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Original poster

Big Npower bill

39 replies

1petshortofazoo · 07/08/2008 18:44

I have just got my Npower bill for 6mths it is £950, £622 for electric and £327 for gas. I Pay £30 electric and £50 for gas a month and nearly had a heart attack when I saw it!!! I have just rang them and they said well thats what it is sorry.
I really cant afford to pay the £190 a month they are asking for.
I am quite consious about electic etc and we are out at work all day so I dont know how it is soo much any ideas??

Jodie

OP posts:
SpandexIsMyEnemy · 07/08/2008 18:47

is it an estimated bill, or have you previously had estimates, and just given them an actual reading?

Tortington · 07/08/2008 18:49

ofgem

CarGirl · 07/08/2008 18:49

look on moneysavingexpert.com for advice on cutting your bills, things like turning equipment off not leaving on standby, don't use tumble dryer, always was full loads, only wash dirty clothes not necessarily just because it's been worn once etc etc. Cooking food in bulk, full oven etc.

Original poster
1petshortofazoo · 07/08/2008 18:49

it says its an estimate in jan but actual in july

OP posts:
SpandexIsMyEnemy · 07/08/2008 18:51

would imagine then the estimate for the winter quarter was quite low which they're making up for now - still sounds excessive to me thou, unless there's been a series of estimated bills.

look at switching/the most economical ways for you to have things on/off etc.

BreeVanderCampLGJ · 07/08/2008 18:53

To be quite honest, the cost of utility bills are going through the roof and have been for a while, did it not occur to you that your payments were quite low ?

We pay £90 a month for gas and we are also out from 8.15 to 4.15

CarGirl · 07/08/2008 18:54

when was your previous meter reading perhaps the underpaying has been amounting up for a long time?

Nbg · 07/08/2008 18:56

1pet, ours is the same.

Well £200 a month actually and .

I've tried so hard keeping an eye on electrical things like tv, stereos, computers etc.
I've also stopped using the tumble dryer. Someone linked a site on MN where it showed you how much it cost per load and it was around 35p.
It soon adds up.

DanJARMouse · 07/08/2008 19:03

I do wonder how people are getting these huge bills, and tbh it terrifies me!

Im on a meter for gas and electric and spend £10 a week on each.

During the summer, we are lucky if we use £10 a month on the gas, and approx £7 a week on electric, and that includes using the tumble dryer, laptop on all day, Tv on majority of the day etc.

Of course, in summer where we dont use much gas, it builds up to cover any extra in the winter we may use, but we are in a very well built house that is very warm, so we really only have the heating on for an hour in the morning and an hour at kids bedtime.

Maybe im lucky, i dont know.

I dont think I could ever go back to Direct Debit - its scary!

CarGirl · 07/08/2008 19:06

There are definte advantages to living to a part timber framed mid terrace house! We hardly need to use our heating and downstairs we still have the original rotting windows & doors with the wind whistling through - will be even warmer once we've replaced them.

Original poster
1petshortofazoo · 07/08/2008 19:15

we just moved into the house in jan and didnt have an acount else where so it is just for then.
When I first rang them they set up DD and said the average was £80 per month for both for the size of the house and people who live there so thats what we'll start with and see how it goes.
When I rang eatlier the guy did say it sounded very expensive but the electicity must be going somewhere.

I wouldnt be bothered if it was the norm but it doesnt seem that way.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 07/08/2008 19:27

have you double checked that the opening reads are correct? You can buy gadgets to see how much electricity equipment consumes, you've not got security lights on all night or anything have you, or 100watt bulbs everywhere!

piratecat · 07/08/2008 19:36

i live in a 2 bed small house.

my winter(jan) for a 1/4, bill for both elec and gas combined was

£200

next bill was in april for £173, as we had had rubbish weather, al;most as rubbish as the 'proper' winter.

had another bill just gone for £100.

so thats £500 for about 9 months.

am with npower too

TequilaMockinBird · 07/08/2008 19:40

I'm with Npower and they've just upped my monthly payment from £90 to £160 for dual fuel

Tortington · 07/08/2008 19:49

i am with npower we pay 100 pm

Tortington · 07/08/2008 19:53

however! in our other house they told me that they estimated that the years bill would be higher and therefore would be taking £65 per month for gas.

i told them to kiss my arse - cancelled direct debit and set up a standing order for £50

they continually harassed me and when phoning up told me "their systems" didn't recognise my standing order - to which i told them 2 NOT MY PROBLEM LOVE - I;VE PAID YOU - AND I CAN PROVE IT" and i perservered. - i never not paid - i just wouldnt give them my money on an estimation of what the whole bloody year was going to cost.

so have moved and i was a mere £65 in debit.

AvenaLife · 07/08/2008 19:54

Have you checked the reading? This sounds very high. I'm with them, I live in a 2 bed house and our bills are alot lower. Do you have storage heaters because these cost alot to run. Get them to come and check your meter aswell. It may be faulty. Write down the readings for 24 hours, use it normally and see what the readings are. This should give you a rough estimate of what your bills should be.

Freckle · 07/08/2008 19:59

Our monthly dd is £165 for both gas and electricity and we are always in credit. There was a report on the news a little while ago about people on dds thinking they were covered and then receiving huge bills to cover the amount of their fuel consumption which wasn't covered by their dd.

Also companies will try to persuade you to switch by saying they can save you £x per year by reducing your current dd. Looks attractive on paper but doesn't actually save you any money and may force you into debt.

Helennn · 07/08/2008 20:42

How can it have been an estimate in January, as this was when you opened the account/moved in? This should have been an actual reading.

If this is right then could it be that the previous occupant paid too little and you therefore are paying catch-up on his behalf?

piratecat · 07/08/2008 20:47

yes, you should have giventhem readings in jan surely?

i hate npower, i TRIED to pay them for my utilities for a yr, but they just could not sort it out. I gave them loads of updated meter readings, and noone ever got back to me for all that time, despite in every phone call (with someone new) them saying they would. Yet they kept sending me reminders, and threats for the wrong amount.

LIZS · 07/08/2008 20:53

Do check the readings from both opening the accounts on moving in and now - one of ours was input a digit out, the other later misread and it caused all sorts of chaos.

Original poster
1petshortofazoo · 07/08/2008 20:58

I gave them the reading over the phone when I 1st set the account up, because it wasnt an offical guy who took the reading then it is classed at an 'estimate' well thats what they say.
I can see the 'disk' thing spinning in the meter and i think it looks fast but i dont know what it sould be I dunno I havent got a choice really i will have to pay it but i just didnt think it would be that much

OP posts:
piratecat · 07/08/2008 21:01

did you keep a note of your readings then by any chance?

kiskidee · 07/08/2008 21:04

give them an actual readings if your last bill was based on estimates. Failing that, make an for a meterman to come out and do the same.

If they refuse or are too thick to accept your readings or provide a meterman to read your meter, as long as your bill is in dispute, you do not have to pay and they can't turn off your supply. Put any disputes (and actual readings) in writing as it leaves a better trail than relying on a telephone person to put notes on your acct. There are legal time frames in which they are legally bound to respond to you otherwise they are penalised by Ofgem.

As long as you are in dispute, take monthly readings and file them away.

Once you agree with them on what you actually owe, you can set up a repayment plan which is based on what you can afford to pay back on a weekly basis. It can be as low as a pound a week.

If however, you resist settling the dispute in the face of commonsense, as some people try to do, they can apply and receive a court order to enter your property and install a key meter which will be set to repay your debt plus actual usage.

ex-employee of a well known power company.

umberella · 07/08/2008 21:05

this happened to us too, i nearly threw up when i got the ltter.