# Horrendous water bill



## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

We know some people who have an apartment in Condado de Alhama, Murcia. They have received a water bill for 3,000 Euros! They had left the apartment empty for 5 months and on their return were faced with this bill. They have tried to get an answer to why? but were told that they must have left a tap running when they were away. They were offered a solicitor in Madrid who so far has not been in touch with them even after contacting him numerous times. No-one else they have contacted wants to know.

Does anyone here know who they can contact for advice on this problem.

Thanks.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I presume that they've already checked the meter readings and have checked to see if a tap was left on.

Before they can discuss this with a lawyer, they need to be sure that they haven't 'used' that much water.

If they haven't, them they need to seek legal advice - someone will certainly be willing to help.


----------



## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

They say they didn't leave a tap on, but can't prove it.

It has been suggested to them that someone removed the meter and, knowing they would be away for months, used their meter to run their own water through!!!! before returning the meter. Don't know myself if this is possible.

They have tried for legal advice but so far all have said that it can't be proven that a tap wasn't left running and don't want to take the case on.


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

A neighbour of ours also faced an unusually high water bill. It turned out the meter was faulty and had air in it which caused the meter to continually turn even though water wasn't coming through the system. The bill was reduced to his normal bill.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

thrax said:


> A neighbour of ours also faced an unusually high water bill. It turned out the meter was faulty and had air in it which caused the meter to continually turn even though water wasn't coming through the system. The bill was reduced to his normal bill.


We intend to spend next sumer at a friend's. house in France. I think I will take a meter reading the day we leave and pass it to a lawyer friend in case something like this happens.


----------



## Rockpea (Sep 11, 2015)

Eek what a shock they must have had!! A good reason to turn the water off at the stop cock when we leave each time??


----------



## smitty5668 (Feb 25, 2015)

Rockpea said:


> Eek what a shock they must have had!! A good reason to turn the water off at the stop cock when we leave each time??


that;s what we do.


----------



## Desiato (Jun 1, 2015)

Have they been checking the meter readings since the bill arrived? If the meter is still rising faster than normal it could be a leak. Bit of a long shot with an apartment but worth checking.


----------



## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

Desiato said:


> Have they been checking the meter readings since the bill arrived? If the meter is still rising faster than normal it could be a leak. Bit of a long shot with an apartment but worth checking.


That's a good question. I'll put it to them.

Thanks.


----------



## Stef B. (May 23, 2015)

Water theft is very normal in Spain, we had the same last summer during our stay in our homecountry, when we came back the water company sent us a letter why we used this amount of water and we also had a massive water bill, we had no leak anf we didn´t leave a tap open. But the water meters are not locked up at our house or the neighbours, so if they know that we leave for some weeks the neighbours can easily steal water out of the tap in the garden.
The water company gave us now a lock so hopefully they will not force that lock next time when we are away.


----------



## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

Always turn the water off at the little valve on the company side of your meter in the meter cupboard. Turning off the water in the building does not cover any possibility of leaks in the feed between the meter and that stop cock. :fingerscrossed:


----------



## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

Have spoken to our friends today. Although they all turn off their water at valves in their apartments, none of them have a key to the place where the meters are, so can't see what their readings are!

Is this legal? And who can they contact to gain access. They are reluctant to pay more out for lawyers unless they have a good chance of overturning the original bill.


----------



## WeeScottie (Mar 17, 2015)

In our community the president holds the keys to the meter cupboard.


----------



## Swerve (Jun 29, 2011)

We had a ?400 euro bill and since then all the meters in our row have had seals fitted. I always turn off water outside and also the taps in the bathroom next to the bath and under the water heater. While investigating at the time I noticed that the toilet was continually leaking water into the bowl I fixed this by taking apart and rinsing with Hot water as a lot of the parts inside the cistern were clogged up with Cal. We also always check electric and water readings when we 1st to turn up at the house and when we leave we also take date stamped photographs of both water And electric.


----------

