£2000 electricity bill: is there anyway to know if someone is stealing off us?

gemma_a

We're 6 girls sharing a house and our latest electricity bill is £2000! The meter is now running at a normal speed so I don't think we have much chance at not being forced to pay it. Can you tell if someone's somehow tapping into the supply?
Thanks
xx

CharlieBilly

Yes turn everything off and then check the meter

Take regularly meter readings you have to be careful sharing with people as sometimes when you leave the bill payer gets a nasty shock

diable

6 girls - 6 hairdryers and 30 mins each in the shower plus the TV on 24 7 for Big Brother ;p

DVardysShadow

What CharlieBilly says, turn it all off for a few hours and see if anyone complains. What sort of property are you renting? Do you know where your meter is, have you taken readings and are you sure it is yours?

gemma_a

yeh we've switched it all off and it stops, so i dunno if somethings happened to make it jump? its all turning normally now =[ what do you mean do we know if its ours? im confused!
xx

Cardew

Surely the most likely scenario is that it is a 'catch-up' bill? i.e. previous bills have been based on under-estimated meter readings and this bill is based on an actual meter reading and has corrected the under-payment on previous bills.

Have a look at the start meter reading on this £2000 bill and see if it is estimated(normally denoted by an (E) against the meter reading e.g 12345(E).

Also get hold of previous bills and see if they are based on estimated bills. If you haven't kept them the Utility firm will provide them.

specialsparky

How long have you been in the house? What have you paid before? This sounds a lot of money so as Cardew says could be a catch up bill, but then your previous bills msut have been cheap.
Sharing with 6 people you need an accountant.
Give regular reads to your utility comapny.
If you are struggling to pay then speak to your supplier.
Good luck hope his helps

DVardysShadow

gemma_a wrote: »

yeh we've switched it all off and it stops, so i dunno if somethings happened to make it jump? its all turning normally now =[ what do you mean do we know if its ours? im confused!
xx

You have not said what kind of premises you are in.

Sometimes you get billed for the meter for a completely different property. Sometimes if you are in a flat and the meters are in a common area, the meter you think is yours actually is not.

As for turning the supply off, the idea is that you cut off the supply of anyone who is stealing.

dunloadin

If you read the meter yourself it could be that the read included the digit after the decimal point on the meter, hence a bill of £2,000 when it should be £200. (Trying not to steriotype, but I have a picture of 6 blondes in my head at the mo )

spiro

Check that the meter serial number on the bill matches the serial number on the meter. As others have said check the previous bills have not been based on estimates, also go and read the meter today and check the reading makes sense compared to the reading on you bill. If your suppliers agent read the meter they can also get it wrong.

You dont say if you have GSH or not, or is it an all electric property?

gemma_a

we've got gas central heating and its a terraced house, so its definitely ours. we had a meter reading in november, so i don't think it can be a catch up. and the numbers on the bill and the meter now match. kinda regretting putting that we were all girls as it seems people have little faith in us! the electricity company are coming out to check the meter next week so hopefully there is something wrong with it! we have definitely not used that amount, its the kind of amount where you need 90 tumble dryers, so im told.