Raven Housing Trust metering

Raven Housing Trust wrote to you recently informing you of the changes to how you will pay for your water. At the moment, you pay Raven Housing Trust for your rent and water charges.

From 1 April 2021, you will need to pay Raven Housing Trust for your rent charges, and SES Water for your water and sewerage / wastewater charges.

Raven Housing Trust has provided us with some of your details, so we can begin setting up your account. For more details on what you need to do to set up your account, please see the covering letter in the pack we have sent you in the post. It’s important you contact us about setting up your account as soon as possible and within two weeks of having received our letter.

 

60 per cent of our customers are already on metered charges.

By 2025, we are providing water meters to all our customers that do not already have them. This will bring us into line with other water companies in our region. 

The South East of England is officially classed by the Government as being in ‘serious water stress’ – this means demand for water is higher than what’s available, at times. Climate change is affecting how much water is available for us to supply and it is predicted that droughts will become more common and severe.

We need to plan to make sure there is enough water for all our customers and protect the environment, which provides our water supplies. Reducing the demand for water is an important part of how we achieve this.

Evidence shows that, on average, metered customers use 15 per cent less water. So metering is a cost effective and sustainable way to encourage people to use water more wisely and bring down overall demand.

All personal data we collect and hold is done so in line with GDPR requirements. For more information about how we use your data please visit here.

 

Yes, because we operate in an area of serious water stress, we are allowed by law to install water meters in the homes of all our customers. It is part of the Water Industry Act 1991 (amended in 1999).

We want to work with our customers to help them use less water and ensure their bill remains affordable. Most people agree that metering is a much fairer way to pay as everyone only pays for what they use, and we hope that our customers will understand this and be willing to move to metered charges.

If you are worried about the cost of having a meter fitted there are a range of tariffs available that you may be eligible for to help make sure your bill is affordable for you. 

We do have legal and charging options available to pursue customers who refuse to have a meter fitted but our preference is to avoid going down that route and to support our customers through this transition.

 

Water meters are the fairest way of charging for water, as you pay for what you use - just like for electricity and gas. 

Typically, households with meters use around 15 per cent less water and this can help reduce energy bills as well. About a third of energy used in the home goes on heating water for washing dishes and clothes, bathing and showering.

Another benefit is that having a water meter makes it easier to spot if there is a leak on your property e.g. dripping taps or a leaky toilet.

Many people see their water bill fall when they move to a meter, but for some it will increase. If you are worried about paying your bill, we can provide you with additional financial support. Please see below for more information on when you will start paying for your water on metered charges and what support we can provide to help keep your bills affordable.

Once your meter is installed, we will send you your first bill in March 2021.

This bill will be based on unmeasured charges – the rateable value of your property. However, in most cases we will also give you an indication of how much water you have used since having a meter fitted, based on the readings we gather from your new meter and a projection of what your future metered bill is likely to be. If we do not have enough readings to provide you with a projected metered bill by February, we will send you one later, between March and June 2020.

You will then have a further six months before receiving your first metered bill in September 2021.  Your first metered bill will be worked out using the readings from your new meter.

You can switch to metered charges as soon as your meter is fitted, if you are going to be better off on metered charges, so you are only paying for the water you use.

Equally, if you need more time before switching to a metered bill, there will be the option to stay on an unmeasured bill for a further six months until April 2022.

If you’re having difficulty paying your bill at the moment, or are worried you won't be able to afford your metered bill, we offer a range of support schemes that you may be able to benefit from, depending on your circumstances. For more information, visit our Help Paying Your Bill page. 

You don't need to wait until April 2021, you can switch to metered charges as soon as your meter is fitted, so you are only paying for the water you use. 

You can also book a free, 20-minute virtual water efficiency check by completing the GetWaterFit calculator.

The check will provide advice on your water usage, how to fit free water saving devices as well as fixing simple leaks to toilets and taps - all without the technician needing to come into your home.

From this September, we will start fitting water meters for all Raven Housing Trust properties. This is part of our wider work to provide water meters for our customers that don't already have them.

Ahead of work to install meters, our engineers will be carrying out surveys to help decide the best place for the meter to be located at each property. All our staff and contractors will be wearing uniforms and carrying identification cards, which they will happily show you. To find out more about how to prevent bogus callers visit: seswater.co.uk/boguscallers. 

Normally, we will fit the meter in the pavement just outside your property's boundary.

If this is not possible, we will try to fit the meter inside your home, we will contact you in advance to arrange a time that is convenient. The health and safety of our customers and employees is really important to us. This is why we will always take all the necessary precautions when entering your home and follow the latest government public health guidance. 

We will work to make sure there is as little disruption or inconvenience as possible, all while protecting everyone’s health and safety. Where possible we will always try to complete works the same day.

• For a meter installed in soft ground, we replace the turf or soil straight away. If it's not possible to put the original turf back, we put topsoil on the area and plant grass seed
• For a meter installed under a hard surface, such as a pavement, pathway or driveway, we always aim to fully re-instate the area within 24 hours of the meter being put in. However, it may take longer than this - for example, if we need to source a particular type of paving slab to match what's in place already

In some cases, we may need to make an interim repair, which is still safe, and come back at a later date to carry out a permanent repair.

For example:

• In a public footpath/pavement, we may do an interim tarmac repair and return within three months to replace this with a permanent tarmac layer. In most cases, we complete permanent tarmac repairs within two weeks
• On a concrete surface, we usually use roadstone (similar to to coarse shingle) as an interim surfacing material, before returning to replace this with new concrete or replacement slabs

If you have any queries or concerns about how we've re-instated the place where your water meter has been installed, please do contact us. You can call us on 01737 305850, or send us an email to housingteam@seswater.co.uk.

We're not always able to fit a water meter for every home. Common reasons include complex pipework or the lack of a suitable location.

If this is the case, you will still receive a bill but we'll offer you the option of paying an Assessed Charge instead. Assessed Charges are annual sums which reflect the estimated amount of water used, based on the number of bedrooms and the number of people living in the property.

SES Water offers the ‘WaterSure’ tariff.

This caps the bills for certain metered household customers at the average household bill for their area. 

It applies to metered customers who receive specified benefits and:

• Have three or more dependent children living with them; or
• Suffer from (or have someone living with them who suffers from) a medical condition that involves using large volumes of water.

If you think you may be eligible, contact us for more information on how to apply.

We can also offer other support with your bills, depending on your circumstances. For example, you may be eligible for our Water Support scheme, which is a discount scheme to help customers afford their bills.

You will qualify if your yearly household income is:

- under £16,105 before any deductions, if you do not live in a London borough

- under £19,565 before any deductions, if you do live in a London borough

You can deduct any disability benefits from your total income. Apply for the scheme here.

Sadly, more than half the ‘bogus caller’ or ‘doorstep’ crimes in the UK are committed by criminals pretending to be from a water company, or from the 'water board' - which hasn’t existed for more than 30 years!

So, it’s important to know what you can do to check that callers are genuine before you let them in.

Always remember: 

• Make sure your back door is always locked before answering the front door
• Check to see who is at the door by looking through a window or spy hole
• If you have a door chain, put it on before you open the door
• Our staff always wear a uniform and either drive a company van with SES Water, or our supply partner Clancy Docwra, printed on the sides and at the back 
• Staff always carry an identity card with their photograph, name, logo and number
• Our staff will always be happy to wait for you to check who they are (we are happy for you to call us to double check their identity)
• You can set up a password that our staff will use when visiting you. Find out more about this and other support available through our Helping Hand Scheme
• If you are still not sure, call the police

In general, when we are installing water meters, we will not need to enter your home.

We will also liaise closely with local police, Neighbourhood Watch and other community groups, so that everyone knows where we are working and we can work together to keep everyone safe and prevent crimes.

We can also offer additional support, if you feel that would be suitable for you.

We’ve always supplied your clean water and Thames Water has always been responsible for your wastewater services - taking away and treating sewage and wastewater from your property via the sewer system.

We will be billing you directly for both of these services to offer you a more tailored customer service and provide more information about your water usage. 

We will use your meter readings to calculate your wastewater charges, with around 92 per cent of the water used in a typical home then passing into the sewer system.

Yes, our dedicated team will support you. We can help over the phone, by email or in person, from a social distance. We do not need to enter your home.

 

Just let us know if you require extra support and we’ll do the rest. Please see the contact details at the top of this page.

 

If you would rather someone else such as a trusted friend or family member set up the account on your behalf and become your nominated correspondent this can be arranged. Please contact us to do so.

Online - You can book a free, 20-minute virtual water efficiency check by completing the GetWaterFit calculator 

 

The check will provide advice on your water usage, how to fit free water saving devices as well as fixing simple leaks to toilets and taps - all without the technician needing to come into your home.

Our ‘Every Drop Counts’ booklet contains plenty of water saving tips and advice. It can be read online here.

A few of these top tips include:

There are also a whole range of free devices available to help you save water and money, which include eco shower heads, shower timers and tap aerators. A link to our free pack page can be found here.

In person - Alternatively, a representative from water efficiency specialist Cenergist will be in contact with you over the next few months. They are working in partnership with us and can arrange a visit at your convenience to discuss water saving products you could be using and the associated savings involved.