£2k final gas bill - help!

nm123_2

Hi there,

I moved out of my flat a couple of weeks ago and when I called EON to tell them I was moving and give my final reading, they said my final bill would be just under £2k....

Stupidly, I neglected to give them actual readings during my tenancy there (3 years, 3 months) and they were billing us based on estimates.

We were originally paying £61pm for gas and electric with EON and then a few months ago they raised this to £79pm.

For info - it was my boyfriend and I living in the flat (2 bed), we were both out at work from 7.30am-6.30pm Monday to Friday, had the heating on a timer and an electric shower and oven. The flat could get drafty, and took a while to heat up if that makes a difference too.

What I'd like to get a feel for is whether the additional £50 per month for the 39 months sounds about right. Did we have ridiculously low gas/electric bills for 3 years and now it's caught up on us - if so, happy to pay up. If not, and £111pm rising to £129pm seems expensive I'd like to understand whether I am in a position to query this with EON further?

Many thanks in advance for you advice.

Premier_2

Based on the amount recorded as consumed, it seems about right.

What's to query? The meter records the consumption ... and that is what you are billed upon.

The only thing you could query is why they didn't take every measure possible (including getting an entry warrant if necessary) to gain access to the gas meter to read/inspect it at least every 2 years at they are required to do under the terms of their supply licence.
Not sure how that would help you though...other than wind up the creditor even more?

nm123_2

Thanks. I just wondered if perhaps that £111-129pm was high for a 2 bed flat, and if so, would we be able to get EON to check the meter to see if it's working properly...

Premier_2

nm123 wrote: »

Thanks. I just wondered if perhaps that £111-129pm was high for a 2 bed flat, and if so, would we be able to get EON to check the meter to see if it's working properly...

You possibly could have got the meter checked if you still lived there (for a fee which would be refundable if it was found to be faulty), but if you are no longer the account holder there, probably not.

beecher2

It depends on how high your thermostat was, how many hours you had the heating on, and what your insulation was like. As you've never taken accurate readings I think you'll find it difficult to dispute the readings. The only thing I can suggest is double checking that you've read the meter correctly when you left.

nm123_2

Ok... one last question... EON have suggested repayments of £163 x 12months... I'd like to suggest £100 x 19 months. Think they'll take it?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi nm

Certainly sounds as though your Direct Debit was set too low and not covering the actual usage. This has resulted in a large catch up bill now we have an accurate reading.

As Premier says, we have an obligation to see your gas meter at least once every two years. Have we not attempted to do this at all during your tenancy? A card should have been left if we called and couldn't gain access. Did this happen?

Also, letters asking for meter readings are automatically sent out where an account has been estimated over three consecutive quarters. Did you receive these letters?

Payment arrangements on final bills are not usually set over a period as long as 12 months. However, if we have not attempted to read the meter you may well have a case. Give us a call and ask for a full review of the account. There may be scope for a longer payment arrangement if we have fallen down.

Hope this helps a little nm.

Malc

me1232

It forever annoys me that suppliers assume that people that move into properties 'know' that they must read a meter - you would then be assuming that they had someone responsible in their lives to to tell them to do this. So many people fall through this net - it should be taught in schools instead of freakin' algebra or something. AAAAGHHHH :mad:

me1232

Oh, and by the way, you do definitely have a case against Eon if they have not billed you against accurate readings for this long. Writing to you for a reading is not an argument, you could be dyslexic for example, or letters lost in the post etc. Escalate your complaint when you call them and ask to speak to a manager, a complaint will be opened and a complaints handling procedure will be sent to you 48 hours later - after 56 days the ombudsman will take up your case and then you know that it will be dealt with correctly rather than you being fobbed off. They may not even have sent you the '3 consecutive estimates' letter - computer systems are not infallible. Good luck

KimYeovil

me1232 wrote: »

It forever annoys me that suppliers assume that people that move into properties 'know' that they must read a meter - you would then be assuming that they had someone responsible in their lives to to tell them to do this. So many people fall through this net - it should be taught in schools instead of freakin' algebra or something. AAAAGHHHH

At first I thought you were being sarcastic. Re-reading I see you are not. God help us.

JasX

If you had the thermostat set fairly high on a 'draughty' flat you could well have burned through a gas consumption on the 'high'end of normal which youre seems to be.

If you'd kept a closer eye on things and noticed high useage earlier a few draught excluders would have likely paid for themselves many times over.....