Any advice would be great please

babyemily

I am on a prepayment meter. I had a huge debt as none of our meters could be read for 3 years. I have no idea if the debt is correct or not due to this but have been paying it weekly on the meter. The electric is now clear but the gas still shows as owing 1675.00. I am with Npower for gas. I am not moaning about the debt but I am very worried about the cost, at the minute the heating is on for 1 hour in the morning - This is just to get my daughter ready for school, she has a number of disabilities. I then put it back on for app 2 hours in the evening as the house is freezing. I have a gas cooker and my hot water is gas so its used for showers everyday. Using this is costing me 3-5 pounds per day and its scaring me. I know there is no way I can warm the house in Winter at those prices.
Is there anyway I can be more economical with the gas that I am not aware of? Would really appreciate your advice as this is badly affecting me. I cant cope with my kids being cold because I cant afford gas. Thank you

dogshome

"None of our meters could be read for 3 years"

Though your post isn't specific I assume that you had Credit Meters, but with the build-up of Debt you were forced by your supplier/s to have pre-payment meters.

It would help if you could post details of the problem that prevented meter reads over 3 years, and wether or not you recieved bills over this period

macman

Free or subsidised loft and cavity wall insulation? Consult your supplier.
Not being billed over 3 years is not the same as not paying anything over 3 years?

babyemily

No we had no bills for 3 years and despite repeated phone calls and letters nobody would claim to be supplying us. In desperation we tried to "change" suppliers which triggered all these bills. The meters were destroyed by previous tenants and were unreadable. It still took a further year after this to install these meters. We were not forced to have these meters we requested them as a way to get out of debt. Npower & British gas wanted thousands of pounds immediately which we didnt have. They would not agree on a payment plan yet they would allow us to pay off the debts on a prepayment meter. A dd was refused as they wanted it all in one go. That is how we have a meter. As pointed out we have paid all the electricity - Its not a case of not paying our bills, it was who to pay them too.
But I asked for help in becoming more economical with the gas so I will look into insulation. Thank you

undaunted

Free insulation etc may be helpful but I suggest that you also go and see someone such as the local community legal advice centre or possibly CAB with full details of these problems & ask if they can help you.

Eg look at whether back billing rules may apply

Look at your position in terms of vulnerability (having a disabled child) & any better tarrifs that may help you

Look at the Energy Trust grants & whether you could get any help from them with clearing the debt

Good luck

SwanJon

You could try the trusts of either npower or British Gas (if you are still with them)
http://www.charisgrants.com/

It doesn't sound like you are using £5/day, but the meter could be taking this from the credit.

Do you know how much the meter is taking each week for the bill?(You can find this on screen 25/26). Speak to npower about your circumstances to see if they can lower this to something you can afford (either until you hear back from the grant or the warmer weather comes around again).

babyemily

Thank you all. I have spoken to Npower who have advised me the gas is correct but even though they have said I actually use relatively low amounts of gas, its still correct?? Apparently I use 6.7 units of gas a day on average. There is a 34p per day standing charge for the meter and the debt is set to come off at 3.00 per week. I was going to ask them to raise that figure but I cant afford it as it is. In one week I have put on 50.00 of gas. 25 on tues and 25 on Sunday. Unfortunately our nearest shop to get gas is a 20 min drive away. I cant get any gas until my oh comes home from work with the car. Its very rural where I live and the buses are few and irregular. I do have to use the emergency then which I know is not ideal.
I will look into all your suggestions. Thank you very much

dogshome

Hmmm - Is this what happened?
You moved into a house with trashed meters and for 3 years tried to find who your suppliers were, then when you attempted to Switch suppliers so that you could get bills, the Elec supplier,(who are they?,) & n'power came out the woodwork with bills for £1000's

The BIG problem is that with unreadable meters, neither of the suppliers could define what they read when you moved in, and frankly with probably a large debt owed by the previous occupiers, it was not in their interests to do so.

You don't say how long it's been since the Credit Meters were installed, but if it is at least a year these meters readings will have recorded your annual consumption of Gas & Elec Kwh, or if it's yet not a year, they will do when 12 months have elapsed

This figure is a close indication of what your annual Gas & Elec use was for each of the previously unrecorded 3 years, and is important as it is the only yardstick of your use over those 3 years, that does not include possible debt run up by the previous occupiers.

With pre-pay meters you get an annual statement showing what you have paid and the Kwh used.
You will have to wait for a full year if 12 months have not elapsed, but when you get them, multiply the annual Kwh on the Gas & Elec statements by 3 and then compare it to the Kwh/Payment demand from each of the suppliers for the 'Lost' 3 years - If either of the demands is for 15% more than what you have used for one years Pre-Pay service, WRITE a letter headed Complaint to the supplier, setting out your figures and demanding that the entire 'Debt' that has been loaded onto your account is re-calculated

Sorry it's complicated, but if you need help post what figures you have on the site

babyemily

dogshome wrote: »

Hmmm - Is this what happened?


Yes this is what happened. As the house was completely destroyed and there was and still is debt collectors for the previous tenants, I would imagine that not all of the debt is ours. Unfortunately I did not know about the yearly consumption figure till now so Thank you for that. The meters have been in for app 3 years now so I will look for any old statements or ring Npower again.

Once again Thank you for your advice x

SwanJon

The gas meter's week starts on a Wednesday, so it would take the £3 from both of the top ups.
£2.38/week standing charge and £6 to the bill, still leaves over £40 used as gas, which makes me think the 'units' are cubic feet.
If so 6.7 units/day is not a low user.
I'd set up a payment/usage diary.
Record how much you top up, how much it takes for Emergency credit & the bill and the meter reading. This will help you work out where the money is going, and put you on better ground when speaking to npower.

undaunted

Electricity Act schedule 7 states

"1(1)Where a customer of an [F1authorised supplier] is to be charged for his supply wholly or partly by reference to the quantity of electricity supplied, the supply shall be given through, and the quantity of electricity shall be ascertained by, an appropriate meter."

Suppliers are also supposed to "inspect" the meters at least once every two years

I don't therefore see how they can get away with just supplying without a meter for 3 years and estimating your usage. I'd add this to your list to seek advice upon as it will tie in with the back billing aspect