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Home size to decide water bills Home size to decide water bills
(about 3 hours later)
Water bills will be determined by the size of customers' homes under a new billing system from Thames Water.Water bills will be determined by the size of customers' homes under a new billing system from Thames Water.
Household bills currently based on an average metered bill will be placed in one of three bands based on the number of bedrooms at the property. Under the plan, 38,000 households without a water meter will be placed in one of three bands based on the number of bedrooms at the property.
Thames said the system would better reflect the amount of water households use and result in lower bills.Thames said the system would better reflect the amount of water households use and result in lower bills.
It said 24,000 one or two bedroom properties would see their bills drop to £200 or £217 a year from £245. It said 24,000 one or two bedroom homes would see their bills drop to £200 or £217 respectively from £245.
However, 11,500 homes with three or more bedrooms would see their bills increase to £266 from £245.However, 11,500 homes with three or more bedrooms would see their bills increase to £266 from £245.
Thames said it made the changes after a customer survey last year. 'Fairer charges'
Thames Water made the changes after a customer survey last year. It said the new system only applies to households that had requested a meter - but lived in properties where it wasn't practical to fit one.
If they can't have a meter fitted it's only right that set charges should reflect that Consumer Council for Water
"We wanted to make our charges fairer for those customers who wanted to pay for what they used, but couldn't have a meter fitted," said Miles Tempest, customer services director for Thames Water.
The Consumer Council for Water welcomed the change.
"Clearly people living in smaller flats are likely to have comparatively small usage. If they can't have a meter fitted it's only right that set charges should reflect that," a spokesperson said.
Other water companies around the UK offer similar schemes for customers who can't have a meter installed.
Regulator Ofwat is currently assessing the annual price increases that will affect all water customers from April this year, and are expected to be announced in the next couple of weeks.