Popular financial expert Martin Lewis has issued practical cash-saving advice to households with three or more bedrooms, insisting they could pocket as much as £500 a year. Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live Podcast with Adrian Chiles, the ITV star introduced what he called the “three-bedroom rule.” Lewis explained that if you live in England or Wales, you should consider whether a water meter is financially worthwhile by comparing the number of bedrooms in your home to the number of residents.
“Here’s Martin’s rule of thumb: if there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.” According to Lewis, many water companies base their assessed charges on the number of bedrooms rather than the actual number of occupants. This means that households with extra bedrooms might be paying a premium regardless of their lower water consumption. Instead of sticking with a flat, standard fee, installing a water meter can potentially lead to substantial savings.
The advice has already resonated with many consumers. One MSE reader told the site: “My last water bill had risen to £1,600 a year – I took your advice, had a meter installed, and now pay just over £250 annually, saving over £1,000 a year without changing the way I use water. Why didn’t I get one before? Especially as I am now on my own”, reported Yahoo.
Another reader shared a similar experience, stating, “They said they’d put me on an assessed household charge and my bill would go from £567 to £370 and I’d remain unmetered. Almost a £200 saving!” A third reader added, “I have been switched from a WaterSure tariff to the Extra Lite [social] tariff which has taken my bill down to £9 a month instead of £38 a month, and I have a rebate of £190.94 as they backdated it. Thank you so much for highlighting this.”
Lewis stressed that if your house contains fewer residents than the number of bedrooms, you are likely overpaying on your water bill. He urged homeowners to seriously consider having a water meter installed rather than simply accepting the standard annual fee. By switching to metered billing, households not only gain more control over their expenses but also contribute to a fairer billing system that better reflects individual usage.
Martin Lewis’s straightforward advice is part of his broader mission to help consumers identify and eliminate unnecessary expenses. His “three-bedroom rule” serves as a simple yet effective method for many households to reassess their water bills, ensuring that they are not paying for more than they use. With potential savings reaching hundreds of pounds a year, Lewis’s cash-saving tip is a timely reminder for consumers to regularly review their bills and challenge outdated billing practices in today’s economy.
