B Gas failed to read meter - do we have to pay?

ben78

I received a bill stating that our DD had gone up from £15 p/m to £52. When I called they stated that this was due to 1. price increases. 2. they had underestimated our bill for the entire year and a half we have been at our property.

Eventually it transpired that we haven't had a meter reading since we moved in. They informed me that I could've submitted this, but this is my first home and to be honest, I didn't realise this was my responsibility.

When pushed, BG revealed that their meters are read by a third party company and that this company had consistently failed to met the deadlines to read our meter. I eventually located the correct meter (not easy when living in flats and they're not marked), gained access and managed to read it. I expected it may be slightly out but BG have since informed me that we now owe £230!

I cannot believe this is so high and that they can get it so wrong in such a short space of time.

Can anybody help?? Do I have any rights?? Even if we coudl just get this reduced it would help. I really don't want to spread the payments over DD as I had intended to switch (as advised by MSE's excellent article) but this now sems impossible unless we find £230 to clear the debt!

Any help would be much appreciated...

jd87

By law they only have to read your meter once every two years. If you want accurate bills, you have to submit your own readings. Try to negotiate a reasonable repayment plan with them. You have to pay for the fuel you have used.

Cardew

I assume this is for Electricity?

As you don't mention gas, are you electricity only in the flat?

KimYeovil

I am sorry to hear about your troubled childhood. I hope it did not leave too many scars on your psyche.

Check that the bill has been calculated correctly - that is that they are not reclaiming all the past useage at today's more expensive prices.

ben78

Thanks all.
Cardew - No, Gas as well - We're actually slightly in credit on that. Want to move to duel fuel too - which will apparently help though I'm not sure why we weren't offered this in the first place!

ben78

Cardew wrote: »

I assume this is for Electricity?

As you don't mention gas, are you electricity only in the flat?

troubled childhood (??) Did I miss something...?

DGJsaver

do you have any idea what the meter reading was when you moved in ?

really , youre going to have to pay it , its the payment arrangment you need to talk about with them , and you wont be able to switch till you have made a substantial dent into that £200 + debit

Poppycat

£15 a month isnt really a lot to pay for electricity per month so I can assume given the debt you must have used more than that and accrued a debt

I said it before many time I appreciate being in a flat with shared access/meter it may be hard, but its so easy to avoid this if you can submit meter readings regualrly and increase or decrease you DD depending on usage

Poppycat

Ben you quoted wrong quote it wasn't Cardew but KimYeovil

ben78 wrote: »

troubled childhood (??) Did I miss something...?

DGJsaver

Poppycat wrote: »

Ben you quoted wrong quote it wasn't Cardew but KimYeovil

And it`s already been established that kim`s a bit mental , if that helps Ben

1carminestocky

DGJsaver wrote: »

And it`s already been established that kim`s a bit mental , if that helps Ben

I think mental is a bit strong, DGJSaver, in fact I've thanked you instead of quoting you I think I would only go so far as suggesting some of his posts are bizarre in the extreme.