Understanding how your bills are calculated might seem boring, but it’s important so you can spot any potential billing errors and stick to your budget. We’ve laid out the process in an easy-to-understand way so you can better understand how your water bill is calculated.
How Are Water Bills Calculated?
Metered Bills
If your water bill is metered, it means your household has a meter that measures how much water you use. Your bill is calculated based on this, so the more water your property uses, the higher your bill will be.
Unmetered Bills
This is a fixed bill that stays the same, no matter how much water you use. This is most often charged based on the Rateable Value (RV) of your property, an older method of calculating water bills for properties without a water meter.
The 3 Main Things You’re Paying For
Water Supply
This is the charge for the clean water supplied to your home for everyday use, including showering, washing dishes, and drinking. On a metered bill, the cost is based on your water usage, and on an unmetered bill, it’s included within a fixed charge.
Sewerage
This covers wastewater that goes down the drain, including toilet waste, shower water, and washing machine water. On a metered bill, it’s usually calculated based on how much water you use, as water companies assume most of it becomes wastewater. On an unmetered bill, this is included in the fixed charge based on your property, not your usage. It pays for things like treating wastewater, disposing of it, and maintaining the sewer system.
Standing Charges
This is a fixed fee you pay, regardless of how much water you use. It helps cover the cost of things like maintaining pipes and other infrastructure, customer service, and keeping water systems running. The fee is annual, but will be split across all your bills for the year.
Metered vs Unmetered: Which Is Cheaper?
This often depends on how much water your household uses. A property with fewer occupants is more likely to use less water than a larger household. Because of this, people living in smaller properties may find a water meter more cost-effective, as they only pay for what they use. A larger property with more occupants may benefit from an unmetered bill, enabling them to use as much water as they need without being charged for their usage. However, making an effort to reduce water usage could still make a metered bill the cheaper option.
What To Do If Your Water Bill Seems Wrong
If your water bill seems inaccurate or higher than usual, there are several steps you can take to determine whether there’s an issue and find the cause.
Check for Leaks
Even very small leaks can increase your water bill over time. If they’re not dealt with, they can lead to more costly problems, like damage and rot. First, look around your house for visual signs of a leak, such as dampness, water stains, peeling paint or wallpaper, and mould growth. If you can’t find anything or are unsure, there’s a small experiment you can do. Turn off your water supply at the stop tap and write down the meter reading. Leave the water supply off for a few hours, and check the meter reading again. If it’s different, there could be a leak somewhere on your property.
Compare to Previous Bills
By doing this, you can spot any sudden increases, patterns, or unexpected charges. When looking at your bill, check whether there’s an estimated label next to the meter reading, as this could indicate inaccuracy.
Contact Your Supplier
Getting in touch with your supplier as soon as possible means they can look into why your bill seems wrong to prevent you from overpaying or running into other issues. They might look for meter reading errors, compare usage history, and review any evidence you give to help them identify the problem.
How The Student Energy Group Can Help With Your Bills
At The Student Energy Group, we take the stress out of bills. We’ll bundle your water and other household bills, including energy, gas, internet and TV licence into one easy-to-split monthly statement. You can create your all-inclusive bills package for students with just a few simple clicks. We’ll even make sure to plant a tree if you sign up with us as a step towards a greener future! Get a free quote from us today to manage your bills more easily and start saving today.
