The residents of Shanklin Road, Brighton, have been aware for sometime now that Southern Water intends to install water meters in the street.

The road is predominantly made up of two blocks of two-bedroom flats which share a joint feed that supplies both blocks.

In my case, the pipe that supplies myself and the flat above me runs through my property and then does a dog- leg in my bathroom up into the flat above.

I pay £328 a year to Southern Water in monthly instalments, as do the several neighbours I spoke to last week.

This calculation was based on an assessment made by Southern Water, presumably.

I then returned home from work to find a calling card from Southern Water asking me to call and set up an appointment.

I duly complied as I was curious as to how they could make metering workable when there is only a single feed.

I also wanted to know how much my bill would go up if a meter was installed.

I currently pay £27.36 a month and was informed that if metered I would be paying about £46 a month.

When I explained the single feed issue I was informed that metering may not be possible.

One would think if this was the case then the current payment arrangement would remain in place.

Apparently not: if metering is not possible, “you will be charged at an assessed rate”.

Apparently this “assessed rate” will increase my monthly payments to £35.57.

Surely, haven’t I been paying an assessed rate for the past eight years?

I asked how this was assessed and was informed it was based on the number of bedrooms and that for a single adult a discount would be available.

“What about my neighbour?” I asked – a single mum with two children, one of whom is 18 and in full-time education. Does she qualify for a discount? No, at 18 you’re an adult, I was told.

This price rise will have a negative affect on my local community, already struggling with rocketing costs.

Call it what it is, Southern Water: a price hike of over 20%.

Charlotte Holland, Shanklin Road, Brighton