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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:
HomeHomeInTheRange · 05/04/2022 12:41

Based on what you have told us you do not owe £15k.

And are in credit.

DO NOT go contacting Stepchange or similar unless the energy company give you hard evidence based on actual readings that you owe money that you cannot pay.

Calm down, engage common sense (how could you possibly have used that amount of energy above your already high quarterly payments) and communicate with the company.

I know it is really hard getting through and I hope it is sorted soon.

mcdog · 05/04/2022 12:43

I honestly can't see that you owe them any money, so please try to stay calm. Call them and find out, at least that way you know what is happening.

magicstar1 · 05/04/2022 12:44

They'll owe you a few thousand.
Same thing happened with my gas years ago. I couldn't get to the meter so it was estimated for a few years. When I finally read it I'd overpaid by about €800. I chose to leave it on the account, and then used the credit to pay the bills until it ran out. It was very handy!

littleangel50 · 05/04/2022 12:44

I got a huge bill for electric several years ago I had been ill with pneumonia and no one had dealt with the letters. When I was a little better I rang the energy company who came out and the reason for my high bills was my meter located in the grotty old cellar was connected to the 8 terraced houses in my street and the bill came to my address..Nice little bonus just before Christmas

Seema1234 · 05/04/2022 12:47

Give over OP. Unless you have been running a maruajana farm there is no way you could have racked up a massive bull whilst still paying £300-400 per month.

Seema1234 · 05/04/2022 12:48

Or per quarter

ToothGrinder · 05/04/2022 12:49

Agree they owe you. Loads probably. When the update your account with this most recent figure just email asking for a refund. Then go on holiday! A really nice one!

JudgeJ · 05/04/2022 12:50

@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

Has your supplier tried to read the meter? How awkward is the meter location? Is it just that you're unable to see it, or could someone more active, better eyesight etc see it?

It used to be the case that the supplier had to read the meter once a year, even if you send in readings, someone certainly comes here.

Whatever00 · 05/04/2022 12:51

You can buy a gas meter key for £3 on amazon

SW1amp · 05/04/2022 12:51

If your meters are in an inaccessible place, you really should consider getting a smart meter installed so you don’t have any of this hassle again

FolornLawn · 05/04/2022 12:52

I don't get it, OP. Why are you so convinced you owe loads of money when your actual reading is lower than the estimated one they've based their bill on?

Belkell · 05/04/2022 12:53

@Febrier

Just call them! It's not difficult. Otherwise you'll be flapping and upsetting yourself until you do. Why wasn't this the first thing you did?

This Confused

A huge number of people has just got massive energy bills. We tried calling British Gas yesterday to query our bill. Unfortunately they were out.

Gladioli23 · 05/04/2022 12:54

I had my smart meter installed in early 2017. I live in a small house and also use gas for my boiler and showers.

Since Feb 2017, so basically just over 5 years, I have used 8200 kWh of energy.

For you to have gone round the loop from 52440 to (1)31460 you'd have had to use 80000 more kilowatt hours than estimated.

Even if you assume you use double what I use I think that's still 25 years worth of electric usage - so it's just totally unfeasible.

You must be owed 20k kWh which at current prices of £0.28 per kWh should be about £5.5k!

ToothGrinder · 05/04/2022 12:55

I've not had anyone read my meter in years, I assume because covid. Didn't think they really bothered these days.

PrivateHall · 05/04/2022 12:55

OP it looks like you are sorted now, but please get a better handle on your bills and finances so you don't end up in a stressful situation like this again!

HalloHello · 05/04/2022 12:57

I'm pretty sure if you owed them 15k they'd be rattling your door regularly.

Malbecfan · 05/04/2022 12:57

OP, please don't worry. I suggest a couple of things:

  1. Buy a cheap notebook. Read your electricity meter weekly for the next few weeks and write the readings with the date in the notebook. Input those readings onto the electricity company's website. If you can, take a photo on your phone of the meter too. That will give you a good idea of your weekly and monthly consumption. I read ours religiously on the last day of every month and keep all readings (see below).
  1. Contact the company and ask to speak to someone as you have paid estimated bills and think you are now in a significant amount of credit which you would like to be returned.

If it's Ovo, you might be massively in luck as they always used to pay interest on credit balances. Mine's a large Gin and tonic please!

If it's Scottish Power, they are utterly clueless. The notebook comes in very handy as in my experience they deny everything and try to switch things around (dual meter here). You don't need a smart meter if you don't want one.

chesirecat99 · 05/04/2022 12:58

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.

I'm not sure what you are implying, @fromdownwest? If the energy firm has made an error (eg they haven't sent someone to read the meter in 2 years or they have ignored customer readings and billed incorrectly or haven't sent any bills), they cannot bill further than back than 12 months. Ergo there is no debt for debt collectors to chase.

VanGoghsDog · 05/04/2022 13:00

@electricbills

The bill I've had is based on another estimated reading, not the figures I gave, although the bill is dated today I imagine it was processed last week so hadn't factored in my payment.

That bill is for about £450, the starting estimate on that was the 52440 and the other figure was also estimated, 5something (sorry I'm on my phone and can't easily tab between screens to check the other figure on the estimated bill.

I will get one of those keys though for the gas meter. None of our neighbours have external meters so can't ask them but will look on ebay now. I stupidly thought they weren't available to the general public Blush

You don't even need a key, you can just open them with pliers, tweezers or your fingernails. Also, even houses that don't have external meter boxes might have a key, it's the sort of thing most people have knocking about somewhere.
User0610134049 · 05/04/2022 13:01

It’s quite simple - if the actual reading is lower than the estimated one (which it sounds like it is) they owe you credit

Ime the estimated readings are normally over estimates

Why2why · 05/04/2022 13:02

OP it’s very hard to understand your post. It appears your actual meter reading is saying you should be paying less than your estimated figures. However, you seem to think this is not the case.

On a quarterly basis, what is your estimated reading? When was your last estimated reading and what is the current meter reading? Give absolute numbers rather than the differences and then we’ll be able to help you figure things out.

One thing to note, you do not have to make good any billing that is more than 2 years old.

SkippingLambs · 05/04/2022 13:03

They owe you but I’d take a photo of the current meter reading so you have dated evidence of what it actually is. Probably won’t need it but no harm.

Original poster
electricbills · 05/04/2022 13:04

I did try to open the meter cupboard with my nails and pliers but no luck. I don't really talk much to my neighbours, we're on nodding and waving hello terms but thats about it so asking for a key they might not have feels a bit uncomfortable. Now I know they are available cheaply online etc I'll just buy one.

OP posts:
Hydrangeatea · 05/04/2022 13:04

I think the OP understands she is in credit now.

I wonder how many more people are going to point it out to her though.

Strange that she seems fairly bright but couldn't work this out for herself Hmm Hmm Hmm

MySecretHistory · 05/04/2022 13:05

They will come out and do a reading
I had a meter reader do an incorrect (too high reading). They then refused to take my readings and would only take their own estimates. Then I insisted that someone came out. I got about £1000 refund.