28/10/2025
Submitting your own monthly meter readings will help you get the most accurate billing and prevent you from being over- or undercharged.
If you rely on your water supplier to take your water meter reading instead, they will likely do this remotely and only once or twice a year. They may also have to provide you with an ‘estimated’ bill if they can’t obtain a reading.
In this article, we explain what issues can cause excessively high water bills and how to take your own meter reading to find out your actual water usage.
You can also find out whether you’re eligible for government help with paying your water bill in our article ‘How to apply for the WaterSure Scheme: Help paying water bills'.
Yes, drain issues such as blockages, cracks, or leaks can lead to higher water bills. Leaks increase your water usage and, therefore, bills.
Blockages can also cause higher water bills as they force your plumbing system to work harder and require more water to compensate for the obstruction. Blocked drains can also cause more significant problems if they go untreated, such as floods.
Regular drain maintenance and CCTV drain surveys can help to prevent blockages and reveal any hidden cracks or leaks.
Find expert advice on how to maintain your drains in our article ‘How to maintain your drains’.
If you receive an ‘estimated’ water bill from your water company that seems excessively high, you can submit a water meter reading within two weeks of the bill's date. Doing this will lead to an adjustment, and you’ll only pay for your ‘actual’ water usage. Otherwise, you will have to pay for the ‘estimate’ until an accurate reading can be taken.
Your water meter is usually located on the public footpath outside your house. If your water meter is outside of your house, it will often be protected under a small plastic cover.
The next place it could be is next to your internal stop tap. This stop tap might be located under your kitchen sink, in a downstairs toilet, or in an airing cupboard.
Find out more information on how to find your stop tap in our article ‘How to turn off a water supply’.
If you choose to submit your own water meter readings instead of using a smart meter, then you’ll need to submit your readings a few days before your water bill is due. You can also submit your readings around the dates of the Ofgem price cap changes to ensure your energy usage is accurate before the price changes. These happen every 1st of January, 1st of April, 1st of July and 1st of October every year.
You can submit your meter reading to your water supplier either online, using their app, or by calling them.
To take your reading, you will need to locate your water meter and note down the numbers shown. Remember to only note down the numbers before the decimal point and to ignore any numbers in red. For meters with separate day and night readings, you will need to record both.
Not sure who your water supplier is? Find out in our article, ‘How do I find out who supplies my water?’.
If you feel as though the spikes in your water bill are due to blocked or damaged pipes then the team at Lanes are here to help.
Our drain unblocking and drain repair services will get your drainage system working properly again, so you won’t have to worry about wasting water on leaks and increasing your water bills. And the best part? We’re available 24/7, 365 days a year for emergency call outs.
Contact us to discuss how we can help you to repair and maintain your drains.