Martin Lewis fan explains how they got £950 refund - see if you're due cash back

19 February 2023 , 07:00

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The latest edition of the Money Saving Expert (MSE) newsletter shared the story of Sophie who was the team's "success of the week" (Image: PA)

One Martin Lewis fan has shared how the MoneySavingExpert (MSE) advice helped her receive a £950 refund she didn't know was entitled to.

The latest edition of the MSE newsletter shared the story of Sophie who was the team's "success of the week".

Sophie had written to the MSE team sharing that she had read the previous week's note about water bill hikes coming this April.

Water UK, the trade body for water companies, has just announced that from April the average water bill will increase by 7.5% in England and Wales, and by 5% in Scotland.

To get your bills cheaper, you could see if having a water meter installed will help keep costs down.

Martin Lewis issues 8-week warning to phone users ahead of huge price hikes

The Money Saving Team advised people who had been told they couldn't have a water meter installed to ask for an "assessed charged bill"

This works out how much you'd likely pay if you were on a meter.

This can be a lot higher than what you're paying now, but sometimes it can be a lot less, and if it is, Martin Lewis' advice is to switch over to it.

Sophie was going to follow this advice as she didn't know about the "assessed charge" however, this was when she found out there was a mistake with her water bill.

She wrote: "We can't have a water meter, but I didn't know about the assessed charge.

"After contacting my water company, it discovered a mistake in the numbers used on our bill, which has now been reduced.

"It also means we're getting a backdated refund of £950 on previous miscalculated bills. Thanks for all of your tips!"

Water meters can help you reduce your water bill as you only pay for the water you use, rather than a fixed price.

Water meters often help if there are not many people using water in your home, so if you live alone, in a couple or have a small family. Bigger households tend to pay more on a water meter.

The best way to find out if it is right for you is to use a water meter calculator, which can be easily found online.

Martin Lewis urges everyone with a mobile phone to send two texts to cut bills

You will then need to share who is your water company and details about your water usage such as how many people are in your household, the number of baths and showers you have a week, and how many times the toilet is flushed a day.

You will also have to detail how many times you use the washing machine and dishwasher if you have one, and how long you use the garden hose per year.

After sharing this it will calculate and tell you the right option for you.

You should also be aware that if you voluntarily go onto a water meter, with most firms, you've got two years to change your mind and go back so if it doesn't work for you, don't worry.

Ruby Flanagan