E.on Next - gone from £250 in credit to £2300 in debit?!

[FLA92]

This surely can not be possible?

We have gas and electric with E.on Next. It’s always in credit, it was over £200 in credit the last time I had checked.

We got asked for meter readings which we gave - it said they were high for what was expected but they were correct so we submitted them.

I have just checked my account and it’s now £2,300 in debit!!!

We have lived here for 2 years and obviously this was nowhere near what we paid last year - it’s just the 2 of us living here and I didn’t put the heating on until late November / early December!

I do work from home most days but even so - surely it cannot be this high?

I’m going to call them first thing in the morning, but has anyone else had a similar situation?

Which of these are actual readings, either done by you or done by the meter reader? The estimated ones aren't really relevant.

That could be why. Are we talking nearly a year?

Yes there are estimated readings in between the manual ones.

Electricity latest estimated reading is 01/01/23: 12567
Electricity latest manual reading is 02/01/23: 13135

Gas latest estimated reading 21/12/22: 26979
Gas latest manual reading 02/01/23: 27488

Obviously until the latest manual one our account was in credit.

The readings I gave first are all manual ones.

sorry to be a pain but can you give us just the manual ones? The estimates aren’t really relevant.

I don't think there's an awful lot in it really. Can you change suppliers if you have a significant debt with one?

Ok so obviously their estimates have been far too low.

Gas latest estimated reading 21/12/22: 26979
Gas latest manual reading 02/01/23: 27488

THATS HUGE

Ours is £161.36 a month. Small one bedroomed bungalow.
You should submit readings monthly

Is your heating gas or electric?

According to Ofgem, the typical household (2.4 people) uses 2900kWh of electricity a year. I do not see how you could have used so much.

No, im on the standard variable. Heating is either off (hasn’t gotten lower than 12 though) or on till it hits about 20/21. But that’s only if I’m home all day. Otherwise I use layers, and a heated blanket when wfh. Heating didn’t go on at all until December when we had that sun zero cold snap.

Washer/tumble on about 2 or 3 times a week each. Dishwasher daily.

Possibly, if you live in a well insulated small home and are out at work. Just too many variables. I think it's unfair to imply people with higher bills aren't being 'sensible '

@JudgeRudy no you obviously need to switch only when you've paid the debt but you know every situation is different. in her case if she finds them expensive or the bills not being matched with meter readings then I would change to a better company. i'm just saying this when the company is really the problem. for me it worked. I'm going to be paying way less compared to Eon.

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to reply by the way!

We have the heating on for 3 to 4 hrs on a Saturday....apart from that just use the log burner... our bills are coming in at £200 a month for 2 of us....sounds like you just getting on top of what you owe

First ensure you know which readings are Actual (someone's been out to read), Estimated (by them) and Customers readings (what you've given)
Now check both metres. Take pics if you need to. Check with someone you're reading them correctly eg ignoring certain numbers etc. Don't get your gas and electricity mixed up!
Now work out what you've used in the last month to get an idea of what an 'expensive' month looks like. Have you been paying enough.
What tariff are you on? Is there a better one eg on-line?
Has you Goverment energy discount been applied each month or will it be applied end of year?

Double check that the meter serial numbers match what is written on your bills if you are worried about getting mixed up. Also take photos of the meters that clearly show the reading and the meter serial numbers as Eon might request these and then you have them and you are done. What are your actual readings again and on which dates? Forget the estimates. And is your gas meter in ft3 or m3 - it will say on your meter and possibly on your bill as they will convert volume of gas into kWh in order to bill you xxx

We've gone from £77 per month which was leaving us in credit for year, then in September it went to £240 and now has gone up again to £350.

For that we sit in a freezing house, share baths, turn everything off.

Okay, I'm not sure if this is correct, but

If you take your meter readings recently, between 2-18th Jan you used 13372 -12567 = 805 kWh

At the current price cap 805 x 0.34p is £273.70

So something can't be right

Maybe you haven't been using 'that much more' but because your readings were estimates (ie guesses) you've been underpaying. Let's say eg your bills should have been £100 /month but you've only payed £75 as they're underestimated, then in a year you're 3 months behind already.....except bills have doubled so you're 3months behind plus nearly 6 months at new rates....!
As others have said you really need an idea of what your usage is each month in units or kWhrs

Eon next bill monthly if you don’t submit a read they will estimate one, you will be able to access your bills as all accounts can be managed on line, you can also submit meter reads that way.
I used to work at eon Next and looking at your reads (assuming manual means you took them) something is wrong with your electric reads, is the 2136 read when you moved into the property? There could be a problem with the meter, it could be incorrect reads, there’s a number of issues, it’s possible but unlikely your usage has increased that much, so you need to work out what the problem with the reads is, they will be able to check meter numbers with you so I would get a photo of both of the meters so you can read the details on them, it will make it easier when you call. They are manic at the moment so you may have a long wait to get through so have all your details available.
if the problem is from the initial few reads you could owe the debt as there would be a large back bill, it’s possible your account hasn’t been billing due to the discrepancy in the reads which is why there’s a big back bill also. Hope you get it sorted but I’d agree if you do owe the amount they will work with you to sort it out.

Definitely agree with this ^^

I spend £62 a week.

Just checked and I used 123 units of gas in 20 days and that cost me about £145

Your difference is about 500 - so I think that's like a about £590?

I might have done the maths all wrong mind.

But there's a big difference in your gas figures between reading and estimate - still not as much as your debit is.