Beware Of Over Estimating Bills

kop4me

I just received my estimated gas and electricity bills from hydro electric. Both bills were estimated greatly over the ammount actualy used.
Gas by over £200.00 for this quarter and electricty by a lesser ammount.

With the tarrifs being reduced this month this mean paying for gas and electric which has not been used at the higher rate before these reductions.

Needless to say I have contacted hydro electric and had the bills rectified but without any apologies.

Please be aware of possible overestimating with the latest bills before the reductions take place.


regards
kop4me

Vestra

Just like underestimated bills, estimated bill will always be an estimate if they don't have an actual reading.

KimYeovil

I don't remember you posting a warning about overestimates when prices were going up.

Pink_fluff

kop4me wrote: »

I just received my estimated gas and electricity bills from hydro electric. Both bills were estimated greatly over the ammount actualy used.
Gas by over £200.00 for this quarter and electricty by a lesser ammount.

With the tarrifs being reduced this month this mean paying for gas and electric which has not been used at the higher rate before these reductions.

Needless to say I have contacted hydro electric and had the bills rectified but without any apologies.

Please be aware of possible overestimating with the latest bills before the reductions take place.


regards
kop4me

An estimated bill is just that. Why don't you give them a call - give them your up to date meter read. Problem solved.

Rikki

I always take a reading when the prices change so I don't get caught out either way.

Had my meter read today. This next bill is my winter biggy. :eek:

kop4me

Pink_fluff wrote: »

An estimated bill is just that. Why don't you give them a call - give them your up to date meter read. Problem solved.

As stated in my original post I did contact them and had the bills revised. I was simply trying to alert people to the chance of paying for something at a higher rate than necessary

Money_saving_Martyn

@kop4me

Thanks for this warning - it's a shame some people on here would rather make sarcastic comments than ignore what they don't like.

This certainly could be something available to companies to extra those few extra pence out of us. I wonder if estimated usage depends on predicted price changes.....hmmmm.

My water company did something similar. Every quarter they over estimated my usage by about 10 units.......and every quater I would send them the correct metre reading. Then, when their prices increased they, for some reason, expected my consumption to go up and over their usual estimates - despite having a year long record of my actual consumption being much less.

Unfortunately, my water costs are not going to come down again...

My general advice would be to keep a record of monthly gas/electricity/water readings....... that can also help you to keep an eye on your usage and check for leaks, turn things off etc...

Thanks again!

Cardew

Money_saving_Martyn wrote: »

@kop4me

Thanks for this warning - it's a shame some people on here would rather make sarcastic comments than ignore what they don't like.

This certainly could be something available to companies to extra those few extra pence out of us. I wonder if estimated usage depends on predicted price changes.....hmmmm.

My water company did something similar. Every quarter they over estimated my usage by about 10 units.......and every quater I would send them the correct metre reading. Then, when their prices increased they, for some reason, expected my consumption to go up and over their usual estimates - despite having a year long record of my actual consumption being much less.

Unfortunately, my water costs are not going to come down again...
!

It is also a shame when people imply criminal behaviour by the Unitility companies.

For make no mistake any attempt to deliberately over-estimate(on a price drop) or under-estimate(on a price rise) is conspiracy to defraud.

The estimate of readings at the date of a price change is obviously done by computer. The algorith is written taking into account factors like weather(they have a feed from the Met office) and it is independently audited.

For someone to 'fudge' this program in favour of the companies would require instructions to the person responsible; and would be an extremely serious offence. Do you not think a whistle blower would not reveal all?

Look what happened to Severn Trent for, in comparison, a technical offence of falsifying performance data.

Incidentally, if MSE is anything to go by, there are far more complaints of under-estimated meter readings than over-estimates.

daisycutter

Just had a 'spat' with EDF - they wanted to put up my DD from £90 to £140 3 months ago when I was £188 in Credit - after some vigourous discussion when I pointed out that on current payment I would come out of the Winter quarter maximum of £100 in debit, which is well within expectation of normal on a 12 month payment basis, they agreed that the increase was not needed. Got my bill a few days ago and it was £105.63 in debit BUT they had only set two DD's against the bill - just missed the March payment by 2 days, so actually I was £15 in debit.

Get this - the new yearly payment review showed an increase in my monthly payments to £140, and this has been taken from my Bank Account. After a further vigourous discussion the 'customer service adviser' ( a misnomer if there ever was one) agreed reluctantly to reduce the payment to £90 again. As prices are dropping 12.5% from 31/03/2009 I could actually reduce my payment and still be even over the year.

This is great fun for those of us who are happy to challenge ridiculous payment increases, but what about those (especially older people) who are not confident enough to bang heads repeatedly??