gross energy overcharging leading to debt, help!

[energyvamp]

I have nc for this.

So, we have moved recently, a couple of times, not our doing. We are really struggling to actually rent somewhere reasonable that allows pets, but anyhow, our energy bills are crazy, despite each time we have them properly assessed by submitting daily readings, they are described as very low usage.

At the moment we live in a small, newly revamped (new heating system, boiler, DG, and so on), but still the bills are coming in at roughly £150 pm!!!

I have never paid that in a 4 bed house!

I have found a resource on moneysavingexpert but thats something I am struggling to access without some support, and as many may be aware, support is very thin on the ground. Also, support cannot help with the legal stage.

I dont know what to do. I have random numbers calling a phone (debt collectors) that I have now abandoned and got myself another new one finally with a new number, but I worry daily about how to deal with this.

I have literally turned the boiler off, as it frequently starts on its own, I have an extractor fan that seems to run on its own to a timer that cuts in after hours, like after 11 or something and runs continually, and doesn't seem to be connected to the bathroom light wiring atall, and two massive outside lights that I wasn't advised I would be liable for. I have switched off the fuse for the outside lights, reported the fan issue, been ignored, got in my own electrician, who found and pulled the isolation socket fuse, and there is a constant flow of water from one side of the shower controls, if this is the hot feed surely this will trigger the boiler to continually run.

I seriously can't believe there are so many issues with it here!

I am desperately trying to move, and nothing is coming up.

I have been to CAB about all the other issues here that remain unresolved, and will be going back shortly when i can arrange another appt by calling them on tuesday or wed next.

I am so desperate to get away from here I am feeling really grim about life and the point of it all frankly.

I know I am not the only one in this boat, by any stretch, but forgive me, aren't energy companies jist treating their services as a bloody licence to print money and set the debt collectors on you if you won't immediately pay up but have real problems with the charges.

I am sorry for the long long post, but I hope it serves to explain sufficiently.

Any ideas ...anyone?!

Have I posted on the right board?!

Yes 😄, it can be a little slow here sometimes.

You say that you live in a small newly revamped 'missing word' - what is it you live in? It does sound expensive, but I'm not an expert.

Which one has the bills - gas or electric?
Do you have an electricity monitor fitted?
How many appliances are drawing at a time.
Work your way around turning everything off to identify.
How is your water heated?

Why is your shower leaking?
THat is a plumbing maintenance issue, not a utility bill issue

Is it both gas and electric or just electric?

Well it sounds like you're using the energy due to faults, so it's hardly their fault for charging you. It's the landlords you need to be annoyed at if things aren't being properly maintained.

Is that £150 for gas and electric?

Who are you with and are you on their cheapest tariff? Have you spoken to them about it? Usually they’ll arrange payment plans/cut some of the debt if you engage with them.

My gas and electric is £165 a month in a 3 bed end terrace older property.

We have good doors and windows and loft insulation.

I had a smart meter fitted just over a year ago to see where it all goes.

The main ones that rack it up are the shower,the oven and tumble dryer.

I've spent the last 4 months making a real conscious effort to lower useage and have lowered it by around £25 a month not using a tumble dryer due to the nicer weather,using my slow cooker for more meals rather than the oven blasting heat. And making sure everyone showers in a shorter space of time and not leave it running for ages before getting in.

If you e got a leaky shower or an oven that takes ages to preheat I would look at those.

I also run a dishwasher daily and a washing machine but both have really good economy settings on them

It seems like the house is not energy efficient with what you’ve described but it looks like the energy company have charged based on the usage (as it should be). I think you need to complain to the landlord about the issues or move houses but in the meantime, try some of the things the pp has suggested to conserve energy

Just double check they are reading your gas meter properly.

We had a new gas meter and were giving in readings. BUT they were charging us as if we still had the old meter.

We had to go to the ombudsman before it was sorted then we got loads back.

I have a half size d'washer, goes on an economy setting once/twice a week.
Gas Boiler (to heat hot water) switched off as it keeps coming on all the time when nothing is making a call on it
I have run through everything with two,or now three, different energy suppliers.
The shower thing, yes, its a plumbing issue but if its the hot feed thats leaking that will trigger the boiler to start, I would have thought?
I do wonder whether i should get a plumber in to check, but when the energy companies have done daily readings for assessment purposes,both have said my usage is very low.

Its certainly nothing like the pp with £160 pm bill. No tumble dryer, one bedroom, flat.

Dont use oven much.

My concerns are about being listened to and taken seriously over the siZe of the bills despite what I've been told, and is, very low daily usage

Im not sure why I have a massive 60v fuse on the outside of the place.

Yes, I think I will call CAB when they open tomorrow to get another appt booked to see how best to approach the ll about this without jeopardising my position here, as we are trying to move out anyway due to all the problems. I posted previously under a different user name about the water pouring down the walls in the bathroom leaving puddles on the floor because its a thin wall.

Trouble is we cannot get out! So desperate to leave.

Thank you for the suggestions and comments.

Oh, and ive just remembered the other thing they did was to take my first reading from the national database, for two months prior to the swap?!

Read your own meter every day and check your usage.

It's nothing really to do with your landlord though, unless there is a fault - but if the energy company say your daily usage is low, I don't see how there can be. You need to find out what you pay per unit, how many units you've used and ensure the calculations are correct. If the energy company say your usage is very low, ask them why your bill is high?

Fwiw, I'm not sure £150 is THAT ridiculous - I'm in a 3 bed semi and ours is around £180 pcm on average.

We are in a 3 bed detached, have a tumble drier and pay £70/per month every month. Something seems to be going wrong. Wouldn't know what though.

Something is definitely going wrong, thank you, Q

I have just run through all the readings and bills, and there's proof of extremely low usage, but then theres bills in excess of £100 pm, nearer £150!!!

Utterly ridiculous.

You are forced to pay these ridiculous bills under threat of debt collection, even if you are in dispute with them.

Out of interest, who is your supplier Q?

Where are the debts from, the current property OP? Because you said you hadn't been there long, so it seem odd that you'd be chased for payment so soon - how long have you lived there?

Sorry if I wasnt clear, the energy bills (and debts/threats) are arising in this property now.

I have been disputing them and instead of hearing this they have passed over to debt collection, which I understand they shouldn't have.

Well, its doing the job though of forcing me to oay ridiculously high energy bills because of their bully boy tactics

What are your costs per unit and how many units have you used? Do they add up to the billed amount? Are you paying for your metered usage or are you paying an estimated amount by direct debit? My summer usage is next to nothing but because I spread my payments over the year, I pay for a lot more than I'm using in order to cover the winter. Have you asked someone from the energy company to explain the payments to you?

We are with Bulb, granted ours is an efficient new build and Fridge Freezer/washing machine and drier are all quite new so A rates effficiencies too. But even in my older Victorian terrace rental we were never spending so much.
DH says are your Tv's plasma? Apparently they use loads.

We need your cost per unit and how many units you've used to be able to help.

The problem with comparing what other people pay is that they don't live where you live, and do what you do. I have no washing machine or tumble dryer, but my lovely Victorian one-bed can easily use £150 pcm if we use the oven daily and have the heating on, as the insulation isn't great. I used to live in a new build three-bed with brand new appliances and used barely anything, as it was all very efficient.

Are the energy companies saying your energy usage is low compared to average, or compared to older bills for your property?

The bills are based on my readings, and yes, naturally they will be a lot higher through the winter months, but they seem to fluctuate wildly between any months.

For comparison purposes, it is a new heating system/boiler,etc (which I have now switched off!)

Oven not in daily use (but brand new), dg windows, older property.

.1631 per kWh
Standing daily charge .24932

For gas..0.0396 per kWh 0.23562 daily standing charge
No tumble
Infrequent, eco d.washer use (fill it up twice a week roughly)
Barely use the bath for significant amounts of hot water.

They described my use as very low, based on their average usage for my size family/property and yes, I had far.lower bills in an older, much bigger,mote bedrooms house .

There is something very odd here, but, unless I cough up, I'll be in hot water with debt collectors, despite me disputing this

Can you scan / photograph the table on your bill that shows the breakdown of the charges?

I missed off some info. I pay upon bill, so no, not estimated monthly d/d.

The numbers of units used match up to the amounts billed. Thats not the problem.

The problem is the wild fluctuations in usage!!!!

I’m wondering if the hot water has two connections one to the gas and one to the electric - does it ever go cold?

There should be a switch in the kitchen - have a look