# Help please - water bill problem



## baggy46a (Oct 6, 2013)

Ok so we bought our place last year - been over a few times everything was great...

Anyway just recently we had a problem in October the water company decided to turn up one morning and switch our water off - we really did not know was happening because it was real early in the morning, since I have 2 kids I was panicking so we spoke to our maintenance guy who advised us to contact someone - meantime we switched it on and off when required - bout 3 times a day to flush toilets etc.

We had a DD go out of our account around oct for 5/600 euro, and we got the water board out who told us there was a leak...... kept the water mains off etc until we could establish where the leak was, since then we have had blokes out to try find a leak - apparently its deffy in the garden.... still... nothing....

So.... I about had a breakdown a couple of days ago.... had another DD go out for around 4000 euro... I felt sick... 

So... no one can locate this apparent leak that the water board claim it is and they are adamant that it is not their meter.... leaving us 4000 down and not knowing what the hell is going on.... we are currently trying to still locate the so called leak but with that amount of water surely under the ground which is all pretty much exposed now would be a swamp....

I am absolutely gutted to say the least..... it almost turned a dream into a nightmare and I have no way of going about getting any of this money back... I doubt the water board would be interested...

Its bewildering me to think that they even think we could of honestly used this much water... I know people who live in Spain who dont use this kind of amount... christ... our community altogether wouldnt have this usage..


I wondered if anybody could give me any info to whether or not this can be claimed back or any help whatsoever... pretty much cleaned our Spanish account out

 ta


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Question:

With everything in the house turned off, is the meter still turning?

If so, is water actually flowing through the meter? Just disconnect the other side of the meter to check. If it is, then you have a leak. If it isn't, then the meter is faulty.

If you think you have a leak, why not try running a new pipe from the meter to the house (main stop cock) - only a temporary solution but it may help.


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## baggy46a (Oct 6, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> Question:
> 
> With everything in the house turned off, is the meter still turning?
> 
> ...


Waters still off and the meter is not running anymore.

We are in the process of having some garden work done and we are getting a new pipes... meantime the problem is that we are 4000 down and I need to know if we can do something about this.

The waterboard says its a leak...


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baggy46a said:


> Waters still off and the meter is not running anymore.
> 
> We are in the process of having some garden work done and we are getting a new pipes... meantime the problem is that we are 4000 down and I need to know if we can do something about this.
> 
> The waterboard says its a leak...


We had water bills that averaged out at 140 euros a month...last month's bill was 650 euros. We turned off everything, checked the meter, no movement. But then we checked actual usage and found we were using 100 litres a day - too much for a house with large gardens even. 
A thorough check of all outlets in and outside the house found the culprit....a broken tap on an irrigation pipe. I reckon it's been leaking for years.
No way will we get any refund as it's our side of the mains so it's curse, grin and bear it. 
I'm now waiting to see what will hopefully be the last excessive bill.
So...check your actual usage, not just the needle.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Do a daily meter reading for a week. That will show your actual usage. Estimate how much water you use on a daily basis, then check with your readings.
I've no idea what an average usage would be, perhaps someone can help...snikpoh perhaps, he is very knowledgeable.
Sorry to say that you stand scant chance of getting any kind of refund, I may be wrong....but I'm not wasting my time trying to get any money back for the probable years and 1000s euros we've literally let run away as it was without doubt a leak on our side that caused the excessive usage.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

baggy46a said:


> Ok so we bought our place last year - been over a few times everything was great...
> 
> Anyway just recently we had a problem in October the water company decided to turn up one morning and switch our water off - we really did not know was happening because it was real early in the morning, since I have 2 kids I was panicking so we spoke to our maintenance guy who advised us to contact someone - meantime we switched it on and off when required - bout 3 times a day to flush toilets etc.
> 
> ...


Have you checked to see if your home owner's insurance will cover it? We had a leak which ended up being under our front patio and which ran up our water bill to 700 euros. Insurance sent someone to find the leak and repair it and to fix the patio they had to dig up, and surprisingly they also reimbursed us for the excess water bill. We don't have especially good or extensive insurance (just basic coverage) but this was included. Also surprisingly they didn't raise our premium the next year for having made a claim. So I think it's worth giving your insurance company a call. You have nothing to lose.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

I would also cancel the direct debit in the meantime.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Justina said:


> I would also cancel the direct debit in the meantime.


Whereupon the water company may cancel the water supply and you have a long wait plus fee to get reconnected.
Sad fact is that if the leak is on your property you are liable. The insurance company route seems more feasible.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> We had water bills that averaged out at 140 euros a month...last month's bill was 650 euros. We turned off everything, checked the meter, no movement. But then we checked actual usage and found we were using 100 litres a day - too much for a house with large gardens even.
> A thorough check of all outlets in and outside the house found the culprit....a broken tap on an irrigation pipe. I reckon it's been leaking for years.
> *No way will we get any refund as it's our side of the mains so it's curse, grin and bear it. *
> I'm now waiting to see what will hopefully be the last excessive bill.
> So...check your actual usage, not just the needle.


It might be worth asking - our local water company gives some kind of refund if you supply a proper invoice for the repair.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> It might be worth asking - our local water company gives some kind of refund if you supply a proper invoice for the repair.


Too complicated, methinks.....this has been going on for years, we've had high bills for ages.
The repair involved landlord and his friend spending hours investigating every tap and loo in the house and every inch of the garden then digging on New Years Day, locating the leak and repairing the broken joint. Cost: a can of beer and a cup of espresso for the two of them They were the ones who noticed our excessive usage 'even for two women', as our landlord Adelbert remarked.

Our landlord is extremely penitent and has done various small repairs to our cars and bought and planted some pretty flowering shrubs for our garden...as indeed he should be as he got a fine for speeding when using my car and trailer!!!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

mrypg9 said:


> Whereupon the water company may cancel the water supply and you have a long wait plus fee to get reconnected.
> Sad fact is that if the leak is on your property you are liable. The insurance company route seems more feasible.


.... and the outstanding debt stays with you si it has to be paid at some point.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Leak*



baggy46a said:


> Ok so we bought our place last year - been over a few times everything was great...
> 
> Anyway just recently we had a problem in October the water company decided to turn up one morning and switch our water off - we really did not know was happening because it was real early in the morning, since I have 2 kids I was panicking so we spoke to our maintenance guy who advised us to contact someone - meantime we switched it on and off when required - bout 3 times a day to flush toilets etc.
> 
> ...


I mentioned closing the direct debit account cos it still sounds very vague if it is in the garden. I would still be knocking on the door of the water company every morning and insisting on their specialists coming to visit. One thing is an extra hundred euros on one's account and what probably a hotel is paying.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Justina said:


> I mentioned closing the direct debit account cos it still sounds very vague if it is in the garden. I would still be knocking on the door of the water company every morning and insisting on their specialists coming to visit. One thing is an extra hundred euros on one's account and what probably a hotel is paying.


Our local water company won't touch it if it's the property owner's side of the meter - afaik that's usual. You have to find the leak yourself, if it's on your land.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Justina said:


> I mentioned closing the direct debit account cos it still sounds very vague if it is in the garden. I would still be knocking on the door of the water company every morning and insisting on their specialists coming to visit. One thing is an extra hundred euros on one's account and what probably a hotel is paying.


Water leaks aren't always obvious, as I found. The only wáy to ascertain which side the leak is on is to measure actual consumption not to look at the meter for 'movement'.
Not paying the bill is not an option. You will be cut off.


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