What to do Electricity bill could be £10,000?

[floridapalmtree]

I have read the meter and think we are over 30,000 kw's over. I have been asked for a meter reading and think it's going to come to around £10,000. What do I do give them an accurate reading now? Or wait a year or so to give the correct reading hoping prices will come down?

The reason it is so much over is my mil was living here and had electric radiators on all day in her room and didn't care about the cost as long as she was warm. Plus there is a problem with the boiler and we have had the emersion heater on often continuously to heat water.

I just don't know what to do, any advice?

I suggest your reading the meter wrong!

Wow. I can’t believe you couldn’t be bothered to read the meter for so long when you knew you had a problem with your electricity usage. Try to sort it now obviously - don’t compound the problem by lying or waiting for someone to visit to read it for you. Also - has anyone bothered to read the gas meter? If you have a problem with your boiler, so have been using an immersion heater and electric radiators instead, then surely you have saved money on your gas? Or did you miraculously remember to do proper readings for that? Or are you not on mains gas?

Have a look here hun .
www.switchcraft.co.uk/energy/energy-back-billing/

Oh and forgot , If you get any universal credit you should consider fuel direct
www.gov.uk/bills-benefits

@CastleCrasher

How long a period are you talking about, it must be years? I believe there's a limit as to how far back they can charge you (which is part of the train they're supposed to organise regular readings)

I received a letter saying I was getting something like £1.60 back from my supplier as they had accidentally charged for longer then a year back (no idea how this is possible as we pay monthly and have been in credit 🤷‍♀️) and can’t legally charge longer back.

Of you've used it, then you've used it.

Get a smart meter.

Curious as to how so many people on this forum know how much a cannabis grow costs in electricity 😂😂😂

Unplug everything and start saving…

But in all seriousness, it’s probably a mis-read. Perhaps have it read professionally…

But then again, those heaters and the immersion are pretty gnarly bits of kit to have running all the time…

Google ‘back billing rules’. These rules are in your favour. You can not be newly billed for energy used more than 12 months ago. It is the suppliers responsibility to use accurate meter readings (not yours), so unless you obstructed them from reading your meter they can only bill you for the last 12 months.

My electricity and gas accounts are online. This gives me the facility to read my meters and immediately I submit the readings, SSE tell me how much to pay. So, I can throw money at the bills and keep on top of things. Which I do. I'm on the standard variable tariff for both gas and electricity which is by far the cheapest option and I'm not ducked in to paying a direct debit they think I should pay - its money in their accounts not mine - so I pay when I'm good and ready. Direct debits are the devil's work - utility companies get your money even if you're in credit and don't like giving a rebate when you're entitled to it. My parents were the 'pay the bills on time' and the no debt generation so I thank them for that. I'll pay the utility robber highwaymen at my convenience and not before though.

But in all seriousness, it’s probably a mis-read. Perhaps have it read professionally…

Honestly its not rocket science you don't need someone to come and read it. If its a dial meter there are arrows to show which way the dials turn and you read the number the pointer hs passed not the one its on its way to. If its digital you literally just read the numbers. You don't read any numbers after the decimal point or in red.

@ArchibaldsDaddy

Unplug everything and start saving…

But in all seriousness, it’s probably a mis-read. Perhaps have it read professionally…

But then again, those heaters and the immersion are pretty gnarly bits of kit to have running all the time…

How do you misread a meter? I'm sure the OP would have mentioned if she doesn't know numbers Not meaning to be funny but you don't need a professional to read a meter

You need to stop having your immersion on all day first of all.
Delaying it a year is not going to solve the problem either. Contact gone provider ASAP. They might put you on a prepay meter if you are unable to pay the debt. Also get your boiler sorted ASAP so that you can stop using the immersion.
Could YOUR MIL pay towards the bill she helped rack up? Do you not have CH?

@Walkaround

Wow. I can’t believe you couldn’t be bothered to read the meter for so long when you knew you had a problem with your electricity usage. Try to sort it now obviously - don’t compound the problem by lying or waiting for someone to visit to read it for you. Also - has anyone bothered to read the gas meter? If you have a problem with your boiler, so have been using an immersion heater and electric radiators instead, then surely you have saved money on your gas? Or did you miraculously remember to do proper readings for that? Or are you not on mains gas?

I'm amazed the provider hasn't sent someone round if they haven't had a reading in quite a while

No don't lie because their is a possibility it will not come down only up and I mean three times the price. Get you meter checked if you do owe alot, fingers crossed your reading it wrong

The energy company will send an estimated bill if you don't give them a reading.
They're not daft and will bill you for the use at the time. Don't forget, prices will go up again in October so don't try to play games and give them fictitious readings. You can be sure you will be found out.

@DefaultParent

You can't have an emersion on all the time OP unless you can afford bigger bills. We used to boost ours for baths/showers when needed once or twice a day.

I don’t think I have an emersion heater but checking the wiring cupboard upstairs, there are two switches that are on: on socket says ‘central heating’ and the other one is blank (don’t know what it is for). My property has a boiler downstairs in the cupboard. Should the two switches upstairs be switched off? Thanks.

By missing the decimals out; by transposing a digit, by misreading a number on the turn…etc, etc, etc…

Have you not met the public and witnessed their bat-shittery?

Is it gas or electricity bill?
Give me your FIRST ACTUAL reading (before all the estimated ones) OR if you haven't got one then the earliest ESTIMATED reading PLUS the last actual reading.
I'll need the price per kWh and daily standing charge as they appear on your bill (usually shown before VAT added)
If your charges have altered during the 2 years I will need to know the previous price per kWh and standing charge and dates those prices started and changed eg: from 01/01/20 to 06/08/21.
I can then give you your exact bill.

Let me know what the

I also need a photo of your meter...assuming it's a digital meter.

In future, give monthly readings.

Just don't use any more electricity till 2032. Sorted

We have immersion only for hot water as our old boiler decided it would only head the rads and not the water - my husband tells me it’s better to leave immersion on 24/7 as it then only heats up when the thermostat drops below a certain temp whereas turning it on and off means that heating from cold can actually be pricier. I don’t know what’s true or not. Any ideas?

Illegal to give incorrect readings.

@takethegirloutofwales

We have immersion only for hot water as our old boiler decided it would only head the rads and not the water - my husband tells me it’s better to leave immersion on 24/7 as it then only heats up when the thermostat drops below a certain temp whereas turning it on and off means that heating from cold can actually be pricier. I don’t know what’s true or not. Any ideas?

I’m sorry but I don’t agree with him. Look up online how much it costs to use an immersion heater there are various sites that will tell you based on size of water tank etc.