Water bills again!!

[Aldo]

Can anyone help?
We have received an extortionate water bill of 1500 euro for one month!! Is it possible this could be a leak somewhere or is it more likely to be theft as but this is more than 10 times our usual bill. My guess is we have had visitors in the night (or day) as it equates to about 4 swimming pools worth or am I being paranoid?

Any ideas guys and how we could prevent in the future.

[R.Wethereyet]

Wow that's scary.

To check if it is a leak, make sure all your taps irrigation aren't running and then see if your meter clock is moving. If not it isn't a leak. Also check your meter reading yourself and see if it corresponds to the figures on the bill, if not you are in luck.

We had a situation a few years back when we received a bill for 360 euros, the unit reading on the bill did not match my meter reading, and after a lot of discussion at Aguas de Lagoa who were definitely right and I was told was wrong, finally conceded to an error as they had someone else's meter reading against my address. They still said though that I had telephoned them with the wrong figures after I proved them to be wrong even though I hadn't. They don't like to admit that they make mistakes.

To steal that much water would be difficult to say the least, do your neighbours live here permanently and do you know them well enough to ask them if they have seen anyone on your property or spotted anyone using your water. Look into their eyes and that should tell you if they are being honest about their answer.

[widge]

Probably no help Aldo but it aroused my suspicions. We have had exceptionally low bills so far this year. However, about two weeks ago a guy in an unmarked pick up truck stopped outside the house & installed a new water meter. He only attended to my house ignoring all my neighbour's meters. I checked that the new meter was zeroed and it was, I had not complained or requested a new meter so I guess the water company instigated it. I await my next bill & will report back!

[Aldo]

Couldn't agree more guys, definitely something amiss!
On our way over to try to sort but its not going to be easy.

[Lesley Jean]

Good luck!

We had water put past our property last year and we have paid to have the meter and pipe to the front of our property but I am scared to actually pipe it to the house and use it as it seems to be very expensive and a cause of real problems. I think I will stick with our borehole water for as long as we can.

We are also putting a large rainwater tank underground to catch as much as we can.

[wolfie]

We had exactly the same experience about 2 years ago .Average monthly bill of 20-30 euros then 1 month it was 1500 euros . Despite many phone calls , solicitors letters and pleading that it just couldn't be correct we got absolutely no where .Never happened again - i worked out the volumes at the time as equivalent to about 8 times the size of our pool so i cannot believe anyone can nick that amount of water and neighbours didn't report any leaks so we put it down to aliens refilling their spaceship

[Aldo]

Darn spaceship!
Lets hope it's full now

[joeysoap]

We had exactly the same experience about 2 years ago .Average monthly bill of 20-30 euros then 1 month it was 1500 euros . Despite many phone calls , solicitors letters and pleading that it just couldn't be correct we got absolutely no where .Never happened again - i worked out the volumes at the time as equivalent to about 8 times the size of our pool so i cannot believe anyone can nick that amount of water and neighbours didn't report any leaks so we put it down to aliens refilling their spaceship

Was the meter reading correct? if it wasn't and they stuck to their guns (sound like they did) then your next 50 bills should only be the basic standing charge until they catch up with the reading. In Widge's case looks like they had their doubts about the meter and decided to change it as they think it might be faulty. Would they be so quick to have their doubts about a faulty meter in the 'opposite direction' ie one that produces a massive over reading?

When I open the meter box to have a look at my reading I can see 3 of my neighbours (all located in the cabinet) and I think all 4 are different makes, which I find odd. Same with the electricity metres, they are all visable through (fairly dusty) perspex and I again not all the same make. Don't know who fitted the electricity /water cabinets but I would have thought they would standard.

[Matryx]

I have just received a water bill for 670 euros for May, and the house was completely unoccupied for the whole month! I'm now going to have to fly over specifically to stand in a queue to complain at the Camera!

[widge]

I am going to have a problem too. Since installing the new meter in May my bills have been about €6 a month. Typically during May, June & July they are €400 a month. Expecting a bill in August for €1500 + watch this space!

[Matryx]

I am going to have a problem too. Since installing the new meter in May my bills have been about €6 a month. Typically during May, June & July they are €400 a month. Expecting a bill in August for €1500 + watch this space!

What I really don't understand is that everybody's water bills seem to vary so much? My neighbours, who live in ADM permanently, say their bills average 20 euros/month. Admittedly, they are an older couple and probably don't use as much as we do, but our house is probably only occupied for 3 months of the year? Is 400 euros a month what we should all expect to pay for a villa with a pool during the summer?

[widge]

Annual costs since 2004 - As you can see they fluctuate a lot !

WATER €'s

04/05. 2467
05/06. 3031
06/07. 358
07/08. 709
08/09. 3902
09/10. 3210
10/11. 3462
11/12. 1401
12/13. 1912

[Michael Crane]

I am going to have a problem too. Since installing the new meter in May my bills have been about €6 a month. Typically during May, June & July they are €400 a month. Expecting a bill in August for €1500 + watch this space!

Is this correct or a typo?

[widge]

Correct Michael. Thank you for your concern !

[Matryx]

Annual costs since 2004 - As you can see they fluctuate a lot !

WATER €'s

04/05. 2467
05/06. 3031
06/07. 358
07/08. 709
08/09. 3902
09/10. 3210
10/11. 3462
11/12. 1401
12/13. 1912

How many people occupy your house Widge, and is it permanent? I presume that you have a pool as well?