Hundreds of thousands of households could be missing out on lower water bills because they are unaware they can trial a meter for up to two years, the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has warned.
The consumer watchdog is concerned only one in four water customers in England and Wales who pay fixed charges know they can trial a meter and switch back for free if they don’t save money or decide it’s not for them.
The findings emerged from CCWater’s Water Matters survey, which also showed that one in eight water customers felt their water bills were not affordable.
CCWater is now urging customers to use its online water meter calculator to see whether they might be better off switching to a meter, before taking the plunge.
However, the trial option is not available to customers who live in parts of Southern and South East England where water companies are introducing compulsory metering.
Andy White, Senior Policy Manager at CCWater, said:
“Water meters will not benefit everyone but we know that in some cases households can save more than £100 a year. Even the smallest saving could make all the difference to customers who are struggling to make ends meet.”
“Almost everyone who opts for a meter chooses to stick with it, but many customers need that assurance they can switch back anytime within the trial period.”
CCWater’s water meter calculator has helped almost 270,000 consumers identify potential annual savings totalling more than £14.5 million during the past year.
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