Broken Meter - Estimated Bill for 8-10 Months

97browng

Hi Guys I have a bit of a complicated one here and want to know where I stand legally etc...

So basically I was in the process of moving to EDf from British Gas in November. While doing this I noticed my meter was faulty (no display) so I contacted British Gas. They said someone would come to sort it and to cut a long story short after contacting them many times the did not. As expected as soon as I went to EDF British Gas basically said it is now their problem.

However this meant I was not able to give British Gas a final reading (the last actual reading was about a month old). This meant my final estimate was well over what it should have been. After speaking to British Gas they said dont worry just give EDF a new reading and they will sort it.

So I contacted EDF straight away and told them I had a faulty meter and my start reading with them was incorrect. They said not to worry and they would get an engineer out to sort it and he should be able to get an accurate reading.

Well several month later they have finally replaced the meter (their delay not mine) and shock horror they were not able to get a reading from the unit. So now they want to give me an estimate but this is going on pure speculation and an incorrect start reading from British Gas.

They want to charge me in total for the 10 months about 5000 units and said that this was based on really low usage. But Looking at my new meter even with really high usage over the last few weeks (working from home which I do not normally do and using a new higher power oven and slow cooker most days) I am not using over 45 units per week. So my guess is that over the 10 months the most I would have used is 2000 units (I have been away for long periods of time during this so even this could be high).

It seems to me a bit unfair that I would pay over the odds because of something out of my control. They even lied to me when chatting on the internet. It states in plain text that they have an accurate reading from the man who installed the meter and they could give me an actual bill and not and estimate. I had to question them 4 times after stating that the man had told me he could get nothing from it and the label states he was unable to read anything before they admitted the 'accurate' reading was an estimate again.

So I have told them that I am not paying for an estimate and only for what I have used. I am not trying to scam them out of money but they were informed about this at the very start and have done nothing. As I said they were also willing to lie to me which has annoyed me even more. It is their faulty hardware that has caused the problem and I have been chasing them for months.

So legally do I have to pay an estimate or what is the process. I fell I have done everything in my control to make sure I was without a working meter for as little time as possible and it is EDF and British Gas that have been mucking me about.

Thanks in advance.

Cardew

It is an electric meter, but how do you heat and provide hot water for the property?

They should base their estimated electricity reading on previous usage.

Did you write(email) BGas about the faulty meter? Ditto EDF?

97browng

Gas for heating and water. Yes I emailed both of them (and have kept proof) and called and have a note of times etc...

I dont think they can estimate as I have never been with them before. Plus last year our boiler broke so we had to use expensive electric heaters for several weeks.

Also I got a new job about a year ago now which meant I have virtually stopped working from home (I used to do it all the time but now only now and again).

New Job = More holidays and new energy efficient technology (LED TV instead of old CRT type, tablet instead of old laptop etc...).

Before that we were in a much smaller house which we did not own.


So I dont actually know how much electricity I have used this year.

Cardew

They want to charge me in total for the 10 months about 5000 units and said that this was based on really low usage.

For a house with Gas CH 5,000kWh in 10 months is certainly well above average(supposed to be 3,300pa)

Given you have proof that you badgered both of them to come and fix the meter, I suggest you file a complaint.

sam.4000

Cardew wrote: »

For a house with Gas CH 5,000kWh in 10 months is certainly well above average(supposed to be 3,300pa)

Given you have proof that you badgered both of them to come and fix the meter, I suggest you file a complaint.

A all electric house would use far more that the 3,330KW as this is based on a house using gas aswell as electricity.

Cardew

sam.4000 wrote: »

A all electric house would use far more that the 3,330KW as this is based on a house using gas aswell as electricity.

No sure I understand the point you are making.


My understanding is that they have estimated and billed him for 5,000kWh of electricity in a 10 month period.


Only one meter has gone faulty - the electricity meter.

nightswimming

Ask if they would be willing to re-estimate the unknown amount based on your actual usage if you provide them with weekly meter readings for a few months.

naedanger

97browng wrote: »

Hi
So I have told them that I am not paying for an estimate and only for what I have used. I am not trying to scam them out of money but they were informed about this at the very start and have done nothing. As I said they were also willing to lie to me which has annoyed me even more. It is their faulty hardware that has caused the problem and I have been chasing them for months.

So legally do I have to pay an estimate or what is the process. I fell I have done everything in my control to make sure I was without a working meter for as little time as possible and it is EDF and British Gas that have been mucking me about.

Thanks in advance.

I do not know the legal answer but I suspect you will have to pay based on an estimate but you should be given the benefit of the doubt with that estimate.

Therefore I think you would be better coming up with your own estimate. Can you see from previous years what your usage was in those years. Then use every true argument for why the comparable figure this year would be lower (e.g. if the house was unoccupied more, warmer weather (if true), you keep the heating lower this year to save money). Obviously don't say anything untrue but give yourself the benefit of the doubt in each calculation.

I think you can argue as you did what you could to avoid an estimate there should be no risk of you paying more on the estimated basis that you actually used. Therefore perhaps argue for a further 10% reduction to cover this.

chanz4

they can ask the other supplier for your previous usage, or even the mop