# Can our water bill really be this high?



## marcia_translator

Hi

I’ve just recently moved to Portugal with my boyfriend. We live in a small 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment in Vila Nova de Gaia. And we got a bit of a shock when we received a water bill for 159 euros for a period of 49 days. I know that the previous occupants’ water bill was about 20 euros per month on average. 

We wrote to the water company, for the second time, as the first time they sent us a bill for 650 euros for a period of a month (!) based on an (incorrect) estimate. But this time they said that there is no mistake and that the meter was read by them and the reading is correct.

Could anyone tell me whether this sounds like it could just be that we’ve used a lot of water and it’s really expensive in Portugal, or whether they could have made a mistake somewhere.

I’ve never received a water bill for such a high amount before and I don’t think that we use a lot of water. There are only two of us, we don’t have baths, we don’t use the washing machine that much, we have no garden, and the only possible culprit could be the dish washer which we do use once a day.

I’d be really grateful to hear from others living in Portugal about how much their bill is on average and if a bill of 159 euros seems feasible.

Thanks so much!


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## silvers

That sounds really high to me. We filled our swimming pool for just a little more than that!
Turn all your water using appliances off, turn all the taps off and make sure that no-one flushes. Go to the meter and check to see if it is spinning, you should hear it clicking. If so, you may have a leak somewhere.
Good luck.


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## omostra06

it does sound very high, a couple living in a house with no garden to water, the bill should be more like 20 euros or less per month.

Do as Silvers says to check if its lea~king somewhere, 

also could someone else have used your water without you knowing, perhaps to fill the neigbours pool from your hose!

did the meter get a reading when you moved in?


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## marcia_translator

*Thanks!!*

Hi to both of you. Thanks very much!

I turned off all the water in the apartment and went to have a look and listen at the meter but the dial wasn't moving or making any noise. There must definitely be a leak or something wrong with the meter though given what you have both said about how much water costs in Portugal. They changed the meter when we put the bill in our name so obviously the previous tenant's meter was working properly and ours isn't. 

We can't find any leaks anywhere and we have no outside space. I don't think anyone else could be stealing our water either because we live in an apartment building and so they woudn't be able to access our water supply (at least I hope not!).

In general I'm very unhappy with the water supplier here in Gaia for having charged us 60 Euros just to change the name on the bill (without explaining that they were going to do this as the person serving us was grumpy and wanted to go have lunch), then having installed a meter which is obviously not working properly, having sent us two wrong bills, and now they are refusing to admit that this bill for 159 Euros is wrong! In response to us saying that the previous occupant's bill was about 20 Euros per month, they said that it isn't possible to compare usage because everyone uses different amounts of water and that the bill is correct and we must pay it.

We're obviously going to have to ask them to come a check the meter, but no doubt they will try to charge us for it. Thanks again everyone!


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## John999

It is impossible to be a leak if you turned everything off and the meter wasn´t moving. Check the documents you signed to change names in the contract and see if you wasn´t responsible for any bills behind. If it is an area where they only come to check the meter every 6 or 12 months, you might be paying the last “tenant” bill. Generally you don´t change names you should do a new contract
John999


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## RichardHenshall

At risk of suggesting the obvious:

Was the opening meter reading that you've been billed for the same as the meter actually read when it was installed? (And as Derek has suggested was there a balance owing from the previous owner/tenant?)

Was the closing meter reading consistent with what the meter now reads, adjusted for your consumption since then?

We had our electricity meter misread by EDP in August so badly that apparently we had sold them electricity that month! They recorded our consumption as 1,000 units less than actual. It's taken until the November bill to get things back on track.


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## Walker

I am getting quite nervous about this as my wife and I have just purchased an apartment, with the intention of moving to Portugal permanently, and are coming over to Portugal in March to have the water, electricity and gas reconnected. Any good/bad experiences and expected costs of having this done would be appreciated.

Cheers

Scottie Walker


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## John999

Walker said:


> I am getting quite nervous about this as my wife and I have just purchased an apartment, with the intention of moving to Portugal permanently, and are coming over to Portugal in March to have the water, electricity and gas reconnected. Any good/bad experiences and expected costs of having this done would be appreciated.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Scottie Walker


Hi Walker and welcome. The cost will be next to nothing, just make sure you make new contracts and take the reading of the meters with you, when you go for it, and don´t worry this things happen to one in a million and if you are right it always get sorted
John999


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## RichardHenshall

John999 said:


> ...if you are right it always gets sorted
> John999


Agreed

I didn't want to suggest that mistakes were common, just possible (and I was letting off steam!)

Richard


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## omostra06

Hi Walker, welcome to the forum,


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