Can someone explain my bill?

lpr_2

I apologise that this may sound stupid - I really should understand what I'm paying for, but until a second bill with an eye-watering figure fell on my mat this morning, I never paid that much attention.

I moved back to the UK in August. I got talked into joining NPower at a stand on a lovely sunny day with the promise of £100 if I remained with them for a year. It sounded great. We had only just moved into a house and we were with British Gas. We (wrongly or rightly) assumed that BG were probably the most expensive and would look into changing companies so when I was approached by the NPower people that day, it seemed right.

Now - a bill came through for our two-bedroom house in the region of £400 at Christmas for gas & electric. This was quite big considering we had the heating on for a couple of hours max a day. We decided to cut down. Since Christmas we don't have the heating on at all some days and if we do, just for two hours in the morning. We heat just one room in the house. Despite this, a new bill arrived today for £550.

I called NPower today to ask them why this was. He said that because I'd joined before the winter I was paying more. He said I would get much lower bills in the summer and if I'd joined before the summer my bills would be lower. He also said I was on Standard rate which meant I paid more for the first units I used than the second units.

I do not understand this at all. Can anyone help?

He tried to explain but I had to go due to a meeting - I thought I'd do some research and as a follower on Twitter, this was my first point of call.

The guy said I'd get more of a better deal if I switched to direct debit - is this true?

Thanks - and once again, if I sound stupid, it's probably because I have been.

Laura

markharding557

First check your meter readings and check them against your bills.
second they may have a cheaper tariff than the standard one such as internet tariffs.
third you will get an extra discount for paying by direct debit and the cost will be more evenly spread over the year.
Don't let them fob you off,it is obvious that you will use and pay less in the summer on quarterly billing