Help with ridiculous gas and electric bill

[CarrotCakeCrumbs]

I live in a tiny 2 bedroom flat with my partner and 2 children - one 4 year old, one 1 year old. We have gas and electric but only use the gas for heating water really, very rarely use the heating at all. I don't even use the tumble dryer because I am petrified of spending any more on the electric bill. We have 2 electric meters - one of which does not change, I believe it was an economy 7 meter but we don't have economy 7 anymore and the reading never changes. My electric company has sent someone out to check this. I already pay £90 a month (which is already far, far more than anyone else I know in a similar or even larger property pays), but now they want to charge me £215 a month.

This has been an ongoing issue ever since we moved in, I have spoken to them numerous times, I can update my readings on my 2 working meters but the one that does not change does not allow me to update my readings online, and it is next to impossible to actually ring them up to change the readings over the phone (very long waiting times, lines only open from 9-5 mon-fri). So they give me estimated readings on the 2nd meter, plus the standing charge obviously. I cannot afford to be paying £215 a month on a 2 bedroom flat. Clearly speaking to the company isn't working, and when I tried to switch companies apparently the company I am with blocked the switch (which I didnt even think they were allowed to do!). I am so stressed out with this bill that I feel sick every month worrying about them changing my direct debit. I have cancelled this months direct debit because i really cannot afford to pay £215 and haven't been able to get through to them. Clearly I will have to keep trying but has anyone got any ideas on how to fix this? It cannot continue and frankly at this point I just want to move into a different flat because living here just isn't worth the stress.

BTW Are you renting?

I also have an Economy 7 meter - so two readings for electricity, day and night. An electrician told me once to get them to remove it if possible and install a regular meter as they're more expensive (I haven't done so). It does sound as if having a third meter is messing up your readings and you're being over-charged. Unless they're adding arrears on to your monthly amount. Even so it sounds dodgy.

@Asdf12345 honestly I have been searching for the cannabis farm for a while....I feel like the landlord could have at least mentioned it. The meter readings that I have taken do seem to be in line with £70-£75 a month though so it doesn't seem like anything is faulty.

The problem is that they have sent someone to confirm that the meter reading never changes and so they already have firm evidence. I will be taking daily photos from tomorrow.

There wouldn't be any previous debt, we switched from E.on to Spark within 2 weeks of moving in and E.on sent a final bill of £600 which I paid off (that is another matter entirely). Admittedly I have to trust that the landlord gave E.on accurate meter readings because our meters are in a cupboard outside the flat and we were not given the keys to this cupboard for over 5 months after we had moved in. But the readings I have given since have all been accurate.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I will have to watch the meters tomorrow but I know our gas meter barely changes because we just don't use that much gas. My tariff says the standing charge is 22.34p a day but yes as you say that adds up quite alot.

@LUZON yes I'm renting, i will be making another complaint with Spark tomorrow i just hope they can resolve the issue and then let me switch suppliers, they have just been a headache from the start.

Have they said why they want you to pay so much? Is the account in debt?

Re: the economy 7 - are you now on a standard tariff and do you have storage heaters? Economy 7 only works if you can use a lot of your energy at night, ie with storage heaters and possibly timers for your washing machine, otherwise it works out more expensive, but I don't think 3x as much, that would justify paying £215 pm.

You say your calculations suggest you are using £70 pm, which sounds reasonable for a 2 bed flat where you are careful with high use appliances such as heating or hot water. £215 pm sounds far far too much unless you are on an expensive tariff, paying off debt, or are being generous with the heating and hot water.

Complain in writing and if you don't get a sensible outcome, tell them you're going to Ofgem and do so if they don't co-operate. Suppliers are charged a fee when a customer complains to Ofgem so this often focusses their minds into addressing the complaint properly.

@BarbaraofSeville they keep giving me an estimated reading on the meter that doesnt change, even though they know it doesn't change, and the website doesnt allow me to give the correct reading. The tariff I'm on isn't that expensive, the flat doesn't have economy 7 anymore - just the meter that was never removed. I pay £90 each month, on time I've never been late paying them. We really don't use that much hot water at at all, and very rarely need to use the heating because we are in a tower block and seem to get everyone elses heat (very useful in winter, not so much in summer )

So they're trying to charge you for electricity that you don't use and they know you don't use.

Have you been in contact with the complaints department rather than general customer service? I once had an issue with N Power where they repeatedly sent me bills based on estimated readings that were far too high, which I refused to pay and they became increasingly threatening - we will take you to court, cut you off, ruin your credit rating etc etc and I stood my ground and just kept up with 'send me an accurate bill and I will pay it straight away'.

One of the times I phoned up, I was presented with an option 'press 3 to make a complaint' and I spoke to a very nice man who was clearly weary at the frequency and extent of fuck ups achieved by his employer, and he was very apologetic and sorted it all out there and then.

Phoning might be hard these days, but I'm sure your supplier will have a complaints procedure outlined on their website, so I would go through this, in writing or by email and make it clear what the problem is and how you expect it to be resolved or you will go to the Ombudsman. Also have a look on the Ofgem website.

www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/complain-about-your-gas-or-electricity-bill-or-supplier

If your account is in credit by your readings I would be tempted to cancel the direct debit and pay manually if you can't trust them not to not take the £215 pm.

I can recommend Octopus Energy and I used to work for a national energy company many moons ago.

Whoever your local company is (pre open market) should come and remove the defunct Econ 7 meter. I am wondering if the entire block was built using electric storage heaters and so the cost of removing all the Econ 7 meters when people converted over to gas is too expensive. It is time consuming to remove meters, I had to accompany a chap as part of my training. You can ask Spark but they will have to pay for it to be done I believe.

There should be a sticker on the meter or something that says when it was made or checked as the meter has an expiry date. Hopefully it is soon so they should change your single rate meter and remove the econ 7 one.

But yes, if you disagree with the amount they are asking for then set it up as a standing order, that way it is paid automatically every month but you have complete control over it.

@misssunnydays I have just used your code, it's been applied so we should both get £50!

Did you resolve the complaint?

Suggest get a smart meter put in

Email the CEO.dont bother with the middle men. A quick Google search should tell you his/her name. An email will give you proof of sending your complaint. Also check their industry standards for timescales for responding to complaints and mention it in the letter. Tell them that you will go to the ombudsman if they don't resolve the matter to your satisfaction.

You've had some good advice here but what worked for us was a formal complaint in writing, following up in writing every 10 working days, keeping copies of all correspondence and photos of meters etc. and then opening a case via the Ombudsman. Things were resolved miraculously quickly thereafter.... Good luck

Try and change suppliers ASAP Spark are terrible. It took me months to get away from them. Horrible company.