Potentially dodgy Gas and Electric Bill

Radiohazard

I moved from the property 29/9/2013 and today I have given the final meter readings for Gas and Electric.

The Gas Reading when I moved in, in August 2012, was given to me by my Landlord: around 1600. We gave the final meter reading today of over 9000!!!

The gentleman I spoke to at British Gas said that equates to over EIGHT YEARS of continuous use. We agreed that this was impossible and we agreed to take an estimated reading instead for the final bill which would leave us in credit.

The Electric Company (NPower) took a meter reading on 26/9/13 and I gave them our final reading today which was over 14000. They also said that the reading we had was impossible and again offered to make up the bill with an estimated reading.

Both British Gas and Npower have warned me that if someone moves into the property and gives them the same readings, I could potentially be looking at a bills in excess of £8000, each.

As you can see, for a 12 month period of when I lived at the property with my housemate, this usage of fuel and electricity is IMPOSSIBLE!!!

There is no way that 3 people, who worked full time, during that 12 month period could have used that much fuel.

I am scared to death that I will get an immense bill of that size.

Can someone please give me some advice?

Andy_WSM

Radiohazard wrote: »

Can someone please give me some advice?

Have you got the opening readings and subsequent monthly readings to see where things started to go wrong?

Without these it's all a guessing game.

StuC75

Were you providing monthly readings? or is there only this start & end reading? was the photographic evidence of this or just a written notification possibly with a transposition error?

Was there a change of supplier? can the supplier look across the history of readings for the property (I know my british gas account shows historical readings for the house from prior to me owning)..

Is this a rental property? Is it a house or flat conversion - with different meters? check the reference number on the meters match..

Radiohazard

Andy_WSM wrote: »

Have you got the opening readings and subsequent monthly readings to see where things started to go wrong?

Without these it's all a guessing game.

None at all.

The meter was in the premises downstairs (also owned by our Landlord).

We never had a meter reading request by British Gas, but NPower frequently did checks.

NPower know our closing reading was wrong, so I'm less worried about them than British Gas.

EDIT: The opening readings were supplied by the Landlord.

Radiohazard

StuC75 wrote: »

Were you providing monthly readings? or is there only this start & end reading? was the photographic evidence of this or just a written notification possibly with a transposition error?

Was there a change of supplier? can the supplier look across the history of readings for the property (I know my british gas account shows historical readings for the house from prior to me owning)..

Is this a rental property? Is it a house or flat conversion - with different meters? check the reference number on the meters match..

It is a rental property.

We didn't change supplier, we stayed with BG.

I didn't know they could trace the amounts from previous tenants. If that is the case, they can see we never used that much Fuel.

It's a 200+ year old building that used to be one of those old town houses in Stoke.

There is a "shop" downstairs and a a two floor house above this.

ollski

Thats about 2800 worth of gas. 233 a month, certainly not impossible.
Are you in a flat?, it may be you are reading a primary meter rather than an individual one.

Radiohazard

ollski wrote: »

Thats about 2800 worth of gas. 233 a month, certainly not impossible.
Are you in a flat?, it may be you are reading a primary meter rather than an individual one.

We were hardly in the house to use that much Gas.

We all had full time jobs.

It was a 2 bedroom house.

EDIT:

I've moved very far from Stoke, but my former housemate lives nearby and is chasing this up.

ollski

Radiohazard wrote: »

We were hardly in the house to use that much Gas.

We all had full time jobs.

It was a 2 bedroom house.

EDIT:

I've moved very far from Stoke, but my former housemate lives nearby and is chasing this up.

Sounds like you're paying for the shop and the house, I'd be looking for some other meters somewhere. You won't have faulty gas AND faulty leccy meters.

Radiohazard

ollski wrote: »

Sounds like you're paying for the shop and the house, I'd be looking for some other meters somewhere. You won't have faulty gas AND faulty leccy meters.

This is what we are thinking too.