Can you have a water meter removed?

Once a water meter is installed, it cannot be removed. Water meters are the property of the water company, and the law prohibits tampering with or removing them. This applies even if you move into a property that already has a meter; there is no legal option to request its removal in these cases.

The only exception is if you originally requested the meter yourself. In most cases, there is a limited period, usually around two years, during which you can revert to unmetered billing. After this period, the water company may allow the meter to be relocated if its position is inconvenient, though this could involve a fee. Otherwise, the most practical way to manage costs is to reduce water use, which can help lower your charges under a meter.

Meters installed as part of universal metering programmes cannot be removed.