Student house seeking help!

scottiliffe

Hi everyone,

We moved into out student accommodation on the 16/09/2011 and we gave our energy supplier a meter reading not long after that. We have just received our first bill for £198.12. I don't know whether i am being naive when thinking that is slightly high. The way i read it on the bill - thats just for around a months usage?

There is 4 of us living in the house who use a 'normal' amount of electricity. Nothing over the top. TV now and again.. and laptops most of the time. The heating goes on 3 or 4 times a week for an hour or two.

We are on Npower's Standard tariff (which i know needs changing) for gas and electric.

Any advice/comments/words of wisdom are welcomed. What do people think we should change to? And is my bill right?

All comments appreciated!

scottiliffe

i38.photobucket.com/albums/e119/mrbeerbelly/DSCF1448.jpg

thats my bill if you copy and paste it into your browser.

t0rt0ise

The start reading looks to be an estimate. Are they using the one you gave them? If not, call and get them to recalculate using it.

anniecave

When you say "not long after" you moved in, do you mean you took the reading within a couple of days, or longer? If there was a difference of a few days or longer between when you moved in and when you took the reading, then they will need to estimate the start reading, as they genuinely don't have the correct start reading. They should take a meter reading taken the following day for example as a start reading, especially if you took the keys on one day and didn't move in until the following day.

When did your tenancy actually start? Remember you should receive a bill from the day your tenancy starts, not just from the date you move in.

Both readings on the bills are estimated, the start reading and the current reading, so you need to take a current meter reading as well to compare this to the bill too.

scottiliffe

Thank you for your response

Right i've had a lengthy phone call with N Power. Although i'm pretty certain i gave them a meter reading from a few days after i moved in - it wasn't recorded. I've now gave them a current meter reading and theyve worked out from the last actual reading to this one, what my opening reading should have been. Basically the gas bill has been amended and reduced by 50% and the electric by 25%.

I've also switched over to sign online 24 tariff. Which gives me an annual saving of about £400 compared to the standard tariff. This features a 14 day cooling off period. Anybody know of a cheaper alternative?