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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:
BarbaraofSeville · 05/04/2022 12:08

All the suppliers now seem to have online forms in response to the surge in people wanting to submit meter readings.

You could send your reading that way, but be prepared for them to come back to you as they may assume you've made a mistake. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, as you will then have someone to speak to, without having to wait in line for hours.

BulletTrain · 05/04/2022 12:08

You haven't actually used the estimated amount. You have actually used the meter amount. I don't understand why you're panicking.

Silverclocks · 05/04/2022 12:09

You might actually be better off keeping quiet OP. You've effectively paid for loads of units in advance, at the old price...

MrsE · 05/04/2022 12:10

Energy firms are only allowed to backdate for a years worth of fuel, so if your reading covers a period before that then they can't bill you for it. I would ring them and see what they say

Phascolarctos · 05/04/2022 12:11

We have to submit a meter reading once a year (and they send someone out as well once or twice, however, we don't let them in as our meter is in a cupboard and it's a pain to empty at short notice, we just send photos).

Have they not been asking for the readings at all in the multiple years you've lived there?

Original poster
electricbills · 05/04/2022 12:11

@BarbaraofSeville

All the suppliers now seem to have online forms in response to the surge in people wanting to submit meter readings.

You could send your reading that way, but be prepared for them to come back to you as they may assume you've made a mistake. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, as you will then have someone to speak to, without having to wait in line for hours.

I did submit the 31460 reading (based on me actually looking at the meter) last week online, when I finally managed to get onto the site.

The latest bill obviously hadn't taken that reading into account, I think when I submitted the reading online it said any corrected bill would be issued within 14 days.

OP posts:
Phascolarctos · 05/04/2022 12:12

Also in our experience they prefer to keep the money rather than refund - so if you do say something you'll have just saved for future bills.

Bornsloppy · 05/04/2022 12:12

@Silverclocks

You might actually be better off keeping quiet OP. You've effectively paid for loads of units in advance, at the old price...
Except they'll likely keep charging OP for loads of units at the new price 😲
Beautiful3 · 05/04/2022 12:12

If your actual meter reading is lower than none estimated, then they owe you money.

JinglingHellsBells · 05/04/2022 12:13

I really don't understand how you were never chased for meter readings over all those years.

Did you ignore emails/ letters or did they never arrive?

Phascolarctos · 05/04/2022 12:13

Also ignore my post at 12:11 - I see you've already answered by question in the OP.

toomuchlaundry · 05/04/2022 12:14

They may check your meter. I had this with slightly smaller figures but my meter reading was much lower than had been estimated. So when I went to input it on the system it actually wouldn't let me as there was such a discrepancy. I phoned the company and sent them a photo of the meter reading and they accepted it and gave a refund.

I would be amazed if the meter has gone round. I am also surprised that they haven't tried to do a meter reading before now

ApolloandDaphne · 05/04/2022 12:15

I overpaid massively on a holiday rental I owned due to only having estimated bills. when we sold it the electricity company had to repay me about £1000.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 05/04/2022 12:16

Who are you with OP?

JinglingHellsBells · 05/04/2022 12:16

With some companies, you can elect to set the credit you have to be paid into your named bank account, once it has gone beyond a certain figure. This is worth doing as it means if you change providers, you are not waiting for the old one to either give you a refund of hundreds of £££s or offer to transfer it to whoever you switch to.

You can also have the option of reducing your debit payment each month if it is consistently more than your usage. This prevents you being in credit and the company having your money when it's in excess of usage.

chesirecat99 · 05/04/2022 12:17

For your own peace of mind, I suggest you take a meter reading in 24 hours and calculate from that roughly how much electricity you use in a year to estimate whether it is likely your meter has "clocked" (gone round a full cycle).

Have a read of the backbilling rules that a PP posted. The electricity company should send someone every 2 years to read the meter. Have you had any missed call cards or letters asking you for a reading/access? Have you refused them access? If they haven't been to read the meters in over 2 years, they won't be able to bill you for more than 1 year's usage based on your current average usage (unless you obstructed them). If they have read the meters in that time, it is highly unlikely that your meter has clocked in 2 years.

Be warned, they (or their automated billing system) will probably assume at first that the meter has clocked so you will have to ask for all the records, argue that you think it is an overestimate, maybe involve Ofgem.

littleangel50 · 05/04/2022 12:23

It is a lot of money, but it's the burden on your mind about the amount..The main thing is not to ignore letters etc as the debts wont go away. Hopefully this may be a start. Anyway first thing to do is contact Stepchangedebtcharity.
They cover mortgages, loans, utilities, credit cards etc. Most organisations are aware of stepchange and they see it as a positive if you have contacted them. You can do online on paper and ring and speak to someone.
You complete income / expenditure etc with them there is no charge for their service many others claim to do the same service. Stick with these.
Once sorted they send you out a pack including letters to your creditors, roughly about 6 letters which you can photocopy if you need more.
The letter is already printed and you just fill in to say Sky Sports which you had and have stopped but owe £200, The letter says you are only able to pay £1 a month, you do this for all Non Essential bills are telephone bills , tv packages, credit cards, loans etc. Essential bills are Food, Housing, Utilities etc and an offer to pay I cannot tell you what they may advise for the amount you owe but first make contact with Stepchange, then ring your Electricity / gas company and tell them stepchange are helping you this will stop further letters being sent to you. They may want to put in a token meter, pay as you go, which will deduct a few ££ off each £20 you put in the token meter. It will take a long time to clear but most companies are happy to just receive a small amount each week than people ignoring the letters. They deal with mortgages, loans, utilities, equity releases etc ..my only reservation is do not sign up for the IVA or Bankruptcy.
How do I know it works ?
Several years ago my daughter took out 4 mobile phone contracts 24 month plans she chose one phone and sent the others back and had no idea you had to pay for 24 months. I got in touch with stepchange and when all their info came I sent out a letter to each of the 3 companies and a letter saying I was offering to pay £1 monthly, they all accepted and I pay 3 x £1 Direct Debit to them. Each year I receive an email from the companies saying thankyou for my payments and can I still afford the payments.

There is one other you can try Done by Yorkshire Water it is a Trust which anyone can apply for to write off utility bills. I will post the info later.
Good luck but don't put off something you can do today

Electric bill problem, I think I owe £15k :o
Electric bill problem, I think I owe £15k :o
Original poster
electricbills · 05/04/2022 12:23

I've not actively refused anyone access, I work from home since Covid, if anyone had come round before then during the day I would have usually been out at work, unless it coincided with a day off.

I know that I have given meter readings at some point, and someone did come in to read the electric meter, but it would have been a good few years ago now. For the last few years I've not been able to read the meter and even if anyone had called to do so, they would have struggled to access it due to ongoing building work. (but it is now accessible though)

OP posts:
FluffEverywhere · 05/04/2022 12:24

Oh my goodness OP - when you get your corrected bill PLEASE remember this thread and let us know what they owe you! Looking at your numbers they have way over-estimated your usage and you owe them nothing!

They will probably have to send someone out to check your meter as PP has said, but it would be worth it in the long run - also agree, take daily readings so you get an idea of your average usage, just in case it's needed. If you can photograph the meter each time even better.

EthelTheAardvark · 05/04/2022 12:27

You would only have clocked the meter and started again if you had something like fully electric heating and air conditioning which were on all day. It is much more likely that the electricity company has overestimated.

dementedpixie · 05/04/2022 12:27

Can you post a picture of the meter so we can double check your figures?

We bought cheap plastic meter box keys online so we can read the gas meter outside.

BulletTrain · 05/04/2022 12:31

Don't contact stepchange or anyone else about getting into a debt management plan until you find out what you owe (I suspect nothing). They are enormously damaging to your credit profile.

fromdownwest · 05/04/2022 12:32

@GalesThisMorning

My energy company has recently told me that, despite me paying the DD amount THEY set, and sending in readings, they 'forgot' to charge me for electricity (yes, actually!!). So the comfortable pot of credit I thought I had built up is gone.

Anyway, it transpires that they are only legally allowed to chase you for money owing for the previous 12 months. Beyond that it has to be written off. So unless you weren't paying anything at all, and were growing cannabis on a massive scale, it's unlikely you owe £15 K

This is not actually true, the energy firm can not chase you past 12 months if it was their error, however a debt collector can chase debts from up to six years old.
Garfieldismyspiritanimal · 05/04/2022 12:35

I really want to know how much you get back OP!

whynotwhatknot · 05/04/2022 12:36

Sorry op but it baffles me that people do this leave it for years then wonder whats going on with their bill

its true theyve stopped coming round to read meters in the last 2 years but i regularly input mine online just so i dont get a nasty surprise