Estimated price rise

FatcatFodder

Apologies if posted elsewhere, just received EON dual fuel bill.
There has been a price rise (unsurprisingly!!) where the period of question is:
a) Actual Reading to Guesstimated Reading at old price
b) Estimated Reading to Actual Reading at new price.
My question is how can a LEGAL higher charge be applied from a period beginning with an estimated reading (b)?
Can I dispute this and demand that the entire period be charged at old price?
:cool:

Cardew

No you can't dispute the principle.

If you believe the estimate to be incorrect you can challenge that reading and normally the company will use your reading without a problem as it is not worth their trouble to get into a dispute. In fact if the difference is not too much they have been known to charge for all at the old rate.

The estimate for any meter reading either at the end of a period or mid-way is calculated using a sophisticated computer algorithm that uses weather inputs, past consumption etc. This algorithm is independently audited.

Where there is a good consumption history on an account the results are pretty accurate, but with new accounts it can be way out.

HowardD

I am on duel fuel supply with Atlantic. This week (w/c 20th October) I received a letter telling me my gas price had gone up effective 25th August! Looking at my most recent bills (gas and electric), they estimate the usage pre-price increase and post-price increase. If I had been notified of the price change in advance I would have taken a meter reading and I would be paying the right price for the gas & electric I have used. I rang their cuistomer service dept and I was told that Ofgem have determined that customers do not have to be ntified until a maximum of 65 days after the actual price increase. I was also told that they don't know until the day that a price will be raised/lowered. Has anyone heard of this 65 day rule set by Ofgem?

KimYeovil

HowardD wrote: »

Has anyone heard of this 65 day rule set by Ofgem?

Yes. Anyone who has read any of the twenty or thirty other threads about that topic has heard of the rule.

Cardew

HowardD wrote: »

I am on duel fuel supply with Atlantic. This week (w/c 20th October) I received a letter telling me my gas price had gone up effective 25th August! Looking at my most recent bills (gas and electric), they estimate the usage pre-price increase and post-price increase. If I had been notified of the price change in advance I would have taken a meter reading and I would be paying the right price for the gas & electric I have used. I rang their cuistomer service dept and I was told that Ofgem have determined that customers do not have to be ntified until a maximum of 65 days after the actual price increase. I was also told that they don't know until the day that a price will be raised/lowered. Has anyone heard of this 65 day rule set by Ofgem?

It is actually 65 working days(3 months) and it can work to your advantage.

All other atlantic customers have got a notice with that letter(in small print) explaining the 65 days.

Read:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1228037