NPower GAS mid term 'estimates' for price changes?

elsie1969

I hope i'm explaining this clearly.
I have an NPower bill for 26/06/11 to 05/03/12 both actual readings. Npower have made 2 estimated readings within this period due to price changes on 01/10/11 and 01/02/12. I have divided each period into the number of days, and divided that by my estimated meter reading by NPower to gain an insite into roughly what they say I have used for each period.
1. 23-06-11 to 30-09-11, 98 days, average daily usage 0.66 units
2. 01-10-11 to 31-01-12, 122 days, average daily usage 2.32 units
3. 01-02-12 to 05-03-12 , 35 days average daily usage 3.1 units
During period 1. the cost for the first 149kWh is high, before it drasticly reduces, during period 2. the cost for the first 2918kWh is high before the prices are lowered. (I understand why they charge more for period 2 during the winter, what I want to understand is why more units aren't included in period 1. which would make my bill much lower.) For period 1. I was charged aprox £26, but for period 2. over £249! Firstly I can't believe that our usage is almost 4 times during the winter and is as low as they say it is for the summer, but also that they have charged almost 10 times as much for a period barely 1/6th longer!
Looking through my initial documents with NPower I have found a statement which says .... To work out an estimate.... 'We use standard industry data for the property you live in.' Can anyone tell me details of where to find information on this 'Industry standard data'?
As I am a lone parent with 1 teenage son and I am on working and child tax credits we have been extremely careful with our heating usage during this winter, and it hasn't actually been that cold where we live apart from one short spell. We live in a very small 3 bed terrested house mid row. The only real difference between our summer and winter usage is any central heating, which has had very little use. I can't say our hot water and gas cooker/hob usage during the summer and winter really differ. Does anyone else feel these calculations don't add up? Your views would be welcome.

DirectDebacle

Unfortunately you are 'benefitting' from npowers unique feature of seasonally weighting the Tier 1 (high rate) units which are allocated at 4572kWh per annum.

They are allocated on a set amount per month (pro rata for part months) as follows:

1st May-30th Sept @46 per month

April, Oct, 271kWh each, and

1st Nov.- 28(9)th Feb @ 882kWh per month.

It appears you were estimated to have used around the following kWh for each of the periods you mention.

1. 2038

2. 8920kWh

3. 3419kWh

Total 14377kWh.

Suppliers work on roughly a 80/20 split winter to the rest of the year usage. You would have to ask npower for their precise allocation.

Period 1 usage represents around 15% of the total usage over the whole period. Perhaps 5% less than it should have been. Without meter readings on 1/10/11 and 1/2/12 it would be difficult to argue.

However this would not affect the allocation of the Tier 1 units which make up a large proportion of the charges from Nov. onwards. High winter bills are the 'benefit' of npowers seasonally adjusted Tier 1 units.

For your periods 2 & 3 the Tier 1 units account for around 31% of the usage in those two periods and probably around 40% or more of the cost.

Suppliers are required to give 30 days advance notice of price changes. I suggest in future you make a note to take and submit meter reading when any such notice is received. They can be submitted up to midnight before the change becomes effective and will avoid 'dodgy' estimates.

It is a good idea to take your own readings at least monthly. You will then have a record to dispute any future estimates you may disagree with.

elsie1969

Thanks for your response, I don't fully understand everything, but from taking readings for the last couple of weeks I just can't see how it is even possible for us to use less than 1 unit per day on the meter, even in the summer. Without having ANY heating on, only pressing for an hours hot water twice in the day when each of us bath, and 1 or 2 pans on the hob, (and not even using the cooker) takes it well over 1 unit. We used plenty more than this during the summer, but now I have to watch every drop, as I just don't know how we are going to make the payments to catch up with the arrears! I have days making sure we've used very little, to see how possible it is to have our average daily usage at 0.66 units but I don't think it can be done!

Terrylw1

16,500 kwh is ofgems typical gas usage. So, they can use this but they will also use any reading data they get for your property to adjust their estimation so its more tailored to your property. If you need it, ask them to explain it but I would suggest you do it in writing via email as their call centre staff will probably struggle to explain it.

yoda011087

elsie1969 wrote: »

I just can't see how it is even possible for us to use less than 1 unit per day on the meter, even in the summer. Without having ANY heating on, only pressing for an hours hot water twice in the day when each of us bath...

Have you tried bathing after putting the hot water on for just 30mins a time instead of an hour? Even less? If your hot tank is insulated well enough, it will stay bath-warm for 6hrs+ even after 30mins of heating it @ 60'c. Or you could share baths (:D)?

With this Npower "structuring" malarky - yes, your winter bills are proportionately higher in winter compared to other suppliers, but your summer gas bills will be next to nothing in comparison. Make sure if you're finding it a struggle to pay off arrears that you're on the best tariff with Npower and then at least your future bills will be lower.

Regards.

elsie1969

yoda011087 wrote: »

Have you tried bathing after putting the hot water on for just 30mins a time instead of an hour? Even less? If your hot tank is insulated well enough, it will stay bath-warm for 6hrs+ even after 30mins of heating it @ 60'c. Or you could share baths (:D)?

With this Npower "structuring" malarky - yes, your winter bills are proportionately higher in winter compared to other suppliers, but your summer gas bills will be next to nothing in comparison. Make sure if you're finding it a struggle to pay off arrears that you're on the best tariff with Npower and then at least your future bills will be lower.

Regards.

Thanks for the advice, but we usually do better than that, and run bath after 5-10 mins of the water going on, then it has another 45 mins to re-heat the tank which is a fairly new one, and does hold the heat in the water well, ready for the next one of us to bath. I've done tests and made calculation that for the water to go on in this way just twice per day (which it always does minimum, but most days it's more, ie when washing machine/washing up is done,) plus a very small amout of cooking usage WILL use over ONE unit on our meter in 24 hours, so for NPower to say we used an average of 0.66 units a day even during summer is impossible. And we don't disapear away on holidays for weeks on end in the summer either as that is outside our budget so that would make no difference.
Anyway, I have had an official complaint about the matter ongoing, and today had a phonecall to say my last bill has been re-calculated and is being reduced by aprox £45 so far, athough i'm now waiting for it to arrive in the post to scrutinise it fully to see if I am happy with it. From now on my meter reading is going to be photographed on the last day of each month including part of a newspaper to prove the date.
My advice to anyone is if you think your bill isn't right, complain complain complain!

elsie1969

yoda011087 wrote: »

Or you could share baths (:D)?

Regards.

Just noticed this bit..... somehow I don't think my 14 1/2 year old son would apprecialte sharing a bath with Mummy! :eek: LOL :rotfl:

yoda011087

Haha,

No I don't suppose he would! :rotfl: