Is this bill an awful lot & are NPower as bad as they seem?

Ahleckz

Hello!

I moved into a new flat (first time I've lived alone) and just got a bill through for my gas & leccy.

I'm fairly ignorant about all these things, previously my flat mate was in charge of dealing with gas & leccy (we had a joint account which we both put an equal amount of money into so noone was getting ripped off) but now I have to learn.

Anyway, the bill:

It's a joint bill from Scottish Power (standard package, no addons or anything)

Gas - £156.02
Electricity - £155.34
Total - £348.96.
Period 04/10/08 - 02/01/09.

I live in a ground floor, one bedroomed tenement flat. Heating is on quite often.

I did a few comparison checks and discovered I could save almost £300 with NPower but noticed their reviews to be shocking. Are they really to be avoided?

Thanks in advance!

ArsenalFC

First of all are the readings Actual and not estimate.

If they are actual readings then you are paying about £116 per month for combined, which for one person is an awful lot to pay. You can certainly cut down and take measures to use less.

If the comparision site can save you money then perhaps it good to move provider. But I seem to recall vaguely that it was found that one of the top 6 energy provider paid Uswitch or a comparision site £2 million pounds so they get favourable outcome on the list. So I don't completely trust comparision sites.

You should read many similar threads on here and there are many ways to cut down on cost.

Ahleckz

It's an estimation, I will check the meter when the neighbour gets home and I can use his ladder. (Who's idea was it to put the meter at the top of a tenement wall?!)

Hopefully I'll be able to cut down! Main problem is that I have such a small radiator in my living room/kitchen recess.

notbritishgas

Ahleckz wrote: »

It's an estimation, I will check the meter when the neighbour gets home and I can use his ladder. (Who's idea was it to put the meter at the top of a tenement wall?!)

Hopefully I'll be able to cut down! Main problem is that I have such a small radiator in my living room/kitchen recess.

Could this be why your bill was estimated. Meter readers do not carry ladders. This may cause problems in the future if they cannot get a reading as I think they must take one at least every two years.

Ahleckz

notbritishgas wrote: »

Could this be why your bill was estimated. Meter readers do not carry ladders. This may cause problems in the future if they cannot get a reading as I think they must take one at least every two years.

Ah, very true. Got a letter today, alongside my bill saying they'll be coming round to check the meter tomorrow anyway. Best get that ladder ready for them. They're not going to quote some silly health & safety nonsense are they?!
My luck will have it he'll 'fall', hurt himself and I'll end up liable. :mad:

Alan_Vickers

Hi - is the addition correct?

Gas £156.02
Electricity £155.34

Total £311.36 not £348.96

Ahleckz

Alan_Vickers wrote: »

Hi - is the addition correct?

Gas £156.02
Electricity £155.34

Total £311.36 not £348.96

I had a £24.63 balance brought over, VAT of £15.45 & then finally a discount of £2.48

Sorry for confusion, my fault. I should have made clear of all charges & discounts. Oops!

Also, I just checked my meter:
Gas Reads - 13782488 (the last three numbers have a red band below them)
Leccy - 130476 (the last number has a red band)

The bill for gas ends - 13644E
The bill for leccy ends - 13797E.

First time dealing with all this stuff, so excuse my ignorance. The old man is on holiday in the West Indies so I can't bug him for advice!

notbritishgas

OK, it looks as if your electric has been overestimated by quite a bit, 750 kwh. Depending on your tariff that could be around £90 to £100.
Your gas has been underestimated by 138 units, depending on your type of meter (imperial or metric) this could be around £60 or £160, I hope for your sake it is metric, marked m3 on meter.
Edit to add, you should now ring in your readings to supplier so they can issue a corrected bill.

Ahleckz

Ah, just got off the phone to Scottish Power and gave them my details. Bill has been taken down to £245.

Seems like a nicer price to me...