Excessive Electric Bill

Sniffa

British Gas have just put the DD on our 3 bed semi up to £250 a month from £100 (electric only), as we owe them over £1,000 due to them not reading our meter for 3 years.

Is there anything I can do about this as that is not affordable each month? They have also said that I can't move to another supplier unless we pay the full amount first. They are willing to put us on a pay as you go meter instead, which I believe actually costs more than their standard rate, so how will that help us?

Ok I know that I should have read the meter more often myself but when I did the estimated readings seemed about right.

Our central heating and cooking is Gas, so I have no idea why it is so high anyway.

macman

If the estimated readings were 'about right', how can you now have a £1K arrears? That would indicate an estimated read of over 8,000 units less than the actual read. You need to submit reads every 3 months.
The supplier is legally obliged to read and do a meter check at least every 2 years-did they attempt to do so?
PPM's cost exactly the same as Standard tariff. I do hope you are not on that, as it the most expensive. You won't be able to switch with any debt over about £200-BG will block it.
It's so high because you are now presumably paying off the arrears at the rate of £150pm. So it would be cleared in about 7 months. See if you can negotiate longer payback period.
We have no idea if your usage is 'high', because your usage has no direct relation to the amount of your DD. 60% of your DD is apparently currently paying off arrears. Post your actual annual kWh usage on each fuel for meaningful advice.

Cardew

Sniffa wrote: »

British Gas have just put the DD on our 3 bed semi up to £250 a month from £100 (electric only), as we owe them over £1,000 due to them not reading our meter for 3 years.

Ok I know that I should have read the meter more often myself but when I did the estimated readings seemed about right.

Our central heating and cooking is Gas, so I have no idea why it is so high anyway.

Not sure I understand this situation.

If your DD for 'electric only' was £100, and has increased to £250 due to the meter not being read and estimated readings used, what has happened about your gas bills?

Have they read that gas meter? or just got the estimated readings correct?

They are legally obliged to attempt to read(and check) a gas meter every 2 years, but not an electric meter.

It is normal procedure for Utility companies to allow arrears to be paid back over the same period of time as it took for the debt to build up.

I also cannot understand why if the estimated readings 'seemed right', how you built up a £1,000 debt.

MK55

meter checks are now once in every 5 years

spiro

MK55 wrote: »

meter checks are now once in every 5 years

Since when? Please provide link.

spiro

As you has GSH I dont see how you would be using in excess £1000pa just for electiricty. Do you have an immersion heater that has been left on by mistake?
Rather than posting money values, can you post some consumption figures.

Andy_WSM

spiro wrote: »

As you has GSH I dont see how you would be using in excess £1000pa just for electiricty. Do you have an immersion heater that has been left on by mistake?
Rather than posting money values, can you post some consumption figures.

Even an immersion heater on 24/7 could not use £1,000 pa. It really is a myth that immersion heaters generate huge bills when left switched on. Unless you are drawing the hot water off constantly then the immersion won't be heating constantly as it's thermostat would switch it off after an hour or so. If it was faulty and hadn't switched itself off you would know as there would be steam emanating from your house!