I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are. They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed and could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main meter I doubt the water company would do that.

Thanks,

Antonino

asalcedo wrote:
I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.


Really!

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.


Thats normally the case.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.


Yes that's where you would connect the meter.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?


Problem : if there are two water meters one for each flat and the bill does
not reach the the full amount who's going to pay the extra? get the water
board to fit them free of charge, problem solved.

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed
and could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.

I personally wouldn't like my landlord issuing a bill for the water, don't
mind the water board though.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

Thanks,

Antonino

Let the water board install the meters and that way there is no quarrels
and to be honest you would still need to inform the water board about
installing meters in a house with flats.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 14:55:10 +0000, asalcedo
wrote:


I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed and
could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

Thanks,

Antonino

Small inline 1/2 inch meter under £40 from the Toolstation, simple to
fit.

Install it and just divide the bill up.

asalcedo wrote:
I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed and
could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

You can get water meters that are mounted internally but read
externally. I don't know the maximum distance between the meter and the
reading point.

It sounds to me like the flat is not really an independent dwelling
(you say *hot* water pipes go into it). The water board may be less
willing to install two meters for you in this case.

MBQ

wrote:
asalcedo wrote:
I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed
and could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

You can get water meters that are mounted internally but read
externally. I don't know the maximum distance between the meter and
the reading point.

It sounds to me like the flat is not really an independent dwelling
(you say *hot* water pipes go into it). The water board may be less
willing to install two meters for you in this case.

MBQ

Heh! the meter's are connected to and as near to the main inlet regardless
of the hot water pipes which has really naff all to do with it.
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

You might need to check the law. There was recently a law passed that
prevents you selling energy on whilst adding a markup. I don't know if this
would apply to your supply of hot water (being part water bill and part
energy bill), or if there are similar laws for water use. Something to look
into. You would probably have to charge cost price and recoup any additional
costs (i.e. boiler maintenance etc.) from the rental price.

Christian.

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 16:57:20 UTC, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

Heh! the meter's are connected to and as near to the main inlet regardless
of the hot water pipes which has really naff all to do with it.

You're not understanding the problem.

Water comes into the property, via an existing meter (if any). Some of
it gets heated, and two pipes (hot and cold) go to the tenant's flat.
The OP wants to meter *these* pipes, add their readings together, and
charge him for the water used. Straightforward enough.
--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

"asalcedo" wrote in message
...

I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed and
could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

Thanks,

Antonino


--
asalcedo

===============
You suggest that there is already a meter outside for the whole building.
Why don't you fit a meter to the take-off in *your* flat and deduct the
amount you use from the gross usage? The remainder will be the amount used
by your tenant. I assume that there are just two flats (upper and lower) and
that the tenant will trust this way of measurement.

Cic.

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 16:42:58 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:

I personally wouldn't like my landlord issuing a bill for the water, don't
mind the water board though.

On the whole, I trust my landlord more than I trust the water*******s.

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 14:55:10 +0000, asalcedo wrote:


I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed and
could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

Thanks,

Antonino

There is no reason why you shouldn't add your own water meters. These are
available from the BES catalogue. You can use them to keep a check on the
consumption and also monitor the water suppliers meter.

If you wish to charge the tenant for water then (INAL) I believe that this
arrangement must be part of the tenancy agreement. I also believe that you
may only charge a 'reasonable' amount for resold water. If you were (say)
to charge three+ times the suppliers rate then your tenant could refuse on
the grounds of this being an unfair contract.

Frankly in my own experience as a landlord: It is simply easier to say the
rent includes water you can them claim the cost of supplying the water
against the rental income for taxation purposes. You set the rent (perhaps
for the next tenant?) to comfortably include the water charges.

Billing the tenant (even for the right amount) for water used has a
'Rigsby' feel to it and may be perceived as such.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

Thank you for your comments. I think I have now enough information to proceed.

As mentioned above, my situation is that the flat I am renting is part of the whole house, it is actually where the house keeper used to live.

I don't need that space and it has been easy to rent it out because if fully independent from the rest of the property (different front door, separate bathroom, kitchen, etc)

At the moment I am renting it with all utilities included. I do have a separate electricity meter for that flat but no water meter.

My small shock the other day was that the water bill was way above what was expected considering the number of people in the house (plus flat).

I am pretty confident that charging utilities at cost is going to be found acceptable by any future tenant.

And yes, after looking at all the complicated plumbing and pipes in the garage, where the mains and boilers are, I can identify the two pipes that feed the cold and hot water for the flat.

Now that I know that a meter can be purchased and easily installed and that it is done for different purposes I will go ahead and do that.

Regards,

Antonio

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
wrote:
asalcedo wrote:
I am renting the lower ground flat in my house.

I would like to install a water meter so that the tenant pays for
actual water consumed.

I know where the cold and hot water pipes that go into the flat are.
They are inside the property.

Can I purchase two water meters and install them myself?

This way by adding the two readings I would know the water consumed
and could bill the tenant based on the bill for the whole house.


Ideally I would like the tenant to be billed directly, but since the
water meters are inside the property, and dependent on the first main
meter I doubt the water company would do that.

You can get water meters that are mounted internally but read
externally. I don't know the maximum distance between the meter and
the reading point.

It sounds to me like the flat is not really an independent dwelling
(you say *hot* water pipes go into it). The water board may be less
willing to install two meters for you in this case.

MBQ

Heh! the meter's are connected to and as near to the main inlet regardless
of the hot water pipes which has really naff all to do with it.

It has everything to do with it.

The fact that both hot and cold pipes go into the flat strongly
suggests that it does not have an independent water supply. If the flat
did have an independent supply then it would normally have it's own hot
water system.

The water company will happily provide a meter for the supply to the
property but I doubt they will be interested in whatever arrangement
the OP has made for supplying water to the flat.

MBQ

asalcedo wrote:
[snip]

Thank you for your comments. I think I have now enough information to
proceed.

As mentioned above, my situation is that the flat I am renting is part
of the whole house, it is actually where the house keeper used to
live.

I don't need that space and it has been easy to rent it out because if
fully independent from the rest of the property (different front door,
separate bathroom, kitchen, etc)

At the moment I am renting it with all utilities included. I do have a
separate electricity meter for that flat but no water meter.

My small shock the other day was that the water bill was way above
what was expected considering the number of people in the house (plus
flat).

I am pretty confident that charging utilities at cost is going to be
found acceptable by any future tenant.

And yes, after looking at all the complicated plumbing and pipes in
the garage, where the mains and boilers are, I can identify the two
pipes that feed the cold and hot water for the flat.

Now that I know that a meter can be purchased and easily installed and
that it is done for different purposes I will go ahead and do that.

Regards,

Antonio

Wouldn't it be better to just put the rent up to £5 a week more, I'm quite
sure this would work out more than the tenant paying for the water?

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite