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

[electricbills]

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?

Embarrassing isn’t it! People are so strange

Any way
If you haven't received an accurate gas or electricity bill for over a year, you might not have to pay for all the energy you've used. Under 'back billing' rules, your supplier cannot send you a bill for energy you used more than 12 months ago.

Hi op. Has this been resolved yet. X

Maybe they are busy but they should still be keeping you updated. I'd escalate this to the ombudsman if you don't hear back in another week.

30 days I believe so she’s more than waited enough time.

EDF responds to queries about bills in record time, as does Thames Water both over the phone and on Twitter DMs if you prefer.

I'm talking about amending bills right away or at least within 24 hours.

Following for the update

No, still not resolved.

I was told last week they needed a photo of my meter serial number (wtf!) I've sent that to about 3 different email addresses now. It's beyond a joke.

Go to the ombudsman. Stop being passive.

It's eight weeks and a minimum of three contacts.

www.ombudsman-services.org/how-it-works/process

Would definitely be doing this OP!

As well as cancelling the direct debit. They'll soon tell you where you stand. And they can take your future bills out of your credit. That's what Bulb are doing with us now after demanding an increase in dd to £300 a month in February and March and then saying we're paying too much.

No direct debit involved so nothing to cancek.

Finally had a response to my email. It's not the serial number they want but a photo of the meter showing the reading. I'd specifically queried this before and was told only the serial no!

I have sent one somewhat under sufferance but pointed out that in the time they've wasted, they could have sent someone out to read it. Bloody idiots.

I will give a further 7 days then it's the ombudsman.

They cannot bill you for energy used over 12 months ago - there was an article about this in the news

Here is a link to Ofgem:

www.ofgem.gov.uk/check-energy-back-billing-rules

You are off the hook don't worry 🙂

Wowsers this is such poor form OP. I think giving them another 7 days is generous really.

Hopefully they do sort it soon!

OP I’m late to the party on this but have you been to your MP?

I used to work for an MP and have dealt with cases like this - this is the kind of thing your MP is there to help you with (If you are in Scotland then you can also go to your MSP). Your MP has access to MP resolution teams and if you have a good constituency MP go to them first before you go to the ombudsman as they could sort it a lot faster.

My experience of dealing with these types of cases was that the bigger the organisation the more cock ups.

Show EVERYTHING on the meter, all the numbers, reading...the lot.
Then they can't request anything else.
Maybe this is a lesson learned. Read the meter every month. Calculate the bill yourself and compare it to the actual bill you receive. It takes about a minute.
X units used x price pkWh = £X
Number of days between reads x standing charge ÷ 100 = £X
Those two sums ÷ 20 = 5%VAT.
Add the three totals and there's your bill. There can't be any arguing if you do it yourself. Their and your calculations will always be correct.

It doesn't mean they'll agree with you, you just get "that's not how we calculate it, we can't use your calculations", that's what they kept telling me, as opposed to our calculations being the same.

VanGoghsDog
I disagree.

I've been with (almost) every energy company under the sun and always been able to calculate my bills correctly. There is ONLY ONE WAY to calculate electricity and gas and the method used is on EVERY bill. Electricity is the easiest to calculate as I demonstrated.

Everyone with a calculator can do it in well under a minute

Gas is a tiny bit more complex as there are more factors ie: X units used x 39.2 or 39.3 ( calorific value (this fluctuates and will show on your bill) x 1.02264 ÷ 3.6 x cost per unit price ÷ 100 (to bring it to pounds and pence)

Number of days between last and current reading x standing charge. VAT is often included when shown on your gas tariff. Some suppliers show prices without VAT.

Here's an EXAMPLE of calculation using 78 as the number of gas units used, kilowatt price as 24.7p and standing charge of 32.4p.

78 x 39.3 x 1.02264 ÷ 3.6 x 24.7 ÷ 100 = £215.08215612
PLUS
30 (days) x 32.4 ÷ 100 = £9.72
PLUS
VAT @5% = £224.80215612 ÷ 20 = £11.240107806
Total
£236.042263926
Do it on one of your own bills (after checking the calorific value (39.2 or 3) on your last bill)
Difference will be tiny but if you want to be über accurate then check.
EDF wiped out my and Jan + Feb bills because my calculations were correct and I pulled them up on it.
ALL PROVIDERS DO use the methods I've shown.
Don't be bullied. Work it out yourself.

I agree with above. My electricity meter malfunctioned. Complained to EDF. Had a sensible explanation as to why it would take a while to replace.
once all done I got a 10 month estimated bill which worked out at an average 16kWh per day. Sent an email immediately to their complaints dept (didnt bother with phoning their customer service dept) stating that my average consumption was 13kWh / day and backed it up with previous bills. I had a refund in 48 hours.

so i short if you dont want to get fucked over by your utility company know your consumption.
electricity is 11+ maths.
For Gas, multiply units used by 11.1 to get kWh and then unit cost.

There's really no need to patronise me, I know how to work out my bill (including the gas). I do it every month and check it.

But, my experience, having gone through this recently with Eon, is that if their computer has a prediction they will not deviate no matter how many photographs, readings and calculations you show them.

That's how I know the ombudsman rules, because I had to get them involved when Eon predicted my electricity would increase annually almost ten-fold and it made no difference what readings I gave them or what calculations I did - they just said they work it out a different way and I was wrong.

For context, they were predicting I would use 21k units a year when my meter which was fitted in 2018 only has 9,600 units on it now.
As a result they moved my DD to £460pm and refused to budge.
I actually use about £40pm of electricity

It wasn't until the ombudsman intervened that they took any notice, despite emails, calls and Twitter contact by me.

So, disagree as much as you like - not everyone has the same experience.

Any update op?

I'm dying to know if you've received a refund??