Water meters could create debt problems

08/12/2009

A new report has urged a major increase in the use of water meters, to encourage people to use their supply more efficiently.

An independent review for England and Wales, carried out by regulatory expert Anna Walker, found that the current system is out of date. At present, water bills are calculated based on the rateable value of a property.

However, the current cost of fitting a meter is around two hundred pounds - a hefty price for those currently without one. This is at a time when family budgets are tighter than ever.

Indeed, regulator Ofwat recently reported that applications for support through their WaterSure scheme have increased by eighty per cent over the last two years.

The watchdog works with debt advice agencies such as EuroDebt to help people manage their bills if they are struggling.

Kevin Still, director of EuroDebt said: "Income maximisation and reducing essential expenditure items are now two vital roles provided by Debt Management Companies as part of their ongoing commitment to help people get their finances back under control."

If you're looking to switch suppliers, log on to www.energyswitching.co.uk. It only takes five minutes and could save you almost two thousand pounds a year.

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