Southern Electric ripping me off? It appears so.

Fongoid

Hello, I didn't want to post about this but feel I have no choice. Let me give you some background- I moved with my flatmate to a small 2 bedroom all-Electric rented flat in December of 2008. My previous large two bedroom house (with three people living in it) had a key meter with Southern Electric, we were not careful with electricity and often had the heating on all day as well as a myriad of appliances. Electricity cost us about £40-50 a month on average. It was similar in my previous property with British Gas.

After not receiving an Electricity bill (despite repeated requests) I eventually got one six months in for over £1700. It turned out this was wildly inaccurate and it was reduced to £782, still a shocking amount but better then before. I think this was partly my fault due to not understanding how economy 7 works, however after completely making the place as eco-friendly and green as possible I continued to get high bills with until last September when I asked to go from Economy 7 to a standard tariff, hoping this would change things.

The new meter was fitted and come December it seemed things were better- my first standard tariff bill arrived and after I corrected it by submitting my own meter readings it was £92.35. I was still frustrated at the fact they had messed me around quite a bit and the fact that it was going to take me a long time to pay off the bill I owe but I was happy things were going the right way.

This bill worked out as an average of 13 units used per day.

Last week I received my next bill and was surprised to see it was high, so went to submit my standard readings which have always lowered the amount. However this time they were higher- I still submitted them as I wanted to remain honest and as accurate as possible. When the adjusted bill came it was for £295.

This worked out as an average of 26 units used per day.

I questioned this with Southern Electric and they said to take 5 days worth of meter readings (which I photographed), here are the results:

Thursday- 03478 (13 units used)
Wednesday- 03465 (15 units used)
Tuesday 03450- (14 units used)
Monday 03438- (12 units used)
Sunday 03425- (13 units used)
Saturday 03413- (12 units used)

This worked out at an average of about 14 units used per day.

That amount tallied with the first bill I received, which had 13 units per day used on average. So how come the inbetween period had an average of 26 units per day, almost double the amount? I'd like to clarify now that I have a low income and due to being scared of the amount I'd be charged have spent this whole winter without using the main heating system- I've used a small heater in the lounge for one-two hours a day maximum. This was being used during the five days I recorded the figures as it was during the period of my huge bill. We've had a horrible time just wearing many layers of clothing and having to take the covers to the couch just to stay warm as I cannot risk getting these huge bills again. Leaving the lounge you can see your breath in the air when you breathe, this is how serious I have been about trying to conserve energy. There was no difference in what we've been using the past week and what we used during the last billing period.

I spoke to the CAB and they suggested that a possible explanation was that the meter counter may have slipped too far during one rotation. After calling back Southern Electric they basically told me there was pretty much no way the meter was faulty and that I just had to pay the bill. I mentioned what had been suggested and it was dismissed instantly, considering how polite and nice their staff have been upto now I found this guy quite rude. If I want to have it tested it will cost me £60 which I don't have and as the meter is recording a steady 14ish units used per day I don't know if it would even help anything. I'm now going to keep checking the meter each day to ensure it stays at these levels.

What can I do now? It is obvious something is up with the previous bill as it is twice what it should be, but the meter readings are accurate and I don't know if I can continue to spend the rest of this winter getting colds and being freezing just to avoid being ripped off.

EDIT: Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Premier_2

It's unlikely the meter became faulty and then magically repaired itself.

Much more likely that you just used more energy, especially during the cold, dark spell of winter.

You agreed to be billed based on what the meter records as being consumed.
Whilst meters do on the odd occassion become faulty, you could always ask for your meter to be checked and if found faulty, you would have a case for re-assessment. Otherwise, and I think this is more likely, the meter will be found to be accurate and you will be faced with paying the meter checking charge (probably about £70) as well as the existing bill.

neil9313

Have you used all the electric? I read your post that you have.

If you think the meter is out then you will get the £60 back if found to be faulty

your post is confusing, no start or finish meter readings?

I

Fongoid

Neil and Premier, thanks for responding. It seems the meter is recording a consistent amount of units each day. The issue is that those amounts of units for the last bill are double what they normally would be compared to the 5 days I recorded them and for the first bill received. There is no difference in electricity consumed, as my freezing cold hands can attest to. It seems to me that the skipping meter counter given to me as a possible explanation by the CAB could be what has happened, yet I don't know how to prove this. The figures certainly support the theory, however.

neil9313

Well you need to change the post title if SE are not at fault


suggest you turn everything off for a minute including fridge freezer to see if the meter turns maybe?


Im still not sure what amount of money /electric you think you dont owe

Fongoid

If SE are not at fault of course I will change the title, although it is currently posed as a question. I don't see how I can be though, my September-November bill was 749 units and £92.35 while my November-February bill was 2452 units and £295. The last five days I checked the units used and they tally with the September-November bill. I turned everything off and the meter was still, I am confident it is currently recording the right amount of units. The slipping meter counter seems to be the only logical explanation to me, I know people will say it's the heating but we have not used it after my huge bills last year on E7 as I'm too scared of the bills. This has ruined the past few months for me and has made me feel very depressed (and cold), if it's not sorted SE have lost a customer they would have otherwise had for life. I've contacted consumer direct, hopefully they can help too.

EDIT: Also contacted their head of customer service.

markharding557

Fongoid,the fact you used more in the coldest quarter is normal.
your november-feb bill covers three months in which case you have used around £100 per month which is quite reasonable

Fongoid

I realise that would be the case if we'd used the heating- but we haven't. After the huge bills we got previously we are afraid to.