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Original poster

Electric bill problem, I think I owe £15k :o

407 replies

electricbills · 05/04/2022 10:56

This is not a begging thread before anyone piles on. But I am in a flap over discovering the above.

I've had some health issues, plus building works at home which combined together meant I've not been able to read my meter for a few years as it's in an awkward spot. I can't remember the last time either I gave a reading or anyone came out.

I can now access the meter and with all the stuff about electric prices rising I thought I should start with a clean slate. I couldn't access any of the previous readings online but submitted my figure of 31460.

I've since had a bill (obviously generated before my reading) and according to this my last estimate was 52440. I can't access any bills or readings online further back than 12 months and I don't get paper bills haven't for years.

So by my rough calculations based on kwh of I think 21p, I owe about 15k. My usual bills are about £300-400 per quarter. I feel sick.

I can just about pay it if I completely empty my savings and sell some stuff. But it's such a huge amount of money. I couldn't pay it in one go.

What do I do now?

OP posts:
ovenchips · 07/04/2022 07:00

@electricbills You can seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) who can work with you and your energy supplier to figure it out. The CAB staff who deal with energy are highly trained and knowledgable. If it were me, I would contact them.

Shell4429 · 07/04/2022 08:08

OP why aren’t you understanding that the difference between the estimated usage and the actual usage is NOT a debt, it’s a credit! They OWE you money, not the other way round! Take photos of the reading and ask for your money back. I repeat, you DO NOT owe them money, THEY OWE YOU money.

Gardengirl108 · 07/04/2022 08:08

Assuming you’ve paid the bills via your bank - take a look at your statements to determine what you’ve paid in total to them. Then contact energy company to find out what you actually owe. Agree that if your reading is less than their estimate you don’t owe them. Have you had a new meter installed at any point?

ReadyToMoveIt · 07/04/2022 08:48

@Shell4429

OP why aren’t you understanding that the difference between the estimated usage and the actual usage is NOT a debt, it’s a credit! They OWE you money, not the other way round! Take photos of the reading and ask for your money back. I repeat, you DO NOT owe them money, THEY OWE YOU money.
She does understand that. She is concerned that the meter has gone all the way around and restarted from zero, and therefore that her actual usage is higher than her estimated usage. People have explained that that’s very unlikely and she’s taken that on board, however is struggling to speak to anyone to get an updated bill.
blondiepigtails · 07/04/2022 09:22

My all electric 4 bed holiday cottage was only costing £180 per month (obviously not any more). My visitors have absolutely no qualms abou5 ramping up the heating and leaving the lights on. I struggle to believe that you have used the amount of electric that you fear. Your electric company will have to prove you’ve been round the clock -surely?

MrsPetty · 07/04/2022 10:37

OP we need closure! Is it a credit or a debt? I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you …

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 07/04/2022 10:38

Try the online chat if you can't get through on the phone. They can often help or arrange for someone to call you.

Original poster
electricbills · 07/04/2022 11:05

Hi all, an update but not much of one, I spoke to someone and said I'd submitted a reading and had a query about it/ the bill; when I said I'd not received the revised bill they said there wasn't anything they could do without that as there was nothing on my account. They suggested waiting another 7 days or so for a revised bill. Apparently as a LOT of people sent in meter readings in the last few days of March it's going to take slightly longer than normal for the revised bills to come out. That's what I was told anyway.

Once I get the revised bill I promise I'll update again.

OP posts:
Harmonypuss · 07/04/2022 11:05

I wish you all the luck in the world with trying to get them to pay you back for all that overpaid cash.
I'm disabled, can't get to my gas meter and for several years have had a neighbour check it for me, until last June when my son was here and read the meter for me. The reading was about 600 units LOWER than what I'd been submitting to my utility companies over the years.
I spoke to my neighbour's wife and said that there been mis-reporting of readings based on what he husband had told me and she apologies, saying that he's dyslexic.
I immediately contacted the utility company and explained the situation, provided oddities of the meter reading and serial number etc and they said they would investigate and arrange for everything to be put right.
Since then, I've been paying for my gas based on usage from that day's reading but the company had told me that my original readings stand and there is no overpayment due.
I've tried the ombudsman but because this goes back over several years, they've agreed with the utility companies, so I'm left out of pocket.

Harmonypuss · 07/04/2022 11:11

Blooming predictive text, I need to learn to read what I've typed before submitting. Second and third paragraphs SHOULD read as ...
I spoke to my neighbour's wife and said that there had been mis-reporting of readings based on what her husband had told me and she apologised, saying that he's dyslexic.
I immediately contacted the utility company and explained the situation, provided photos of the meter reading and serial number etc and they said they would investigate and arrange for everything to be put right.

AmandaStaveleysBlackNWhiteArmy · 07/04/2022 11:33

I’m invested in this thread now. Hope you get a nice windfall OP!

LakieLady · 07/04/2022 14:11

If you couldn't get to the meter you should have rung them to ask for a visit.

Good luck with that.

My meters are in a small cupboard that's only about 3' high, and the door to it is behind a sofa (there are only 2 walls that are long enough to accommodate a sofa, and 2 sofas!).

When meter readers used to come, a lot of them refused to move the sofa so they could get to the meter, and insisted I do it. It's bloody heavy, and my back etc are too bad to do it now. Then they'd moan about getting on their hands and knees to read the meter.

Several of them have told me that they're not obliged to read meters that they can't get to easily or that involve moving stuff. It's one of the reasons I got a Smart meter, so I don't have to have the miserable gits coming round and moaning.

Vynalbob · 07/04/2022 14:17

They owe you. Tell them this is the first time you've been able to give a reading (in X months) for (reason) and you seem to owe me £4k, how do you go about rebating me. Oh but 1st take clear photographs of all pages on the meter (with today's newspaper above the meter showing the date).
Do not -

Mention you're worried you are in debt (I don't think you are and it will do no good)

If they query it offer to send them the photographs you've taken/make an appointment for a meter reader to come out. If they are not helpful ask for your history (over the whole time your unsure +12 months).

Don't worry I think you are okay but if I am wrong (unlikely🙄☺️) negotiate a payment schedule you can live with (start too low as they will haggle you up) make sure it's noted as an error not a bad debt. If still concerned phone CAB. Good luck 🍀

mcdog · 07/04/2022 15:48

Blimey, this is dragging on. I'm not sure I would be able to sleep with worrying about it!!!

Jobear2797 · 07/04/2022 16:06

Like everyone else is saying if on your last bill their estimate was that your meter read 52440 but when you read it it was lower 31460 then they owe you money and absolutely will refund you if you ask them to. If they owe as much as it sounds like they might I’d start looking at holiday brochures!!!! You have paid for 52440 units of electricity everytime you paid by direct debit, that is if you kept your account up to date, when you ring in the true meter reading you will be sent a new bill showing how much you are in credit and obviously if you are over a hundred in credit especially as the winter is supposed to be over everything above that you can ask for back and theyvHAVE to pay it. Good luck and I really hope you find that you don’t owe anything but they owe you. Xxx

sophienelisse · 07/04/2022 19:22

Op have you gotten in touch with them yet? We are all waiting to see how much you get back!

sophienelisse · 07/04/2022 19:23

She's had £15k back she's on a cruise round the med. she's giving no fucks right now. Wink

AwkwardPaws27 · 07/04/2022 19:38

@sophienelisse

She's had £15k back she's on a cruise round the med. she's giving no fucks right now. Wink
Honestly OP could be doing exactly that and there'd still be comments from people convinced their sage advice to call the energy company hasn't been mentioned by anyone else in the last 13 pages Grin
mumoftinyterrors · 08/04/2022 08:14

Came here expecting someone else to have had an extortionate bill for their electricity and been left disappointed that OP will actually be due money back 😝

I'm actually jealous as our bill is 4K for 4 months usage 🤦🏼‍♀️

AwkwardPaws27 · 08/04/2022 10:52

@mumoftinyterrors

Came here expecting someone else to have had an extortionate bill for their electricity and been left disappointed that OP will actually be due money back 😝

I'm actually jealous as our bill is 4K for 4 months usage 🤦🏼‍♀️

That is incredibly high. Is that domestic usage? Have you tried turning off your appliances and switching them on one by one to see if one is faulty & using far more electricity than usual?
mumoftinyterrors · 08/04/2022 13:11

@AwkwardPaws27

It was the faulty air source heat pump that caused the high bills.

AwkwardPaws27 · 08/04/2022 13:21

[quote mumoftinyterrors]@AwkwardPaws27

It was the faulty air source heat pump that caused the high bills. [/quote]
Oh no. Sorry to hear you've been hit with such a big bill, but glad you've been able to find the source!

Crosswire · 09/04/2022 17:58

Hi.
You state your last known meter reading was 31460
You then state your last estimate is 52440
This means you have used 20980 kWh of electricity.
At 21p this equates to £4,405 plus any standing charges per day.
However, you state that you have been paying £400/qtr which is £1,600/yr
If you can provide an up to date reading, we can work it out.
How long over which period is this? In years?
If you have overpaid you will get a refund, if you have inderpaid make an arrangement and add £whatyoucanafford or say £50/month they wont refuse, although they will try, just stick to your guns and pay what you can afford.

dementedpixie · 09/04/2022 18:07

@Crosswire the estimate of 52440 was not after the 31460 reading. The estimate is far above the actual reading and OP hasn't even reached 52440. Her bill needs to be recalculated with the correct lower reading.

Booboobagins · 10/04/2022 09:04

OP I think you're in for a windfall!

I used to work in the sector -

An estimated reading is just that. It is not a real reading.

Your reading is the real reading. You have overpaid for energy for many years and the elect supplier needs to give you that money back.

Call them. Sounds like you could be taking a nice holiday with tge cash you'll get back. X

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