omg Gas bill £978.10 help

calmspirit

Hi

I really dont know what to do ....I moved into this house (small 3 bed terrace well insulated double glazed etc) In February, first gas bill EDF arrived 7th April £38.24 which I paid although it was estimated.

Just had another bill after meter reading on 25th May for actual of £978.10 ....I phoned them and they said all I could do was read meter in another week and they might be able to re-estimate use from when I moved in.

They seem to have no record of my meter reading from when I moved in and I have lost the paper I wrote it on. Seems to me that it's a new meter and the reading was low...until now....

I suspect that it might be a problem with my boiler? Obviously I would have to pay the whole amount if it is so is there any way to get this checked ? I am in panic mode now there is no way I can afford that bill !

head spinning time

Cardew

Firstly they can't estimate a gas bill from a week's consumption in June(when presumably you have no heating) and apply it to a period from February of a very cold winter.

It seems pretty obvious that you are being billed for some of the previous occupants consumption. However if you didn't give them your initial meter reading when you moved in, or checked and corrected the estimated bill(for a silly £34) you are on very weak ground.

Someone has used the gas(obviously the previous occupant) and they are hardly likely to pay up and will no doubt challenge any bill based on an estimated final reading.

You have no reason to suspect a problem with your boiler for that consumption I assume? if there is a problem, or you admit as such, you are liable.

I would wait and see what solution EDF propose - they will probably make a goodwill reduction.

What did you do about electricity? Are you likely to have the same issue?

calmspirit

Hi and thanks so much for reply

I have no reason to believe boiler is faulty other than the massive massive bill ! Stupidly I cant find the paper I wrote the initial readings on but I know I phoned them through.....the electricity (also with EDF) has my reading from 30th Jan when I became owner, and the electricity is what I expected it to be. I would have given both readings as I knew EDF had both gas and electric, I am normally quite organised!

I am so annoyed that I cant find the paper I wrote it down on.....still searching for that...but I do know the property was empty for approx 1-2 years before I moved in ...however i have just looked at the gas meter and it has an installation date of 22/1/10 which is a week before I moved in.......now I am even more confused.

Cardew

If the meter was indeed changed on 22/01/10 then you should be in the clear.

Normally there is a label on the meter which states the reading on the change of meter date; and EDF will have that reading. Also if you look at your first bill it will give the meter reading on ???? date to meter reading on 22/01/10 - that will be xxx gas units = yyyy kWh. You are not responsible for that consumption.

You are just responsible for the consumption from the meter reading on 22/01/10 to present.

spiro

Check the meter serial number on your bill matches that on the meter, also check that the meter and bill are both for metric or imperial. EDF should have a record of the meter reading from when the meter was changed, call them up and 'remind' them the meter was exchanged just before you moved in.

mattcanary

calmspirit, you are responsible for the gas bill from the date in Feb when you moved in, not when the meter was changed back on 22/1/10

Cardew

mattcanary wrote: »

calmspirit, you are responsible for the gas bill from the date in Feb when you moved in, not when the meter was changed back on 22/1/10

That is splitting hairs!

The OP moved in on 30/01/10 and the house had been unoccupied before that date.

As the OP cannot remember the reading on 30/01/10 and has a large bill, which presumably covers a period long before he/she moved in, it is hardly worth quibbling at the moment over 8 days consumption for an unoccupied house.

calmspirit

thank you all for replies, I am a bit calmer this morning!

I will phone EDF when they open tomorrow and hopefully sort this out...I think I just went into panic mode yesterday and am sure, as Cardew says, the fact the meter was changed should be the answer.

It's been a difficult few months and this has certainly made me get to grips with the paperwork I have let slip.

many thanks

molerat

On the sticker on the meter with the date of installation it should also have the removal read of the old meter and the installation read of the new meter. Do these tally with your bills. Also your last bill should have the opening meter read. Do the bills show the units as metric or imperial. If they have billed you for imperial when you are metric the bill will be about 3x what it should be.

It would be far easier for you to do most of these things yourself and tell them what is wrong rather than let them muddle through as the call centres can be worse than useless.

PNPSUKNET

ensure that it is billed on metric and not imperial also, this can make a big difference

calmspirit

thanks for your help everyone, spoke to edf this morning and gave them all the information, bill now at £323 which is still more than I expected but miles better than it was !

Lesson learnt !

Thanks again for stopping my head spinning on Saturday!