. Rateable value has no effect on your council tax.
Further information regarding rateable values can be obtained from your local council.
The alternative to having your charges calculated on your rateable value is to have a meter installed. You may be able to save money by having a water meter installed.
If you have problems paying your bill, there are things that we can do to help so please contact us. We will always try to avoid taking legal action to recover the amount you owe us and you can agree a payment arrangement with us at any time.
Chargeable volume of water - Relates to the usage of water registered through the meter.
Current charge = £0.8752 per cubic metre
Water standing charge - Relates to the size of the meter and covers the cost of reading, billing, maintaining and in due course replacing the meter.
Current charge = £27.00 per annum
Sewerage
Chargeable volume of sewerage- Relates to the usage of water registered through the meter (It is assumed that the volume of ‘water in’ equals the volume of ‘water out’).
Current Thames Water volumetric charge = £0.5193 per cubic metre
Current Anglian Water volumetric charge = £1.3194 pence per cubic metre (Customers only pay sewerage based on 90% of the water going through the meter)
Sewerage standing charge relates to the costs incurred by Thames Water or Anglian Water not attributable to the consumption registered through the meter.
Current Thames Water charge = £45 per annum
Current Anglian Water charge = £72 per annum
Please note that sewerage and surface water drainage charges are collected by Three Valleys Water on behalf of Thames Water and Anglian Water.
You will be charged in one of two ways, Rateable Value or assessed charges. The following is a simple summary of charges relating to the average domestic customer.
For more detailed information please read our full Charges Scheme 2008-09
Rateable Value - Water
The Rateable Value is an assessment of the annual rental value of a property made by the Local Authority for taxation purposes (last updated in 1973). This has since been replaced by the Poll tax and currently Council Tax, but is still used as the basis for water charges in the absence of a water meter.
Annual water standing charge = £35.60 per annum
Annual water charge per £ of Rateable Value:
Former Colne Valley Area = £0.4515
Former Lee Valley Area = £0.5546
Former Rickmansworth Area = £0.4401
Former North Surrey Area = 0.4636
Rateable Value - Sewerage
Thames region non-metered sewerage charges
Charge per £ of Rateable Value:
North London - (Not inner area) Brent = £0.3034
Eastern Area – Barnet, Brentwood, Broxbourne, East Hertfordshire, Enfield, Epping Forest, Haringey, Harlow, Luton, North Hertfordshire, Stevenage, Uttlesford, Welwyn Hatfield = £0.3246
Northern Area – Bracknell, Dacorum, Ealing, Elmbridge, Guildford, Harrow, Hertsmere, Hillingdon, Runnymede, St Albans, Slough, South Bedfordshire, South Buckinghamshire, Surrey Heath, Three Rivers, Watford, Woking, Wycombe = £0.3364
Southern Area – Hounslow, Spelthorne, Windsor and Maidenhead = £0.3977
Western Area – Aylesbury Vale = £0.4625
Annual standing charge for domestic properties with surface water drainage = £34.00
Anglian region non-metered sewerage charges
Charge per £ of rateable value = £0.4526
Annual standing charge for properties with a Rateable Value:
Less than £1,001 = £159.09
£1,001 to £5,000 = £318.18
£5,001 to £50,000 = £795.45
Above £50,000 = £3,181.80
Standing charge for properties with Zero/ no Rateable Value = £216.00
Surface water only drainage charge = £58.50
Assessed charges - Water
Domestic assessed water charges (based on number of occupiers)
Average household charge (3 or more people) = £155.60
1 person (66 cubic metres per annum) = £84.80
2 people (115 cubic metres per annum) = £127.60
Assessed charges - Sewerage
Thames Water Sewerage charges (based on number of bedrooms)
Studio/1 bedroom = £79.00 per annum
2 bedrooms = £85.00 per annum
3 bedrooms = £101.00 per annum
Anglian Water Sewerage charges
Details of Anglian’s scheme can be obtained from Anglian Water on request.
Our target is to respond to 100% of all complaints within 10 working days of receipt. In many instances we are pleased to say that the response will be quicker. However if there is an occasion when we fail to respond within this time, you will automatically be entitled to a payment of £20 under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme.
Your water meter is positioned where the water enters your premises. If a leak occurs before the water passes through your water meter, then your meter will not register an increase. However, if a leak occurs after the water meter, this will register an increase and you will be charged for this water.
Apart from the obvious presence of water where it shouldn't be, there are a number of pointers that you can look out for which might indicate that there is a leak on the water supply pipes to your premises.
If you do find there is a leak then please contact us if it is outside your building or a plumber if it is inside. We are always happy to provide advice in locating a leak. We will always repair leaks on our pipes at our expense. However, for leaks on pipes that are your responsibility, we may make a charge to cover our costs or you may prefer to employ your own plumber to make the repair.
The Water Industry is regulated by a government body called Ofwat (The Office of Water Services). Every five years Ofwat undertakes a Periodic Review of the entire industry by analysing submissions from all water companies detailing their business plans for the next five years. This review results in Ofwat setting parameters for water companies charges.
When setting prices Ofwat take account of:
Our need to develop and upgrade the water treatment processes, past and present, in line with rapidly developing technology.
The electricity bill for the power to pump the water to you.
The constant maintenance and development of the 14,500 kilometres of pipes that bring the water to you.
The costs of the manpower to provide you with a reliable and high quality water supply, all the time.
Demand for water is on the increase, especially in the garden. Using a sprinkler or a hosepipe without a hose gun attachment will use up to 1000 litres of water an hour – that’s as much as an average family will use in two days. While we understand that every family’s needs differ, at Three Valleys Water we believe that metered charges are a fairer way for customers to pay for the water they use.
More than 300,000 customers have a water meter and you too could benefit. Installing a water meter means that you will only be paying for the water you use. For many customers, that means lower metered water bills compared to non-metered charges.
Your metered bill will be affected by the number of people in your home, how often you use appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, baths and garden hosepipes and the general condition of your internal pipe-work. To help you decide whether opting for a meter is the right decision for you, click on Water usage calculator to make an audit of your water use.
Remember, installation is free of charge and if you are not satisfied with the benefits of a water meter, you can revert back to non-metered charges within the first 18 months after installation. Click Information on reverting back to non-metered charges for more details.
We need to know if you use a water softener before the meter is installed so please make sure that you highlight this to us on the application form. Please note that water softeners can malfunction and use excessive amounts of water, so should be inspected and serviced on a regular basis.
If you share a water supply with your neighbour/s, we will need to check to see if it is possible to install a meter to your individual property. It may not be possible to install a water meter at your property if it is considered too impractical or too expensive.
We've devised a simple calculator to help you work out whether changing to a metered supply will reduce your bills. Bear in mind that the calculator is based on average uses of water. Your own individual and household use of water will mean that the figures may vary from the average but it is a good indicator in the majority of cases. To use the calculator click on Water usage calculator.
We only alter water charges strictly in accordance with our operating licence, and in agreement with the Office of Water Services (OFWAT). Please click here to find out more about OFWAT
There are some instances when having a water meter is compulsory. This includes the following groups:
Properties that are receiving a supply for the first time.
Any domestic property where there has been a change of occupier e.g. a new tenant or a new householder.
Any property where a meter is already installed (This excludes customers who opt for a meter and have yet to decide whether to revert back within 18 months).
Any property that has a swimming pool or pond with a capacity greater than 10,000 litres and is designed to be replenished automatically.
Any property that uses a sprinkler, a hosepipe or any other garden watering apparatus that is not held in the hand to use at all times.
Instances where a charge applies instead of a meter
The following do not require a meter, provided you notify us of their use and pay an annual charge. You still have the option to apply for a meter in place of the annual charge if you prefer.
Swimming pools with a capacity of 10,000 litres or more but not designed to be automatically replenished.
A swimming pool or any other kind of leisure pool with a capacity between 1,000 litres and 10,000 litres (A leisure pool is defined as any pool up to 1 metre deep).
Hot tubs, spa baths or any other similar type of bath with a capacity greater than 230 litres.
Please see our Current Schedule of Charges for details of the current charges applicable to your circumstances.
Legislation has recognised the need for water companies to have the power to install meters at properties. Therefore in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991, section 144b/subsection 2b a water meter will be installed where there is a change of occupier.
We are employing these powers to achieve a better balance between supply and demand for water.
If you opt to have a water meter installed and you decide you would prefer not to remain on metered charges, you have the option to change back to non-metered charges provided:
a) you are the person who requested the meter installation and you are still living at the property
b) your request arrives within 18 months of the installation
c) This is the first time you have asked to change back to non-metered charges
d) You accept that the meter will remain in place (even though your charges will change back to non-metered)
Please note that we now install a meter at properties in our supply region whenever a property has changed occupier. If we have installed a meter under these circumstances, there is no option to change back to non-metered charges.
There are some instances where you must have a meter and if this is the case, you will not be able to revert back to non-metered charging. To find out more, click on Are there any instances where you must have a meter
Once we have your application, we will allocate a date for the survey and installation. Your meter should be fitted within 90 days of receiving your application. If we take longer than this, we will make sure that you are not financially penalised for our delay.
We do ask you to clear the area around the pipe on which your water meter is to be installed so that there are no obstructions when the meter fitter arrives to do the job.
