Unbelievable High Gas Bill

99noodle

Help. We have just been sent a £5,500.00 gas bill from Npower.
We last had our meter read in April/2009 and it has been estimated until now.

What are our options?

JasX

Go and read your meter? look at the current meter reading showing on the meter, the meter reading you were billed to and physical meter readings taken before April 2009 that Npower hold to check for errors.

£5,500 is an unlikely amount of gas to have gotten thru inside one year but could have built up over a period of several years.

Also check if your meter is cubic meters or cubic feet and that Npower have you down for the correct type

99noodle

Hi. Thanks for that. Meter readings look OK. Will I find if dubic meters or feet on meter?

Widelats

Tell them they have obviously made a mistake and to come read it themselves as your running a home, not a world war 2 gas death chamber, in which case to redirect your bills to Hitlers relations.

dogshome

Hi 99noodle - In earlier times all Gas meters were IMPERIAL & measured in cubic feet: 1 unit = 100 Ft3
With metrification they are now METRIC & measure in cubic metres, which is a appx.1/3 less than 100 Ft3

The problem is that when gas meters are changed it is likely that the old meter was Imperial and it was swapped for a Metric model, and whilst the supplier knows it's a new meter they often fail to adjust their billing from the Imperial measure to Metric measure.


OK - Look at the front of your meter and on it, it will marked M3 for metric or Ft3 for Imperial

Next look at the bill: On the line giving the cost of Gas used, it will state how many meter units you used, followed by a calculation, followed by how many KW the meter units were converted to, followed by the price per Kw, followed by the total cost
Divide the number of Kw charged by the number of meter units - If the answer is around 11, you are being billed for a metric meter - If it's around 31 you are being billed for an Imperial meter

If you do have a Metric Meter but are being billed for an Imperial meter, your bills are roughly 66% higher than they should be, so get onto n'power immediately who should not only adjust your present bill, but reimburse you for overpayments all the way back to when the meter was changed

emma3582

I have just checked my gas billing as they wanted to double my direct debits and a friend told me about the imperial and metric mistakes and i couldnt believe it but i have a metric meter but have been charged for an imperial meter which dates back to early 2007. I have over paid by £1500 approx and now gas company lookiing into it but from what i have read on line they have to pay it all back and a few people have mentioned about asking for the interest they have accrued and also compensation as they have been to check the meter previously and not done anything about it. We are so broke at the moment and dreaming of a holiday next year so i think i am def having one now with this payout. I do hope it wiill be straight forward getting my money back. Has anyone been paying this and have you got your money back ok?

the_cool_dude

my friend is a meter reader and tells me crazy stories about the gas & electric companies,meters so high you can't read them or at the back of cupboards turned the wrong way ,wrong addresses,wrong serial numbers or the last tennent's name who left the house years ago,there living in the dark ages and need to come into the 21st century by having all meters outside ,then the end of estimated bill's which in turn would save utilities millions which would be passed on to us (maybe).

mattcanary

You'd still get admin mistakes though and having meters outside wouldn;t mean old tennats would notify the company when leavin and new tenants notify the company when they move in.

Joyful

Hopefully these problems with reads will all be a thing of the past once smart meters are installed.

dogshome

Hi emma3582 - I presume you have already phoned your gas supplier, but to make sure they don't just deal with this in their own sweet time, WRITE to them heading the letter COMPLAINT.

If at all possible enclose a clear photo of your meter showing the M3 stated on it's face plate, and asking why in the full knowledge that all new and replacement Gas meters have been Metric for some years prior to your meter exchange, they did not adjust their billing accordingly.
Add that you will be claiming compensation for all monies overpaid based on the Retail Price Index and compounded annually.

Meadows

99noodle wrote: »

Help. We have just been sent a £5,500.00 gas bill from Npower. We last had our meter read in April/2009 and it has been estimated until now. What are our options?

Was the start reading on your first bill the correct reading when you moved in?
£5,500 seem extremely high, It is either an admin error or occupiers leaving and moving in are not contacting the supplier to say 'This is my reading, I am leaving/moving in'.

Once sorted even if you receive an estimated bill each quarter have a look at your meter, if it differs greatly contact the supplier to say this is my actual reading.