Massive Electricity Bill - help

AFriend

Long-time-reader-first-time-poster,

Initial points: I've rechecked the meter and the serial numbers seem to match and the previous readings were not estimates.

I lived in a 1 bed apartment, gas centeral heating, with my partner and no children.
I've been with British Gas on a dual fuel since 2009. Moved out very recently.

Paid by direct debit fixed amount (£25 and £26) each - this has been more than enough to cover all bills.
With my usual bill covering about 80 days costing around £60-£80.

Using all the stats available I had spent an average of 0.75p per day on electricity.


However between 26th Jan 2011 and 19th May 2011; I've been billed for £952.41
That is £8.43 per day!

I always turn off all equipment/lights/never use standby/use nothing that uses any considerable electricity/nothing different or new during this period.

At some point during this period, my landlord requested an electricitian to investigate a "power issue" (I believe there was an electrical noise coming from the meter). I was given no reference, no explaination of the problem, no explaination of the resolution, no details on who it was that visited (unfortuantely I didn't even note the date). The meter is accessible outside of the flat. I've contacted Scottishpower (ex manweb); which is apparently the distributer for the area, but they have no knowledge of the callout.

I've contacted British Gas multiple times too; they insist the tenant is liable for the payment, but can claim compensation from the distributer or landlord (if internal problem).

The landlord apparently has no details regarding the visit.
He has now also instructed an electrical check on his property which has apparently been given the "ok".

I've spent several hours and sent various emails to and from the companies mentioned, but am nowhere closer to a resolution.
I have always paid my bills in full and on time.
This whole mess is very stressful. Essentially everyone seems to be saying I have to pay and get compensation, but there is no way I can afford to pay this bill - especially as I am well aware how hard it will be to get any refund from anyone. As far as I can see (1) I can't have used it (2) The landlord insists his electrics are ok (3) The distributer claims there is no problem.

My calculations using averages over the past couple of years mean I 'would have used roughly' £84.75 during this period.
The account was in credit with a balance of £92.24. Since I have sent final meter readings and the total balance should mean I owe £5.67.
I also owe £85.76 for gas - which I am happy to pay.

I am happy to pay these "fair and reasonable" values, but paying £952.41 for something I clearly haven't (and couldn't!) use is ridiculas.

Are you able to offer any advice?
Please don't hesitate to ask for any further details.

spiro

Try doing the 'kettle test', turn everything off and make sure the meter stops, if it doesn't then something is consuming your elec. Fill up an elec kettle and turn it on, this should start using about 1kwh.

If you still believe it may be the meter, call your supplier and explain what the LL said about noise from the meter and ask them to check it. The check will be in 2 stages, a form of kettle check (probably free) and if this appear to show the meter is accurate you can then insist on having a 'check meter' (2nd meter) installed were they check the 2 meters show the same consumption over a period of a week or so. The check meter test will have to be paid for (about (£60-100) but this will be refunded if the meter is found to be inaccurate.

AFriend

spiro wrote: »

Try doing the 'kettle test', turn everything off and make sure the meter stops, if it doesn't then something is consuming your elec. Fill up an elec kettle and turn it on, this should start using about 1kwh.

If you still believe it may be the meter, call your supplier and explain what the LL said about noise from the meter and ask them to check it. The check will be in 2 stages, a form of kettle check (probably free) and if this appear to show the meter is accurate you can then insist on having a 'check meter' (2nd meter) installed were they check the 2 meters show the same consumption over a period of a week or so. The check meter test will have to be paid for (about (£60-100) but this will be refunded if the meter is found to be inaccurate.

Thank you for your reply; however as mentioned previously:

I've been with British Gas on a dual fuel since 2009. Moved out very recently.

Having said that, before I actually moved out, I did monitor the meter very closely every couple of days for 2 weeks. The readings appear to be reasonable again. Whatever happened, seemed to be a "one off" occurance.

As I no longer live there, I have no ability to setup test systems or otherwise. I have explained the situation to the supplier, but they simply state that if the meter is working now, then all readings it has taken will be assumed to be accurate.

Normal readings seem ok now, just during that period was a problem

Can the meter have had a surge which increased the reading?
Could faulty wiring be the cause?

Thanks again for all help and suggestions

victor2

Since your past bills were not based on estimates, do you have any readings from this year during the period being billed?
Maybe some sort of fault or work was being done when the landlord got an electrician in. The landlord must know when that actually was and/or who the electrician was. Presumably it was either a contracted electrician and bills will exist, or it was a "mate", in which case the landlord must know something about it.


If you only read your meter when BG requested a figure and they are only billing every 6 months, it's going to be difficult to prove that you didn't use that electricity unfortunately.

AFriend

victor2 wrote: »

Since your past bills were not based on estimates, do you have any readings from this year during the period being billed?
Maybe some sort of fault or work was being done when the landlord got an electrician in. The landlord must know when that actually was and/or who the electrician was. Presumably it was either a contracted electrician and bills will exist, or it was a "mate", in which case the landlord must know something about it.


If you only read your meter when BG requested a figure and they are only billing every 6 months, it's going to be difficult to prove that you didn't use that electricity unfortunately.

I had been very virtuous regarding readings; taken every week - however during this period (Feb-May) non had been recorded (typical).
I've asked the LL several times and he won't provide any details. He insists that he "rung a bunch of numbers/call centers and sent someone" - no dates, no details of who, when, problem, resolution.. nothing.

victor2

AFriend wrote: »

I had been very virtuous regarding readings; taken every week - however during this period (Feb-May) non had been recorded (typical).
I've asked the LL several times and he won't provide any details. He insists that he "rung a bunch of numbers/call centers and sent someone" - no dates, no details of who, when, problem, resolution.. nothing.

Difficult if there's no record.
But presumably you would have noticed a big jump in the readings, if there had been one. Does the final reading used for the bill you've got agree with what you observed?

AFriend

victor2 wrote: »

Difficult if there's no record.
But presumably you would have noticed a big jump in the readings, if there had been one. Does the final reading used for the bill you've got agree with what you observed?

The meter has been registering 'accurately' (sensibly) over the past 2 years, with no issues. Until this period. Since, it seems to be registering within normal parameters again..

To give you some idea, British gas have billed me:
13/11/2008 - 08/11/2010 (2 years worth): 4236 kWh.

But during this questionable period:
25/01/2011 - 05/05/2011 (3 months): 8813 kWh.

So according to the meter, I have 'used' twice as much ele in 3 months, that's my entire elec bill over the past 2 years!



Yes, the value on the final meter reading matches.

victor2

AFriend wrote: »

The meter has been registering 'accurately' (sensibly) over the past 2 years, with no issues. Until this period. Since, it seems to be registering within normal parameters again..

To give you some idea, British gas have billed me:
13/11/2008 - 08/11/2010 (2 years worth): 4236 kWh.

But during this questionable period:
25/01/2011 - 05/05/2011 (3 months): 8813 kWh.

So I have 'used' twice as much ele in 3 months, than my entire elec bill over the past 2 years!



Yes, the value on the final meter reading matches.

You may know you didn't suddenly use a lot more electricity, but BG won't and can only go by the meter readings.
If you have no proof of any other work or issues with the meter, I don't really see what you can do, other than ask BG for a payment plan to clear the bill. You could also tell the new tenant to watch their meter closely, as you had a problem with it.

AFriend

victor2, thank you for your input. I understand your comments, but it is difficult to believe that I'll be forced to pay for something I couldn't have even used if I turned everything on full power, bought a fleet of electric cars and generously supplied my entire road of electricity. Well, I can believe I'll be forced to, but I think it is a massive injustice. Imagine if you looked at your meter tomorrow and there is an extra 0 on the end of the reading - that is basically what has happened here, except I do not know 'when'.

Are any electricians able to comment on the possibilities of either the meter having a spike, or an "event" where some fault (such as a grounded wire) has caused a massive amount of elec to be dumped?

Is the LL legally obliged to tell me what/when/who/problem/resolution to the elec problem?
Are they also supposed to supply any elec safety/check certificates?

Kyss

I've read about neighbours stealing electricity, sometimes to run cannabis farms. Is that a possibility?

I do hope you get it sorted out.

spiro

AFriend wrote: »

I've asked the LL several times and he won't provide any details. He insists that he "rung a bunch of numbers/call centers and sent someone" - no dates, no details of who, when, problem, resolution.. nothing.

Surely if someone came out he will have got a bill to put through his books so I can't beleive he can't find out who he called out.