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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Original poster
electricbills · 05/04/2022 13:06

Just wanted to thank you all, as I'm feeling a lot more hopeful that I don't owe loads. I'm not counting chickens about getting money back, to be honest I'm happy enough just thinking I hopefully don't owe £15k.

OP posts:
User0610134049 · 05/04/2022 13:07

🤦‍♀️
That’s not the attitude OP! It’s your money, you should demand it back!

AdoraBell · 05/04/2022 13:07

Definitely call them and stick to your guns. If they won’t budge call Citizens Advise, they have more clout than an individual customer.

Movingonup22 · 05/04/2022 13:07

But you’re saying that they have OVER estimated the reading?? So you’ve been overpaying not underpaying???

Genegenieee · 05/04/2022 13:12

@electricbills

I didn't call them because my first thought was that I owed them money and I thought if I had to discuss repaying £15k I'd probably cry.

Also because I know it's really difficult to speak to anyone at the moment - last week the website was too busy a couple of times for me to even submit my reading.

Contact them and ask them to recalculate your bill and ask for any credit you are in to be refunded. Do not suggest to them you think you could owe them money
SpeckledlyHen · 05/04/2022 13:17

You may not physically get the money back but you will get a massive credit on your bill which means the monthly DD will be virtually nothing until you have "spent" the money they owe you.

VanGoghsDog · 05/04/2022 13:17

@electricbills

Just wanted to thank you all, as I'm feeling a lot more hopeful that I don't owe loads. I'm not counting chickens about getting money back, to be honest I'm happy enough just thinking I hopefully don't owe £15k.
Of course you'll get it back. I used to deliberately overpay my utilities by about a thousand pounds a month, because my bank account gave 3% Cashback and you can't get interest like that anywhere. Then every few months I just asked them to repay it, so I was just cycling the same money in and out. They never questioned it, just paid it back straightaway.
Why2why · 05/04/2022 13:18

Citizens Advice can do nothing if she owes her energy supplier. OP would have to discuss a repayment plan with them. But it is not clear who owes who.

dfendyr · 05/04/2022 13:19

@electricbills

Just wanted to thank you all, as I'm feeling a lot more hopeful that I don't owe loads. I'm not counting chickens about getting money back, to be honest I'm happy enough just thinking I hopefully don't owe £15k.
have you phoned them yet?
Why2why · 05/04/2022 13:19

The energy companies are now required to no longer hold on to credit balances. So you can get the cash back into your account.

Crazykatie · 05/04/2022 13:20

There is no excuse whatever for them not reading your meter for years, during Covid they did rely on customers readings and estimates which is fair enough. Now just insist the come out and read the meter themselves, companies often send a very big estimated bill to frighten the customer.

Hydrangeatea · 05/04/2022 13:20

I phoned my provider last week as was £400 in credit. It arrived in my bank today.

yellowsuninthesky · 05/04/2022 13:22

I wish people would stop telling the OP to call them as if anyone will pick up after less than an hour's waiting time!

Why2why · 05/04/2022 13:23

That’s not true.

ReadyToMoveIt · 05/04/2022 13:26

@yellowsuninthesky

I wish people would stop telling the OP to call them as if anyone will pick up after less than an hour's waiting time!
I phoned eon a couple of days ago and spoke to someone within 10 mins.
Chemenger · 05/04/2022 13:35

DH phoned OVO this morning and got through quickly.

MurmuratingStarling · 05/04/2022 13:37

How can you POSSIBLY owe £15K? Hmm

MurmuratingStarling · 05/04/2022 13:37

Sorry that emoji should be >>> Shock

Hydrangeatea · 05/04/2022 13:39

@MurmuratingStarling

Sorry that emoji should be >>> Shock
Well she doesn't. That was covered pages and pages ago.

You just need to read the thread.

chisanunian · 05/04/2022 13:41

Having an online account is all very well until this sort of thing happens and you can't access previous bills. I'd always strongly recommend that people who have online accounts should print out and save a copy, take a screenshot, save it as a .pdf - anything, but make sure you have one. Especially if you are going to change providers.

Sundancerintherain · 05/04/2022 13:44

Friend of mine got over two and a half thousand back last Xmas , her bills had been estimated for 6years.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 05/04/2022 13:47

Surely an hours wait is worth it to clarify that you dont owe 15k??

marqueses · 05/04/2022 13:52

@SpeckledlyHen

You may not physically get the money back but you will get a massive credit on your bill which means the monthly DD will be virtually nothing until you have "spent" the money they owe you.
They aren't allowed to not give you the money back unless they genuinely think there's an issue.

They can't hold your money to ransom Smile

CambsAlways · 05/04/2022 14:15

They owe you

Stravaig · 05/04/2022 14:15

Your actual reading is (a lot) less than their estimated reading. They have been over-estimating for years; you have been over-paying for years; they now owe you a lot of money!

Call them to request an updated bill and repayment based on your actual reading. They may want to take the reading themselves, but they should be tripping over themselves to reimburse you.

Submit regular readings from now on.