Are Southern Electric Gas ripping me off?

drdeej

I am a single person with Aspergers' Syndrome and live in a 1-bedroom flat. I have a combi-boiler that heats my central heating (2 - 3) hours a day and a little water and that is about it. I was alarmed recently when I recieved a gas bill for 358 pounds (I lost the pound sign on my keyboard). I couldn't understand it. I used 321 units. I first thought maybe there is a problem with the meter. Then I thought maybe the boiler or possibly a gas leak. Then I checked how they calculate my bill. Could someone tell me is there a industry standard way of calculating gas used that all the companies have to use or can they calculate it any way they like.
The method I am aware of is : UNITS x 1.02264 x 39.4 / 3.6 = KWh.
However, Southern Electric haven't used this formula. There way of calculating it is as follows : UNITS x FACTOR 100 x 1.02264 x 0.0283 x 39.4 / 3.6 = KWh. Using their method I have worked out I am getting charged THREE TIMES the amount of the regular method I am aware of. Could someone tell me is the Southern Electric rate correct or are they ripping me off. And if they are ripping me off then why?

spiro

There are two methods for calculating your gas bill from the readings and it depends on your meter being metric (M3 on meter or Imperial ft3 on meter). You need to check you bill and meter both show the same thing (M3 or ft3). This http://www.energylinx.co.uk/gas_meter_conversion.html will allow you to put in your usage (difference between 2 readings) and it will convert it to khw.

For 321 units, if your meter is M3 the answer is 3647kwh, if it is ft3 the answer is 10322kwh.

As you say you bill is 3 times normal then there could be 3 answers; (1) Very cold winter, (2) SSE have your meter recorded as ft3 when it should be M3 or (3) You meter type has always been wrong and you have been undercharged by 66%.

drdeej

Yes, just spoke to them again and they have down on record it as being ft3 instead of m3 which is confusing as I have metric rates quoted on my bill. This is the second meter on my property that has been messed up. The water meter was crossed over as well. Hopefully I'll see the end to this saga soon.