Quandry - Think we're being undercharged for gas.

Lister_2

I've been recording our gas and electric usage weekly in order to try and cut down a bit, and also to obtain accurate usage rates so I can switch suppliers.

After examining our bills last night I noticed that although the meter readings looked correct, it seems we are being billed for cubic meters, whereas our meter has ft3 written on it.

If I am understanding this correctly, it looks like we've been paying nearly a third the price we should have been for the past 3.5 years! :eek:

Really not sure what to do now. If I query it we'll no doubt end up with a pant wetting bill, but at the same time I don't want to risk carrying on.

Was wondering whether to switch suppliers. Do they come out and check the meters or do they just take the info from the last supplier?

Rusty!

You're always billed in m³, but a conversion factor should be printed on your bill (ie. they turn your ft³ into m³ to bill you), so you can use that to ensure you're paying the correct amount.

Lister_2

I'm pretty sure it's wrong. The meter readings were correct so I took the difference and ran it through a kwh convertor for both feet and meters. Their consumption figure matched the meters figure.

I will post the numbers tonight so you guys can see if I'm doing something stupid.

Magentasue

Look at the number of meter units and the number of kwh you are being charged for.

If there is a difference of about x31 - they're assuming you have an imperial number.

If the number of kwh is about 11 times as many meter units, it's being charged as metric.

So 50 of your imperial meter units would be approx 50 x 31 = 1550kwh

Lister_2

I'm going from memory, but I think it was 88 meter units and 990kwh, so looks metric. Our meter clearly says ft3

Magentasue

Suggests you are correct - you have an imperial meter but are being charged as if it were metric. I'd start saving.

Lister_2

Oh ****.

Advice anyone? Should I change suppliers quick before they notice? Where do new suppliers get meter info from? Do they come out themselves or do they just check the records of the physical supplier (Transco in my case).

Magentasue

Well, if you switch, you normally provide the meter readings, and so long as they are in line with previous readings, they are accepted and used to produce your final bill. We had a meter reader check our gas meter when we switched because our reading must have looked suspiciously high (we had central heating installed months before).

I'm pretty sure your previous supplier can bill you retrospectively as there are posts here from people who get a bill from way back, another address even, when a supplier realises there has been an error. I don't know how likely it is in this sort of case, but I would imagine you would get more time to pay and, maybe, a more generous goodwill gesture if you negotiated before switching. I'd have thought they'd be more generous to a current customer rather than one who has moved on.

Vestra

On your bill do they record your readings as say 03455 or 3455? Also what is your reading at the moment as they will no doubt notice once your meter over cycles.

Rusty!

Would this be one of the things they can only back bill 12 months for? If so, might not be too bad.

Vestra

Rusty! wrote: »

Would this be one of the things they can only back bill 12 months for? If so, might not be too bad.

Nope, only if no bill has been produced... it is the customer's responsibility to check the bill was correct even though most people would have no idea.