If your property was built before April 1989 and a water meter has not been fitted at your property you will be billed based on the rateable value (RV) of your property.
Your charges will be made up of several elements.

1. Water supply.
This is the price of providing clean drinkable water to your property. It is calculated by multiplying the rateable value of your property by the price per rateable value that your water company charges for supplying clean water.
Sometimes there is a minimum fee.

2. Sewerage and surface water.
What goes in must come out.
This charge is calculated by multiplying the rateable value of your property by the price per rateable value that your water company charges for removing your used water.
If you are being billed for Surface water drainage it will be included in your used water charges.

3.Rateable value.
This is the Rateable value of your property in £’s. This was set by the District Valuation Officer prior to 1990 and cannot be changed, it was based on the size of the property, number of rooms, location and amenities available.

4.Pence per RV.
This is the amount that your water company charges for each service. Both Water supply and used water will have separate pence per Rateable value.

5.Balance brought forward.
This is any outstanding amount carried forward from your last bill, for any shortfall in payments made that has not been covered by any payment plan you have had.

6.Payments and/or adjustments made since your last bill.
This is any payments you have made on your account since your last bill or any credits or amendments made.

7.Total Payable.
This is the total amount payable for your current bill after all amendments, or what you need to have a payment plan setup to cover.

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Rateable value

So what is rateable value?
Every property was given a rateable value in 1989 by district valuers from your local authority
They looked at the size of your property, the amount of bedrooms it has, the available floor space and the available amenities in your local area. They used this data to come up with an individual rateable value for your property.
Your property's rateable value is a fixed rate and cannot be altered. If you are unhappy being billed on the rateable value of your property all you can do is have a water meter fitted.

Surface water drainage

So what is surface water drainage?
Simply put, any water that drains from the surfaces of your property into the local sewer, for example rain water.
If you can show that no surface water from your property drains into the public sewer (either directly or indirectly) you should be able to pay a lower charge.
The way that water companies check this is to pour coloured water into the drains on your property and see if it travels to the public sewer.
If you believe that your rainwater drains are not connected to the sewer system contact your water supplier and advise them.