ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check the meter!!

darbooka

This morning I was gobsmacked to recieve a gas bill for (wait for it....) over 408 pounds, up from 136 last time. It was based on an estimated reading so I went outside and opened the meter box with that silly-shaped triangular lock to read the meter.
Gobsmacked again, I found that the actual usage was virtually half what they were charging for. Rang them up with the actual reading and was told that I'd be entitled to a credit of approximately 200 pounds - half of the amount they billed me for.
I'll never trust estiamted readings again and will always check the meter before payment.
With the prospect of such vast unreliability in their estimates, estimated readings should be banned!
This must be the easiest 200 quid I've saved in a long time!

MarkyMarkD

Good point, darbooka.

Even more important to take a meter reading when you move in, or out, of a property as otherwise it's very hard to prove anything if you get a strangely high bill.

Chester_Draws

darbooka,
Couldn't agree with you more.
BUT, seeing you are now going to ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check the meter!! , why not go a step further and swop to one of the online tariffs, where you have to check your own meter and supply the reading.
Virtually every supplier has an online tariff which will almost definately be cheaper than relying on your meter being read.

Even if you don want to change suppliers, just phone up your own supplier and ask.
Nothing to lose, but everything to gain. :j

MarkyMarkD

Not all online tariffs require you to provide your own readings. I believe that all suppliers have to read the meter, at least every year or two, under the regulatory rules governing energy supply.

darbooka

Thanks guys. I never heard of an online tarriff before reading it here. Are rental tenants allowed to move to an online tarriff or does that require landlord consent?

Where we're living we have a pre-pay key meter for electricity and we still get the dual fuel discount; but although the rates for key meters are a bit higher I've foudn it has reduced our outgoings lots more in that we're much more conscious of what we use when we have to pay for it in advance.

This, in contrast to the fact that our water is unmetered completely. When we moved in, the water company gave me a detailed explanation as to how it is not permitted to wash our car with a hose... but we can use as much water as we want *in* the house and not pay anything extra. Weird.

darbooka

Laziness could have cost me 200 quid today. Imagine how many consumers not only overpay but lose interest or buying power on over-estimated bills.
That's just not right.
Furthermore, in today's high-tech world the gas company shoudl be able to know remotely exactly what your usage is, just as the phone company can know what phone charges you've accrued and the cable company can know what extra pay-per-view programs you've watched. Incorrect estimates are like being robbed in your own home.