Quandry - Think we're being undercharged for gas.

allan673

i would look at switching gas providers to be honest. who are you with now? and how do you pay.

Cardew

Rian1988 wrote: »

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.

Whilst that is generally true, I am not sure that the billing code is that specific. The key quote from the code is:

The Code includes a requirement for consumers to be protected from debt where the supplier is at fault for not billing energy supply. Where the supplier is at fault, consumers cannot be back-billed beyond 12 months from the date on any subsequent bill.

It is really the interpretation of 'not billing energy supply' that matters.

Clearly the supplier is at fault for not billing for some of the energy supply.

This is not the same as having a catch-up bill after previous under-estimated readings; as it is the customer's responsibility to check those readings.

My gut feeling is that in this case the 12 month back-billing clause would apply.

Be interested in the views of some Utility Company employees.

Lister_2

Rian1988 wrote: »

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.

The bill quotes a four figure number for the reading.

Our meter is in the 9700 range so I think we'd better change supplier quick!

I've just checked the meter number on the bill and it looks like they've swapped two digits over. :rolleyes:

Thanks for everyone's help.

Tiggergirl

Isn't a cubic foot smaller than a cubic metre?

Surely if you have been billed in cubic metres but really you have used the equivalent cubic feet, they have billed you for more than you have used and therefore they will owe you money.

Maybe I'm looking at it too simplistically. If so I'm sure someone will be along soon to correct me.

SwanJon

Tigger - gas readings are hundreds of cubic feet, which are bigger than a cubic meter, so the OP is right.
Lister - a metric meter is 5 dial, so they would expect you to go to 10000 after 9999, I'm not suggesting anything....
Start putting a bit extra aside as even a 12 month catch up would be a lot, and I expect they may ask for more.
Suppliers should get all the meter info from the same place, but there was a thread on here a few weeks back about it going wrong.
As always, look for the best deal you can on the switching sites, and so long as your new tariff doesn't have an exit fee there's nothing to swap you switching back in a few months, during which time the meter could have been 'exchanged'?

Magentasue

Yes tiggergirl, you're right. We keep on about cubic feet but it's actually hundreds of cubic feet rather than cubic feet.

Vestra

Lister wrote: »

The bill quotes a four figure number for the reading.

Our meter is in the 9700 range so I think we'd better change supplier quick!

I've just checked the meter number on the bill and it looks like they've swapped two digits over. :rolleyes:

Thanks for everyone's help.

Usually if it was being recorded as 5 dial it would show as 09700. Can you post the details from your bill such as reading this time reading last time and how much you were charged?

Lister_2

Rian1988 wrote: »

Usually if it was being recorded as 5 dial it would show as 09700. Can you post the details from your bill such as reading this time reading last time and how much you were charged?

Last Reading: 9630 (Estimate)
This Reading: 9718 (Customer reading)
Gas used: 88 (cubic metres) = 990kWh
Calorific Value: 39.6
Correction factor: 1.022640
Cost: £82.33

Vestra

Lister wrote: »

Last Reading: 9630 (Estimate)
This Reading: 9718 (Customer reading)
Gas used: 88 (cubic metres) = 990kWh
Calorific Value: 39.6
Correction factor: 1.022640
Cost: £82.33

So something is wrong, the question is how honest you want to be.

When your meter over cycles and say the reader reads it as 0050, the system is not going to accept that your meter has actually overcycled nearly 90000 units. So the system will over rite these with estimates (this could go on for a very very long time).

If you wanted you could switch and your current provider may never notice.

Cardew

Lister wrote: »

Last Reading: 9630 (Estimate)
This Reading: 9718 (Customer reading)
Gas used: 88 (cubic metres) = 990kWh
Calorific Value: 39.6
Correction factor: 1.022640
Cost: £82.33

Something is not correct here.

990kWh should cost somewhere in the region of £35.

So although that quote above gives the correct calculations for a metric meter(ie.88 cubic metres = 990kWh) you are being correctly charged for an Imperial meter. -i.e. 88 gas units = 2,801kWh. and £82.33(+VAT?) would be about right for 2,801kWh.(approx 3p/kWh)