Can you overpay to beat price hike?

babysumo

Guys

No idea if anybody has thought about this but why cant you overpay you gas and electric at todays prices? So you are in a way fixing your own price, but the down side, you have to pay up front.

You could just give them readings to cover the winter period and only have to pay todays prices!

BG are putting up there prices by 7% in a month, so why not inflate your actual meter readings now and only pay at current prices, not with the 7% increase?

Sure its illegal or they'll be able to claim the difference back, but worth a thought.:mad:

BabySumo

katemw_2

Just overpaying won't work as the money you pay will just be held on account and used against your future bills (at the higher prices).

The only way would be to supply, as you say, an incorrect (overestimated) meter read - which would be fraud (i.e whatever you do DON'T DO IT). It's a crime...

victor2

If/when they came and actually read the meter, they'd probably catch on to what you'd done.

t0rt0ise

katemw wrote: »

The only way would be to supply an incorrect (overestimated) meter read - which would be fraud (i.e whatever you do DON'T DO IT).

That's what he meant. It could work if you'd had estimated reads up until now and could throw in a 'real' read that was much higher. Trouble is they'd think your use was excessive and up the DD to match but if you can cope with the higher DD financially then it would be okay.

It wouldn't be fraud, it would be a mistake.

katemw_2

t0rt0ise wrote: »

It wouldn't be fraud, it would be a mistake.

If you do it deliberately, yes it is fraud. Maybe you won't get caught. 'White collar' crime is still crime though.

t0rt0ise

Should have put some sort of winkey smiley I guess but thought what I was saying was obvious.

Premier_2

babysumo wrote: »

...
Sure its illegal ...

Hi babysumo, and welcome to MSE :hello:

Unfortunately you don't appear to have yet fully grasped the idea of this site

MSE_Martin wrote:

...MoneySaving is ABOUT legality. Play the system yes, but legally...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=257647&postcount=9

There's plenty of legal ways to save money. Keep reading the site and you'll get the idea

Also from the forum rules:

What kind of discussions aren't allowed?
...
Please don't discuss illegal issues or those that are grey areas in law on this forum. ...

katemw_2

t0rt0ise wrote: »

Should have put some sort of winkey smiley I guess but thought what I was saying was obvious.

When the OP is asking if a little bit of crime is ok, probably best to skip the irony and just go with NO.

viv0147

Over 60? If not this may be helpful to maybe a parent or grandparent for gas and electricity I use staywarm from Eon I have used this for the last few years I pay £70 a month total for both by direct debit which is set for 1 year my payments have remained the same for the last 3 years in return I can have the gas and electric on 24/7 not that I ever have done that but its reassuring to know that your payment remains the same if we hit really cold weather providing its not abused at the end of your 1 year contract you are reassessed.

Pincher

So if you submitted inflated false readings on 30th November 2010, and they generate a bill with much lower estimated readings on 1st December, what are you going to do?

You challenge the estimated readings on 3rd December, and they send a meter reader on 5th December to verify your claim, what are you going to do?

My actual consumption has been erratic over the last two years due to building works, and they have been sending meter readers every quarter: unlike before, when they only turned up twice a year.

Hooloovoo

Hmm. So it's illegal for me to "estimate" my bill, but not for the energy supplier to estimate it?

If they had estimated low usage all year, and then done an accurate reading and found out the usage had been much higher, the bill for the extra would be calculated using the prices on the day of the bill. It wouldn't be back dated and estimated using the lower prices at the start of the year. How is that fair?

I've often considered making an estimate of my bill over the summer, just like they do. I might get the estimate wrong and be way too high, just like they do. What's good for them is good for us.