Who owns a water meter / supply

Nearly · Jan 19, 2017

Before I call the water board....

has anyone experience of finding out who 'owns' or is responsible for a water meter on the mains supply.
We have a block of land next to a converted farmyard and original agreement was that the water supply to the land had to continue.
I'm chatting to the house owners but it would be helpful if water board kept a record of meter serial numbers as to which is currently unclaimed because that will run to my field 99%.
2 of house owners are being reluctant to acknowledge where their meters are, just to be awkward because I won't rent them a pony paddock.

Anyone done anything like this, or have a real contact at Yorkshire Water?

Thanks

Steevo · Jan 19, 2017

Surely the meter is owned by the water company, as is all pipework prior to the meter.

You have a right of water supply to your land by the seems of it so if your neighbours can't find the meters, surely you just keep using the water until they find the meter and can bill you for it.

milkloss · Jan 19, 2017

Don't pay the bill, say they're not reading/reading the wrong meter. Soon be out to sort it.

Nearly · Jan 19, 2017

Water pipe there but not turned on. Trying to let the neighbours let me 'experiment' but they're not keen. They'll come round. I can be charming when necessary.

Not paid a bill as water not turned on. Happy to pay if I can make my pipe end 'live' so to speak.

Steevo · Jan 19, 2017

Call Yorks Water and ask then to read the meter and send you a bill? even if that bill is £0.00. Do you pay a standing charge?

Nearly · Jan 19, 2017

Steevo said:
Call Yorks Water and ask then to read the meter and send you a bill? even if that bill is £0.00. Do you pay a standing charge?

Nothing for 10 years. Have been making silage on land but hoping to graze heifers there. Did belong to in-laws, so certain that supply is there but have been a few changes when farmyard converted.

Repeat · Jan 21, 2017

Hello Neil,
is the meter a water board one or private?
we have one of these to sort every year, bought 40 acres a few years ago ,the other half of the farm is a lifestyle block now ,the water comes through their yard to ours with a meter at the new boundary .we read it yearly and pay neighbors for it, then it gets complicated because it goes on to two other neighbours with meter each and we bill them for what has passed though. It wasn't an issue as it was all in grain until two years ago , one has gone back to grass and sheep the other has been rented by another dairy farmer and he has stock on, i don't think he even realizes where his water is coming from.
you maybe need to turn it on and see if your neighbours meter starts spinning, if it doesnt you must have your own supply, then you could leave it on and say nowt.

Nearly · Jan 21, 2017

Hi again. Water board meter. I'll get back to it this week and find more out.
Water supplies and access are the biggest pains to sort out.
But we did manage to claim one field that solicitors lost deeds for so that's good.

Steevo · Jan 22, 2017

Sounds like these things could be a nightmare if ever there was a water leak!

Nearly · Jan 22, 2017

Steevo said:
Sounds like these things could be a nightmare if ever there was a water leak!

Happy to take responsibility for the pipe at my side of meter as I know it's new. Happy to sign paper to say same.

Steevo · Jan 22, 2017

Sorry, I was referring to @Repeat's situation more. Being sub-metered, and then sub-metering on to others. You could end up liable for a £1000 bill, even if the neighbour you sub-meter to actually has the leak, but they refuse to pay.

Nearly · Jan 22, 2017

Steevo said:
Sorry, I was referring to @Repeat's situation more. Being sub-metered, and then sub-metering on to others. You could end up liable for a £1000 bill, even if the neighbour you sub-meter to actually has the leak, but they refuse to pay.

Absolutely. Ooops, bit tired this morning.

Repeat · Jan 22, 2017

Steevo said:
Sounds like these things could be a nightmare if ever there was a water leak!

yes it could,
neighbors have stop taps but we dont , i am going to fit one at our meter and turn it off when i cannot see any stock further on , then wait for the phone call

Lincsman · Jan 22, 2017

Bit confused here!... Does this meter register any use?, if not it might be an old field supply thats redundant, I have 2 that are not used and they didnt remove the meter in one of them.
Connect up to it and see what happens, if its on the water companies radar someone will be getting a standing charge if nothing else... and they are every 3 months now in Anglian area.

Nearly · Jan 22, 2017

Lincsman said:
Bit confused here!... Does this meter register any use?, if not it might be an old field supply thats redundant, I have 2 that are not used and they didnt remove the meter in one of them.
Connect up to it and see what happens, if its on the water companies radar someone will be getting a standing charge if nothing else... and they are every 3 months now in Anglian area.

New meter (within 10 years), never been used but has a small reading 45 cube. House owner who's paddock it crosses isn't keen to let me have a fiddle, but she'll come round.

I'll know better when I've called YW, but they could know less than me.

joe soapy · Jan 22, 2017

Nearly said:
New meter (within 10 years), never been used but has a small reading 45 cube. House owner who's paddock it crosses isn't keen to let me have a fiddle, but she'll come round.
I'll know better when I've called YW, but they could know less than me.

Will she let you have the water though

Nearly · Jan 22, 2017

joe soapy said:
Will she let you have the water though

Nearly · Feb 3, 2017

Just been on phone to nice lady at Yorkshire Water, the water meter is mine, it was in the in-law's name and they were glad to be able to update their records and send a bill out from now on (I bet). Excellent.

They did say that their new computer system when 100% debugged will allow farmers etc to do multi meters on a single bill, and they hope a single DD.

Progress, as I'm responsible for 7 now.

Lincsman · Feb 3, 2017

Nearly said:
Just been on phone to nice lady at Yorkshire Water, the water meter is mine, it was in the in-law's name and they were glad to be able to update their records and send a bill out from now on (I bet). Excellent.

They did say that their new computer system when 100% debugged will allow farmers etc to do multi meters on a single bill, and they hope a single DD.

Progress, as I'm responsible for 7 now.

OK so its your meter and a pipe goes to your field, question now is do the houses take water off that pipe?

Nearly · Feb 3, 2017

Lincsman said:
OK so its your meter and a pipe goes to your field, question now is do the houses take water off that pipe?

there are 2 other meters next to it but I'll be checking to make sure. There is a suspicious looking tap in the little paddock.

Who owns a water meter / supply

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Up to 25%

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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