Electricity Bills

Post by **Richard** » 21 Sep 2007, 23:48

Has anyone had experience with challenging the Bill as per read from the Meter.

As in - 'There's no way my Bill has come to that' ?

If so, what are the outcomes?

I've done it and got a reduction after telling them what I actually use.

The strange thing was that the Meter Lady came and actually said "we seem to have got a more realistic figure this time"?
I know she didn't mis-read last time as I checked!

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 22 Sep 2007, 09:42

no, but i want to know more, i struggle to pay my gas and electric as theyre always changing my direct debit amounts and theyre going up and up and up all the time! ive phoned the company and questioned stuff but after an hour of being on the phone and 5 mins of chat (with another human being) i start to loose the will to live!

you mind me asking what happened with you richard!!

good time to bring it up what with the cold nights drawing in!

kat xx

PK · Post by PK » 22 Sep 2007, 16:41

We manage our gas and electricity accounts online. Every 90 days I get an e-mail reminder and then I submit the readings myself. The bill gets automatically adjusted. When I thought I had too much in credit I got the monthly direct debit reduced.

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 22 Sep 2007, 16:57

I have a letter every 3 months informing me that my duel fuel DD is going up.
This time I am in credit by Â£95, they wanted to increase it by Â£16 per month.
I promptly phone them and say I am moving to another supplier - they then back off and tell me they will leave it as it is

ged · Post by **ged** » 22 Sep 2007, 22:30

:mrgreen:

Hi there,
my last quarter bill was for a staggering Â£46!this is Â£7 dearer than the last quarter as I have been doing laundry at 30 degrees instead of coldwash.My gas bill was for Â£5!In the winter I use my tea lights and oil lamp more.My house is DG and wall and loft insulated,it has to be about50f before I light me stove!(perhaps thats why my wife left?)
atb
ged the frugal in the not so frozen north! )t'

Post by **Richard** » 22 Sep 2007, 23:04

Blimey Ged !!!

Good on you mate!

heebiejeebie · Post by **heebiejeebie** » 23 Sep 2007, 08:12

I had trouble with my current (haha) supplier after changing from British Gas. The estimated readings they used were far too high and they wouldn't accept my readings beacuse my readings were less than what they thought was the start reading... the actual meter readings I gave at the switchover had been lost by either British Gas or my present supplier. The two companies blamed each other and kept asking me for money until I got in touch with energywatch, who sorted it all out.

Then I found out that the real reason my bills were so high was that the previous owner of my house had the electric water heater on a time switch to go on overnight. Now I've found it and switched it off my bills should be less!

(For three years I thought the time switch was for the security light - for some insane reason the security light is wired into the electrics for the water heater).

PK · Post by PK » 23 Sep 2007, 10:00

Then I found out that the real reason my bills were so high was that the previous owner of my house had the electric water heater on a time switch to go on overnight.

Yikes! What are you going to do with all that extra mony? :wink:

heebiejeebie · Post by **heebiejeebie** » 30 Sep 2007, 03:52

hmmm... save up so I can go part time sooner?

lancashire lass · Post by **lancashire lass** » 01 Oct 2007, 10:24

Hi heebiejeebie - I had the exact problem when I switched suppliers. When the bills arrived I immediately contacted both companies, and they each blamed the other, but I still kept getting demands for payment! I tried everything from politeness to downright sarcasm that there was no way my fuel consumption could have increased 100 fold unless I was providing for the whole neighbourhood. However, they totally ignored my letters and it started to get quite nasty when I was even being threatened with court action (the next stage of non-payment) In the end I wrote final but firm letters to both companies, with copies of their bills and a photograph of my actual meters (with their dated letters in the frame) and told them to sort it out or I would take it to Watchdog or whatever. Miraculously the bills were adjusted, but did I get an apology for the aggro? No chance.

Emma · Post by **Emma** » 01 Oct 2007, 12:03

We're with British Gas for gas and electricity. We pay by direct debit, and it's honestly a pleasant thing when the bills appear, as we know they're too high and we'll be getting a nice refund soon. We see a meter reader once in a blue moon, so they estimate our bills. We then go to the website and put in our actual useage and a week or so later there's usually a nice gift in the bank.

If we weren't working online and by direct debit I'm sure it would be a hassle, but as it easy we pay alittle a month and get at least a third back in a lump sum every now and then.

No such luck with the telephone bills though!

heebiejeebie · Post by **heebiejeebie** » 01 Oct 2007, 18:40

Now I do pay my phone bill by DD and I get some back every now and then!

paxo · Post by **paxo** » 22 Nov 2007, 12:12

i know this is a bit late but just noticed the thread if anybody has any queries about the gumming of bills for gas and leccy i can help worked in powergen billing call centre for quite a while x

New to all this · Post by **New to all this** » 22 Nov 2007, 15:15

Powergen - the thorn in my side. We moved house in February and the meters are locked - phoned powergen - who promised to send some keys - never arrived. Asked for someone to come and read the meters - never arrived. Second request for keys - at last arrived (by now it was april). Took readings and informed Powergen. Got sent a bill for Â£470!! Previous owners hadnt taken a reading when they left and hadnt paid previous bills!! I had no proof of how much elec and gas we had used and was forced to pay this. - under threat of being cut off, court summons etc... very unhappy powergen customer.
The previous owners had also not paid their water bills, car insurance, we had loads of letters and knocks on the door for them!! This was a deputy head teacher as well that we had bought the house off. Probably earning around 40-50 grand a year!!! Tkaes all sorts!

Post by Mo » 22 Nov 2007, 16:56

I would have thought that now you have established a pattern of use you can challenge that bill again, and complain to Ombudsman or someone if they won't make a refund. it was their fault they hadn't taken a reading earlier.