Some of the more frequent questions we get asked at Castle Water relate to business water meters. In our blog series, ‘Your Questions Answered’, we aim to address the questions and queries we hear from our customers most often. We took your questions to our metering experts to produce this next blog in the series.
Can I be billed on my actual usage every month?
Most of our customers receive a bill once per year. Where your supply is metered, we use meter readings to calculate your predicted annual usage. For customers receiving an annual bill, we will review your payments every year to ensure they are reflective of your consumption. If you use a significantly large amount of water, we may be able to register you as a key account, which means you could benefit from more frequent billing. Please get in touch if you wish to discuss this further.
When will a meter reader visit my property?
Castle Water will read your meters in accordance with the market requirements for your meter. This means we will read your meter either monthly or biannually (i.e. at least once every six months). The frequency is usually determined by your meter size and consumption but can also depend on whether you have entered into a contract with Castle Water, which sometimes means we will read your meter more often. If you are not sure when to expect your next read, please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss this further.
Can I submit my own reads?
Yes – we are happy to accept customer reads in addition to our own annual reads. You can submit your own meter reads on our website. Our meter readers have also given their five top tips on finding and reading your water meter.
I've taken a meter reading and it doesn't reflect my bill - can I be re-invoiced?
We will re-evaluate your payments when issuing your new invoice. Where we have an up to date read, this will ensure your bill is as accurate as possible. When we have to use a read that is a little older, we will use the last two reads to estimate your average daily consumption. This average consumption will help us calculate the charges between your last meter read and your bill date. If you are concerned your bill doesn’t reflect your consumption, please get in touch to discuss this further. Remember to have an up to date read to hand.
My bill says estimated usage, but I send readings regularly
As most of our invoices aren’t produced on the date of your last reading, we may have to estimate a few days or weeks’ worth of charges. Therefore, our bills say ‘estimated usage’ by default. All our estimates are based on actual reads, and submitting your own meter reads will ensure there is always an up-to-date meter read for us to use when calculating your next invoice.
My bill has changed since moving to Castle Water. I thought my previous supplier was taking readings?
There may be a number of reasons your bill has changed since moving to Castle Water. Some of these are:
- More frequent reads
- Seasonal usage
- Meter installation
- Faulty meter
Previous supplier marking ‘estimate’ reads as ‘actual reads’
If you have any concerns about the consumption we have estimated for your property, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. Any reads you have taken yourself will be useful, so please have these to hand.
Useful links
Submit a meter reading – You can submit your own meter readings at any time using our online form.
Your business water meter – Find further information on your business water meter such as finding it, reading it and AMR installation.
Reporting a problem with your meter – Use this form if you need to report a problem with your meter or you require your meter to be moved.
Tips for reading your meter – We asked our meter readers to provide their top tips when it comes to taking a meter reading.
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) – Find out more on how we can help your business benefit from the convenience of AMR.
Contact Us – If you still have a query, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our customer services are available from 8 am-6 pm, Monday to Friday.
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