sorry to ask a stupid question

bundance

I am with npower and need to submit a meter reading cos I haven't submitted once since april.
I started off paying £33 a mo nth when I joined npower in oct last year.
In April, after a meter reading, they changed my payments to £59.00 a month.
I live in a one bedroomed flat and hardly use gas or electricity.
Back then, my balance was £270+ in debit.

I think that this is a bit much.

As I haven't put my meter reading in yet, to show the summer months useage, will that debit amount decrease if the readings show that I have been using less than £59.00 per month?

Many thanks

chris1973

Have you been working out your monthly usage by taking meter readings and working out how much you are actually using by monitoring your own consumption?. If not, how exactly do you know that your DD is 'a bit much' because what are you comparing it against?

How are you Heating water? and Cooking?

How is the property heated, Gas Central Heating?, Electric Heating?, LPG?

Washing Machine?, Tumble Dryer?

Every lamp an energy saving one?

What you need to do is to start taking weekly meter readings, and working out what you are actually using. Take a reading now and then another one, at roughly the same time tomorrow night, and post back what you have used in 24 hours.

will that debit amount decrease if the readings show that I have been using less than £59.00 per month?

It doesn't really work like that, the idea being that you 'overpay' during the summer months with its reduced usage, in order to build up some credit towards the higher demand winter months, when you'll quickly run down any credit you have built up.

Of course the DD computer does occasionally get it wrong, and cannot predict human habits and changing lifestyles, so its a good idea to get into a routine of seeing what you actually do consume on an average Winter and Summer month, to see how it compares with the DD.

If you find you are physically using £80 a month on a regular basis, then you can contact the supplier and tell them to 'up' the DD amount as £59 will eventually leave you with a debit to pay, and a big bill when they eventually play catch up - months later.

However if you find you are using £20 a month (unlikely) then you can also appeal to have it reduced.

bundance

Have you been working out your monthly usage by taking meter readings and working out how much you are actually using by monitoring your own consumption?. If not, how exactly do you know that your DD is 'a bit much' because what are you comparing it against?

I haven't been taking meter readings monthly, because I don't trust these companies, and fear they may take more money off me.
(I know I may be wrong)

My home is gas centrally heated, hot water on 2hrs a day, heating not on at the moment.
I dont have a tumble dryer but I use the washer twice weekly or more.

All my bulbs are energysaver bulbs.

I would take a meter reading now, but I've just seen this reply and its 22.43. My gas meter is down 4 flights of stairs, and the neighbur below me has been complaining to her landlord about loud music from here, Even though I never play loud music at all, let alone late in the day. I'll take a reading tomorrow, and then 24hrs after and will post them up.

It doesn't really work like that, the idea being that you 'overpay' during the summer months with its reduced usage, in order to build up some credit towards the higher demand winter months, when you'll quickly run down any credit you have built up.

That's what I thought. I only joined npower in oct 2010, and plan to leave them in oct11 when my fixed tarriff runs out.

If you find you are physically using £80 a month on a regular basis,

I cannot imagine, in my flat, using anywhere near £80 quid a month.

I was paying £59 a month, and minus what I have used since I last read my meter, that should be below £270.

Bottom line, is this a question that can be answered? Do I owe them at least £270?

Many thanks

fiesta04

The bottom line is you must find out what your readings are and then compare them to npowers. Then you will know the answer.

bundance

Thanks for all the replies to this thread so far, I should have said that in the last post.

I'll read the meters, make the call, and hopefully discover that I owe considerably less than £270- given the last few months were summer.

Will see you tomorrow

chris1973

I haven't been taking meter readings monthly, because I don't trust these companies, and fear they may take more money off me

Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense

You SHOULD be taking your own readings because you dont trust the companies!. at least when it comes to them making estimates of your usage!

if you were reading your own meter, and noting the amount of electricity you were actually consuming as you consumed it, then it would give you an idea of the cost when the bill arrived, it would also allow you to check that you were being billed for exactly what you were consuming.

Do I owe them at least £270?

I dont know, I can't see your meter and dont have access to your paper bill history dating back through the period in question. With the respect the only person who can check this and refer to the bill history for the period in question, is you.

But for a start, I would be taking the very latest paper bill which I had, and noting the meter reading which they used on the bill to work out what you owe them, then go to the actual meter, and read the number that it is currently displaying on the meter and then compare the bill reading and the current meter reading to see how close the two readings are.

I assume that since the meters are in a central accessible location that they are actually being physically read by the meter readers and your Npower bills are not estimates?.

You also need to get into the routine, of everytime you get a bill, you go and check the reading on the meter and compare it to the bill which has just arrived. Like you say, you don;t trust them, so double check the figures they are billing you on!.

I cannot imagine, in my flat, using anywhere near £80 quid a month

That was a randomly used figure to put across a point, not a statement of fact

bundance

Hi chris1973

I am very lazy with keeping track of things, even though I know it makes good sense.

I agree with everything you said.

I realise today, that my question can only be answered with me taking meter readings and passing them onto npower, which I did today.

My accounts paperless, and I aint had a bill since April.
Meters can be read easy, in a good position.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate the posts.

moonrakerz

TROLL ! look at previous posts !