Economy 7 but been billed night for day and day for night!

Felicity

I have only just realised that our electricity supplier has been billing us the day rate for the electricity used during the night period and vice versa.

We have a digital meter and neither have a label on suggestion which is which.

The meter is read annually by the supplier (last read 12/12) and then subsequently by me (following their lead as to which is why).

Our readings are approx. 40,000 units night, 15,000 day - so quite a difference.

We really shouldn't have even been on economy 7 as not much electricity is used during the night (this was raised with them at the beginning of the year but we were advised to remain on the current tariff as it was most appropriate for us).

I have notes for everything that has occurred previously.

I have rung them twice today to point out that I have just realised this following a review letter they sent us. They even now still don't believe me.

Yet I have watched the night meter go up a couple of units during the day today.

Does anybody know where we stand on this one? It will obviously all come out and we will probably have a huge bill outstanding!

Andy_WSM

Felicity wrote: »

Does anybody know where we stand on this one? It will obviously all come out and we will probably have a huge bill outstanding!

WRITE to them, don't call. That way you can prove you have contacted them and they will only be able to back bill for a year under the regulations once they do eventually wake up to the fact they have been under billing you. Calling them is no good.

yangptangkipperbang

Felicity wrote: »

We really shouldn't have even been on economy 7 as not much electricity is used during the night (this was raised with them at the beginning of the year but we were advised to remain on the current tariff as it was most appropriate for us).

Most suppliers state that if your % of night use is 20% or more of your total usage then you are better off on E7. Your figures come out at about 27%, so they were correct.

[Deleted User]

Suppliers are pretty hopeless at knowing night from day, as are most meter readers, with my company G4S the meter readers ( in my area ) put rate 1 showing on a meter into the night field and rate 2 in the day. They have no idea really whats what, as have most of the occupants. Its a shambles .I have never heard our management even bring the subject up at our meetings. suppliers will try and brazen it out and try and backbill you and then backdown if you complain, scrubbing any deficit you may owe

Felicity

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

Most suppliers state that if your % of night use is 20% or more of your total usage then you are better off on E7. Your figures come out at about 27%, so they were correct.

No we have used 40,000 units during the day (but billed at the cheaper night rate)
We have used 15,000 units during the night (but billed at the more expensive day rate).

So well over DOUBLE the amount, economy 7 not for us at all.

HappyMJ

Felicity wrote: »

No we have used 40,000 units during the day (but billed at the cheaper night rate)
We have used 15,000 units during the night (but billed at the more expensive day rate).

So well over DOUBLE the amount, economy 7 not for us at all.

It's actually OK....There are no savings either way the bill will come out about the same whether you are on E7 or a standard meter. Why so many units anyway? That's a total of 35,000 units. Is that one year or since the meter was installed?

I'd stay as you are. You are getting your bills quite a bit cheaper now and they can only back bill one year when they get their act together so you will be saving large amounts up to the point they adjust the bills.

Felicity

HappyMJ wrote: »

It's actually OK....There are no savings either way the bill will come out about the same whether you are on E7 or a standard meter. Why so many units anyway? That's a total of 35,000 units. Is that one year or since the meter was installed?

I'd stay as you are. You are getting your bills quite a bit cheaper now and they can only back bill one year when they get their act together so you will be saving large amounts up to the point they adjust the bills.

Of course we are making massive savings! Massive.

We are paying for approx 3/4 of our electricity at approx. 15p a unit when we should be paying it at 5p a unit.

We are paying for 1/4 of our electricity at approx. 5p a unit when we should be paying it at 15p a unit.

Yes, we are saving huge amounts of money but we have also now realised their error so we need to be responsible in making them aware of it.

The huge numbers of units used are because this dates back to approx. 2006 when the new meter was installed.

We are talking of differences in £'000s.

[Deleted User]

Thats correct Felicity, I have personally come accross backbills for over £2000 with suppliers forceably fitting prepays to collect the shortfall. If your meter has been read by meter readers then they are complicit in the mess ups. They should be training their employees to understand all the different types of eco 7 meters. If you are back billed then fight your case strongly

[Deleted User]

Hi,

you're confusing me, or maybe it's just too early in the morning.

You say:

Felicity wrote: »

No we have used 40,000 units during the day (but billed at the cheaper night rate)
We have used 15,000 units during the night (but billed at the more expensive day rate)..

40,000 @ 0.05 = £2000 should be 40,000 @ 0.15 = £6000

15,000 @ 0.15 = £2250 should be 15,000 @ 0.05 = £750

so, paid £4250 should be £6750 underpaid £2500

then, you say:

Felicity wrote: »

We are paying for approx 3/4 of our electricity at approx. 15p a unit when we should be paying it at 5p a unit.

We are paying for 1/4 of our electricity at approx. 5p a unit when we should be paying it at 15p a unit.

3/4 - 55,000 = 41250, 1/4 - 55,000 = 13750

41250 @ 0.15 = £6187.50 should be 41250 @ 0.05 = £2062.50

13750 @ 0.05 =£687.50 should be 13750 @ 0.15 = £ 2062.50

so, paid £6875.00 should be £4125.00 overpaid £2750.

I know prices have changed over the years, so just very rough calculations.

HappyMJ

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hi,

you're confusing me, or maybe it's just too early in the morning.

You say:



40,000 @ 0.05 = £2000 should be 40,000 @ 0.15 = £6000

15,000 @ 0.15 = £2250 should be 15,000 @ 0.05 = £750

so, paid £4250 should be £6750 underpaid £2500

and when I say compared to standard rate electricity at 12.5p/kWh 55,000kWh would be about £6,875. 1.85% more is not much difference when compared to E7 when most of the usage is charged at the day rate.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

HappyMJ wrote: »

and when I say compared to standard rate electricity at 12.5p/kWh 55,000kWh would be about £6,875. 1.85% more is not much difference when compared to E7 when most of the usage is charged at the day rate.

OP says this all goes back to 2006 when new meter was fitted, prices were a lot cheaper then, so not a lot of difference.