unexplained rise in cost and usage?

WolfSong2000

Okay, so the deal is I currently live in a flat with 4 other people...we're all students, but the flats are leased by a construction company. Been here 3 years now, first year was great, but it's gone downhill from there.

We are given £1,000 inclusive energy for the year - if costs exceed this, we have to make up the difference. Fair enough. first year we were well under...second year despite same (average) usage, we incurred costs. This year it's got even worse. Just been informed by landlord that electricity bill for march-June is over £500, which is more than the costs over the winter months for electricity and heating!

I am, to say the least, a little suspicious of this, as I was away from enf of march to end of April (abroad) as well as for part of June...when I have been here, my energy usage has not changed. So unless my flatmates have somehow gone mad with electricity, I fail to see how the cost can have shot up so much?

Spoke with someone from the flat accross the hall and they said their electricity costs had spiked, sam as ours, but from January-March.

No idea what's going on, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

KimYeovil

Are you sure the bill is not a catch up from the winter quarter? Do you have access to the meters? Ask your landlord to provide a reading on the same day each month.

I would say an extra £100 for heating this winter (five students - five or six living spaces) is not at all unrealistic. But if it is not from winter then you are right to be confused.

KimYeovil

Do note that that is only £25 per month each (of which £17 is inclusive) - still a bargain. Clarification is, of course, needed but it is certainly not unbelievable. Of course, if you continue to be charged an excess £500 this quarter then dot dot dot

WolfSong2000

Like I said, this has never happened in the past...I'm also suspicious as we got our bill weeks late...Landlord said she was chasing it up from the energy company. I dunno...the landlord has changed twice since I started living here, and each time the situation has gotten worse. I don't trust this woman as far as I can throw her.

And why would we be paying a winter excess so late?

Mankysteve

Ask her for copies of the bills.

spiro

Mankysteve wrote: »

Ask her for copies of the bills.

Agree, the LL is not allowed to profit from 'selling on' the fuel. You are legally entitled to see the bills.

WolfSong2000

Landlord has scanned me the bill, but tbh I'm not sure what I am looking for, and despite being relatively simplistic, parts of it don't make sense...what I can make out is that the cost has definitely risen (bill shows cost of last reading relative to this reading). I think one of the things that is making me suspicious is that the bill was delayed...that, and like I said, I don't trust this landlord...at the end of last year we were charged for things (e.g. cutlery) that were supposedly missing, when I am almost certain they weren't. Another flat got charged an extortionate amount for their electricity - it was about £1000, which there is absolutely no way they could have got through...

KimYeovil

Where are the meters?

WolfSong2000

I've no idea where the meters are, I'm afraid :S.