Desperate, please can someone help

[Silentbarking]

Hi,

New here, have been reading the money forum, particularly the threads regarding energy bills.

I’m feeling so lost and don’t know how to deal with this mess. Is ignorance an excuse for being mis sold a very high tariff? Not sure where to start but I was on a very high tariff from March last year, desperate to leave but had no option but to go for a slightly less one (mere pence) and I feel completely trapped. Had I understood last March I would never have accepted those prices. There’s nowhere to go now is there?

I think you’re misunderstanding, there is no tariffs you can lock into and there were not, they are all about the same price and there is a cap.

this is the energy increases.

This makes no sense. Op are you submitting readings every month? Have you compared year on year usage?

Yeah I was on £80 now on £253. It’s awful.

I have economy 7 and have always put that into price comparisons but only just found out I shouldn’t do that.

I’ve phoned Bulb today to make a subject access request for all my bills so I can make the comparison. I know the prices went up, I still believe there is something wrong here. £450.00 for summer? I don’t use central heating in summer!

Are you submitting monthly actual meter readings?

Right if you don’t need economy seven then switch to a single tariff. There’s a one off fee of £15. it will be a bit cheaper,

help.uw.co.uk/article/3LkjgS8YFT7ZqH3RbHkQxK

Solittletimeforwine. I admit I was too bloody scared to read my meter when I joined Utility in December and only forced myself two days ago. They cannot give me a bill yet and have told me I need to submitn readings again at end of month so will do that. Until then I do know how it will compare. It cannot be much different though can it? The tariff is only 4 pence cheaper. I hate my bloody life. Sorry, it’s been just awful and this energy stuff is only part of it. Heartbreaking stuff with family.

Ok, so if they have been estimating the bills then it isn't a reflection on your actual usage. From now on you need to do at least monthly meter readings. The amount could be quite different to your actual usage as they won't know it's just you at home and not a family of 4 or 5 for example.

Why are you on economy 7? Do you have storage heaters or an immersion tank for your hot water run by electric?

If the answer to the above is no, switch to a single rate tariff.

If yes, are you sure you have that right? The day rate is about right as E7 isn't subject to the price cap in the same way. But it should be offset by a lower night rate (for comparison mine is 55p on the expensive and 5.5p on the cheap rate for economy 10).

Read your meters, get a proper bill and then make decisions on whether you should switch.

£450 is insane for summer but without meter readings no one can really advise.

Once you have real readings the most common error causing big bills with gas is giving your reading in cubic feet but being charged in cubic metres.

I would suggest noting down your meter readings now and doing it again at the same time tomorrow (you'll have two for electric).

Then you can work out how many units you are using a day. Report back and we can all help you understand whether that amount is normal or something is going wrong.

I was with Bulb and paid around £75 a month last year until summer when they smacked me with a £400 bill in the middle of August! There's 2 of us in a tiny 1 bedroom house it made no sense to me. But that's just how it is now and it's shocking. I also moved to utility warehouse in November, paid £100 a month and I've just been sent a bill for £770. No idea how to get through this. I send meter readings in the middle and at the end of each month....

Op it’s estimated, they have had nothing to go on. You need to do meter readings every month. It’s really Important. You’ve basically asked them to guess what you’re currently using, based on what you’ve done in the past

It’s high because it’s estimated. Wait until you get your revised bill with your actual readings before panicking.
Your tariff isn’t hideously expensive. They’re all much of a muchness at the moment.

It sounds like there are a couple of things going on here.

First thing is to submit monthy meter readings. Then the bill (however large) will be acutate.

I would question if you should be on an E7 tarriff as it looks like you have gas heating.

I'm a little confused with the timelines. Are you saying you were with a company until March 2022 when you moved to Bub, and 9 months later you moved to UW? Bulb are currently in the process of migrating to Ictopus, so I think you might struggle to get an answer from them.

If you are on Facebook it might be worth joining this group:
m.facebook.com/groups/966754150512356/

Be warned tho, they are very against UW. There are also lots of people with brilliant advice who may well be able to help you out.

It's estimated. You need to do monthly or even weekly readying a do you know what you use

Ans get off economy 7

I suggest you contact your local citizens advice bureau and go through it all with them. Or you could call national energy action for advice on 0800 304 7159.
Prices have gone up a lot but I think it would to talk it through with someone.

Calm down thank you, thank you all, really appreciate your help. The £450.00 summer bill was with real readings. That’s my worry. Scottish Power were the absolute hell for me, one of the worst decisions I ever made going with them. I will pay for that mistake forever going forward unfortunately.

right now I’m with utility warehouse. They aren’t as nasty but so many different people with different figures. I am despairing with the hours of effing crap. Just spent two hours asking if I left the economy 7 would daytime rate be lower - as advised above. No, was never on it. YES I WAS! I really cannot take anymore. I’m exhausted, this is just a minor part but massively freaking expensive part of my bastard shitty life. I’m so sorry, I just cannot deal with this crap anymore

You can look all that information up on their website rather than have to speak to a customer service person. A lot of the information you need will be on your most recent bill.

You won't be paying for a mistake forever. It was one decision that you couldn't have predicted the outcome of. You can take control and make informed decisions now, and improve your situation.

How long was the summer bill for, do you use gas to heat water/oven/hob?

I feel for you. We have been similar, absolutely freezing, having to constantly clean for damp and I can't get the bills down any further. We need hot water and the washing machine as we work manual jobs and can't cut that down, then I have a heated airer and dehumidifier to try and deal with the washing/damp. So sat in the cold for £350 pm

We have one storage heater in the living room
So I bought two oil heaters one in kitchen and one in bathroom / hall area
I keep them on minimum 2 setting.

The kids use electric heaters in their rooms on low overnight

£350 a month.

Thankfully we have a wood burner so I fire that up most nights otherwise it would be miserable.

It's not right is it that we have to be cold and still pay a fortune. My house is rented - theee bedroom stone farm house so probably has zero insulation.

The bathroom floor is stone and the toilet and sink are always wet and cold. Not nice.