Ongoing Utility Warehouse problem...

miss_divine

Hi there, I am not used to posting in this forum, so please don't flame me if I get something wrong :wave:.

Here is the situation:

We lived in an extremely small rented property from 07/12/09 - 03/08/10, it contained four tiny rooms, one storage heater which was broken for 5 months, used economy 7 and had no gas supply. We were with Utility Warehouse for the electricity and were billed £546.34. We were in full time employment for the majority of the tenancy and there is just no way that we can have used so much electricity.

We then moved to a much larger property with gas central heating, with energy supplied by British Gas. We were there from 04/08/10 - 11/06/11 and were billed a total of [FONT=&quot]£260.82 for electricity. We are still struggling to pay off monthly direct debits to Utility Warehouse and we have been contesting this bill since before we left the first property.

They have now offered to perform a meter accuracy test (if they can get the permission from the current tenants), the outcome of which we will be bound to and have put our account on hold for 30 days. We cannot afford to continue to make payments, we are expecting our first child.

Have we been completely ripped off? Any advice would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Coral.
[/FONT]

miss_divine

Oh, I forgot to add that we had asked Utility Warehouse about the sheer difference in these prices, and a rep replied with this:

"Having looked at these bills, we can establish the following -
First property - Electricity only property on Eco 7 with a defective night storage heater.

07/12/2009 83065 Day 77931 Night Opening meter reading.
17/12/2009 83218 Day 77384 Night Actual reading when meter was removed.
153 Day 547 Night Total

18/12/2009 1 Day 1 Night Opening meter reading on new meter
04/08/2010 3025 Day 1823 Night Closing meter reading
3025 Day 1823 Night Total

07/12/2009
04/08/2010 3178 Day 2370 Night = 5548 units over +- 9 months = +- 616 units per month.

Second Property - Electricity and gas, but larger property.

04/08/2010 4343
11/05/2011 6495
2152 units over +- 9 months = +- 240 units per month

I wish to refer you to the energy efficiency website -
(Energy Saving Trust) which states as follows -

"Boilers account for around 60% of what you spend in a year on energy bills,"

Therefore, if the first property had had gas on which to run the boiler, your usage would have been 60% less therefore we could say you would have used 370 units less therefore perhaps only around 246 units per month, this is almost identical to what you use at your new property which has a gas supply.

I am sorry but my comparisons do not indicate to me any area of concern."

In the first property when the storage heater was broken (there was no boiler, only an immersion for hot tap water, the shower was electric), we had no way of heating the flat. We simply wore extra clothing as we weren't home much anyway. So to say that we compensated for not having a gas supply by using more electricity to heat the property doesn't really equal that out...

Cardew

This issue is not really UW specific.

For you to use only 5,548kWh from Dec to August in an all electric flat is very low consumption.

Most people will have used over 2,000kWh on electrical appliances and lighting in that period without considering hot water showers etc.

I am afraid that I would agree with the UW rep that level of consumption gives no cause for concern.

macman

And, should the meter prove accurate, then you will presumably have the cost of the test added to your debt.

Premier_2

miss_divine wrote: »

Hi there, I am not used to posting in this forum, so please don't flame me if I get something wrong :wave:.

Here is the situation:

We lived in an extremely small rented property from 07/12/09 - 03/08/10, it contained four tiny rooms, one storage heater which was broken for 5 months, used economy 7 and had no gas supply. We were with Utility Warehouse for the electricity and were billed £546.34. We were in full time employment for the majority of the tenancy and there is just no way that we can have used so much electricity.

We then moved to a much larger property with gas central heating, with energy supplied by British Gas. We were there from 04/08/10 - 11/06/11 and were billed a total of [FONT=&quot]£260.82 for electricity. We are still struggling to pay off monthly direct debits to Utility Warehouse and we have been contesting this bill since before we left the first property.

[FONT=&quot]They have now offered to perform a meter accuracy test (if they can get the permission from the current tenants), the outcome of which we will be bound to and have put our account on hold for 30 days. We cannot afford to continue to make payments, we are expecting our first child. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Have we been completely ripped off? Any advice would be very helpful.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Thanks,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Coral.[/FONT]
[/FONT]

As the supplier has offered to put your account on hold for 30 days pending the meter check (and you no longer live at the property) then you should not be expected to pay anything for at least 30 days.

klint

miss_divine wrote: »

Oh, I forgot to add that we had asked Utility Warehouse about the sheer difference in these prices, and a rep replied with this:

"Having looked at these bills, we can establish the following -
First property - Electricity only property on Eco 7 with a defective night storage heater.

07/12/2009 83065 Day 77931 Night Opening meter reading.
17/12/2009 83218 Day 77384 Night Actual reading when meter was removed.
153 Day 547 Night Total

How come the night reading on 17/12/2009 was less than when you moved in? I've never heard of meters going backwards.

chanz4

they go backwards if the polarity is reversed

hecate20

I'd agree with the above, the amount seems about right for an all electricity property. Particuarly if you were using an immersion for the hot water.

To be honest, accuaracy tests very seldom come back in the customer's favour, and I'd imagine they will charge you for the privilige. I'd recommend contacting them to arrange a payment plan for the outstanding. Any decent company would give you 12 months to pay it in instalments.