Final Bill error

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Just got my final bill from my old supplier - they reckoned a meter reading at the end of last month of 5064 when today it's only 5039. (strange how they entered an estimate as the actual reading despite never having done it before)

Cue an enjoyable telephone queue where I explain to them how to calculate the average gas usage for the period if they have lost the actual reading, how to convert it into KwH, add VAT and allow for the payments already taken.

They now owe me £40 which should hit the bank by tomorrow morning

I like maths.

notbritishgas

The important thing is to make sure the opening reading from your new supplier matches the end reading from the old one.
Normally it is the new supplier that gives the reading (did you give one?) to the old supplier, this way they both should match.

Premier_2

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

... (strange how they entered an estimate as the actual reading despite never having done it before)...

You didn't mention the supplier, but there's at least one supplier (can't remember which) where their billing system doesn't allow anything other than an actual reading as a final one (even if it's not actual).

As notbritishgas says, the important thing is that the final reading of the previous supplier matches the start reading of the new supplier

To be certain, you could always provide your own reading to both suppliers on the day of the switch.

Ignite

This happened to me. I disputed the reading with the new company and then informed the old company that the reading was in dispute. It turned out that the new company had given the transportation company (it was gas) the correct figures, but as these didn't look right, the transportation company had changed them. The old company based their figures on what they had from the transportation company.

In the end, everything worked out OK. I was called up by someone from the old company asking why I hadn't paid the bill. After being told that it was due to the bill being incorrect, they sorted it there and then and offered me a 10% discount if I cleared the bill with them. Obviously I took them up on this and ended up better off than I would have been.

Before anyone asks, yes I do have a final bill showing that it was now cleared with this discount.