algy Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 United Utilities are doing away with the Water Meter Reader by removing the heads from existing water meters and installing new heads with the capability of sending a reading from the meter to a receiver mounted the bin lorries whilst collecting bins, these readings will then be sent (or collected) by UU. Good or bad move for the water consuming customer, what do you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 I've not got a water meter but it sounds like a good idea in theory. It must take ages for a chaps to go round in a cars reading them all so I guess it would/could save the company money...not that they will pass any savings on to us of course. Saying that I'm guessing that the new meter heads will still have a display on them allowing the home owner to be able to take the readings themselves and keep a note of their actual useage though ... if not then it's a BAD idea !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted February 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Not sure if they have digital dial on them Dizz, the guy came to change ours and couldn't remove the old head so gave up, took a reading from the existing meter and said he would report the problem and we haven't heard anything since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'll ask my dad as I remember him saying his had been changed before xmas. Not sure if that's why his was but there's no way he would have let them do it if it meant he couldn't take his own readings. He has a spread sheet going back years detailing all the usage and even took a reading before and after I jet washed his patio last year...... now how much did he say it had cost again YAWN I wonder if he works out the how much his cups of tea, dish washing, clothes washing and flushing the toilet cost individually each week too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 My meter was changed 27/11/13 for the new smart type. Just prior to this I had received a letter from United Utilities stating that my Direct Debit payment would be reduced to £15.50 per month for the remaining period of the year(up to April 2014). After the meter was changed I received another letter stating that my monthly Direct Debit was to increase to £25.30, the reason being that they had to estimate the useage because the new meter started a "zero" so they were unable to calculate from my previous reading. I was on the phone in seconds !!!! I told them that I had readings for the past 5 years so why couldn't they do their calculation on these figures. They checked their data and agreed with my calculation of 30 cubic meters useage per year. She said that paying £25.30 per month would be excessive but they would re-calculate after my next reading in April 2014. I refused to pay this amount because I would, in effect, be loaning them £50 for 5 months. She reinstated my Direct Debit to £17.75 per month (my calculation based on 30 cubic meters per year). If they did this to all their customers who had a new meter they would be receiving a sizeable amount "up front". By the way Dizzy, you used 700 litres of water at a cost of £2.35 when you jet washed my paving on 24/4/13. I also recall buying the pies for dinner !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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