Need help to reduce bill urgently

[worriedabouthealth]

We are having massive issues with our electric bill. I’m stressed and upset as have tried to reduce it to no avail

It was too high but kept creeping up so we started to make changes and tbh we weren’t using tons anyway.
We accepted a smart meter to try and help
I thought the tumble dryer was a problem so we got a double washing line and 2 airers but still the bill went up

We made sure we turned off all lights etc.
Checked how energy efficient appliances were
Got different light bulbs to be better

Still the bill went up.

In desperation we decided last October to switch as found out we were on an expensive standard tariff and not allowed to switch so we decided to change suppliers.
We have been blocked at every turn it was meant to switch in early Dec but the company kept saying they weren’t aware we wanted to switch (they were as wrote to us ‘sorry you’re thinking of leaving us’??? )

The bills kept going up and the smart meter no matter what changes we made wasn’t showing less. Then it was showing more ???
We were living in darkness it was ridiculous

FINALLY after lying what we thought was the final bill we switched this week and having been carrying on our efforts so hopefully it will help BUT

We got another final bill for an astronomical amount from old supplier. The letter stated ‘tariff change in 4 Dec’ and they’d put us in an even more expensive one ???
It also said the bill was estimated ?

I called them and they denied both saying it’s not estimated (why does it say that ?) and they haven’t changed any tariff (again why does it say that ?)

I don’t know to do I’m worried we aren’t doing enough to save energy but I’m turning everything off at night and I’m the day I’m here and it’s dark and I’m not using anything I even use a flask and make one lot of tea in the morning so not boiling kettle a lot etc

I dont see how they could change the tariff to a more expensive one as we were switching they said I was mistaken it was just a price change

I’m so angry. They won’t accept there’s anything wrong I don’t know who can help
Plus I don’t know if there’s anything else I can do to reduce the electric usage and I’d really appreciate some help
Thankyou

I don't know if this helps ( crosses fingers that clicky link works.).

www.gov.uk/guidance/electricity-meter-accuracy-disputes

That's crazy, there's definitely something wrong. We're in a 4 bed detached, someone's always in so always using gas/electric and pay £170 pm combined.

Can you get some kind of engineer/electrician round to check things out? Might be cheaper in the long run than paying these bills.

Contact ofgen

We live in a four bed (one in arctic) house

Well if one of your bedrooms in in the arctic, you should expect your bills to be high .

ACautionaryTale that would make sense if the OP was on just electric. But I don't see how her electricity usage would increase that much in winter apart from lights? She uses gas for heating and hot water.

I’m wondering if an electrician might be a good step, to check things out?

Any chance you have a back up immersion heater that’s been left switched on permanently? We had this in a rental property - we had no idea there even was an immersion heater, it was all behind a panel we couldn’t access and it was permanently turned on. Cost a bloody fortune until a plumber came to fix something and discovered it.

Advice from CAB about checking your meter.

I’ll try and look it up

Have you tried a price compassion site for suppliers? I went with the coop but they have changed the name to something different. Try when boiling the kettle only putting enough water in for that tea or coffee, do not use the tumble drier, if you have an electric cooker change it to gas because they are dearer to run, always make sure plug sockets are off when not being used. Make sure when you put the washer on you put it on the quickest setting, small changes like this help.

Firstly, have you actually checked the meter readings??

Secondly, contact ofgem and let them sort it out. ... there’s a step by step procedure to follow.

Definitely get your meter checked, I’m not sure who does this but it should be easily found online.

Your usage can’t be as high as they’re saying.

@T0tallyFuckedUpFamily - your bill of £400 a month also seems high to me, even with various appliances working hard. Lights use very little power, especially low energy bulbs and washing machines are much more energy efficient than they used to be. Fridges barely tick over once they're cold. Heavy electrical usage comes from ovens on really high, kettles for a short time, toasters also. TVs on standby consume more than you might think but no more than a PC monitor. I appreciate the points you make but it does seem extortionate. I wonder how your tariff compares to other in the market?

There are various charities and legal.services that will help you free of charge to sort out these issues. Have a Google for energy watchdog charities

I'd go to the ombudsman/trading standards to be honest, and tell bg that and that you aren't paying a penny until you hear back.

hi, re the tapping..... the neighbour had vacated the property and it was being used as a cannabis farm. She only found out through the police

Apparently up to 3 million people are affected by energy theft!!

^What do I do if I suspect my neighbour is stealing my electricity or gas, or that my meter has been tampered with?

It’s important to alert the relevant authorities because energy theft can make meters unsafe. You can get the ball rolling by:

Submitting an anonymous tip-off online, via the stayenergysafe website or call stayenergysafe on 0800 023 2777 – you are guaranteed 100% anonymity. Once a report has been made, the relevant energy supplier will be notified. The meter will then be inspected and removed, or exchanged if a problem is found
Contacting your energy supplier directly, to report the issue
Calling the UK Revenue Protection Association (UKRPA) on 0207 090 1070 or completing their online fraud report form
Calling the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 040506.^

Quick check - flip the circuit breaker and see if the meter still runs.

When we did the switch process we had to put our usage in to get an accurate quote and they were all much lower

I’ve just checked and for the period 31 Oct-9 jan it was 2669 kWH
I’m not sure what that means tbh I think it’s quite high I will look at the other amounts

We had problems with our water. It was only resolved by writing a letter, on paper to the Managing Director, you can find details online

Suggest you write it all down, in bullet point fashion so you have everything clearly detailed - dates/conversations etc. So they can see it all easily. As someone else said contact Ofgen. Make sure you use 'official language' in the letter so the supplier knows you're being serious and outline what your next steps are going to be if you don't get a proper response from them. It's not about threatening them, but about being clear you are disputing the bill.

It does sound like an issue with the smart meter. Ask for it to be checked as a matter of urgency.

One of the first things we checked was the immersion heater it is always off

Thank you, msmith, I must admit I am probably rather wasteful and do need to be more aware. It’s difficult when I’m usually running around like a headless chicken. 😁 I’m in NI so I’m not sure how tarries compare to the uk.

Don't talk to the neighbours in case it is them.

The problem of high usage was there before the smart meter was installed so isn't it unlikely to be that?

We did get new neighbours about 18 months ago who had a huge amount of work done and that would coincide with our bills suddenly increasing no matter what we did

That seems a remarkable coincidence.

NPower twice sent my elderly ill mam bills for over £2000 a quarter for electricity in a two bedroom flat. The second bill was close to £4000. They could not see that it was simply ridiculous. My mam was registered blind and was almost totally deaf- they expected her to telephone them. I dealt with them. They lied, were evasive, made the most astonishing excuses, never kept a promise. They actually told me they had no one who could read a meter! Then they told me she would not let them in her flat to read the meter- which was outside in a central meter block and they did not need access to the flat.

It took a year to sort out and in the end, when I said I had kept every email, letter and a record of every call and I was going to the ombudsman, they agreed with every point I made, wiped out both bills completely, plus the last year of her electricity and compensated her £300. By then she was dead.

Write a timeline of everything, collect every bit of evidence you have and tell them you will take this to the ombudsman.

Like PPs say I'd check the immersion heater is switched off. Look where your hot water tank is and follow the wire from the immersion and there should be a switch on the wall, make sure that's off. Example pic attached, the immersion is the black thing on top of the tank, and in this example the switch is on the wall on the left.