Huge overcharging help please!

redzombii_2

CashStrapped wrote: »

To clarify, you were with British Gas (paying £30 per month)? You then switched to Eon (so you are still in the same property) and based on your latest reading, they have charged you this very high bill.

Is the above correct?

If so at what point (if ever) did you last give an actual meter reading yourself? When you switched from British Gas to Eon, did you not take a meter reading to give a final bill to British Gas?

This is the problem if you just rely on estimated bills. You may have been massively undercharged for a long period of time and this is the amount you should have been paying, and now you are playing catch up.

So, you need to find out when your last confirmed meter reading was.

Second Thing:

You need to find out if or why your usage is as high as it is, especially if you are away a lot. Do you understand how Economy 10 works? Do you understand how your heating set up works? When it should come on and go off.

If you are using it incorrectly and it allows you to heat the house on the day rate, then that is why your bill is shockingly high.

Start taking daily meter readings to find out what exactly you are using. That way, you will quickly find out if there is a problem and where the electricity is being used. Based on the above you are using far too much "normal" rate electricity. You need to be using more than 50% of your usage on the low rate for it to be worthwhile.

Out of interest, what are your heaters? Are they storage heaters or panel heaters?

At the end of all this, if you have used the electricity, you have to pay for it!

My meter readings are shown in my last post. I give meter readings when requested to by e.on via email. I now, however, am submitting a meter reading once a week.


I did of course give a final reading to British Gas otherwise they would not have closed my account. I presume that this reading should be passed to e.on and I thought, in fact I'm pretty certain, that part of opening the account with e.on was to provide initial meter readings. As you can see however, there appears not to be any accurate initial readings. It was two years ago and of course I do not still have a copy of the meter reading taken at the time, although I presume I may be able to get it from British Gas.


I do understand how Economy 10 works. My hot water heater is set to come on during the night low rate period. I use my washing machine and iron during the day low period (most of the time, maybe once a week outside of this time). I have an electric combi-boiler, which provides hot water for a central heating system. As previously stated, I use this only when the internal temperature of the house is below 10 degrees. I do not have set programs on my thermostat timer, I just turn it on when I am cold and off when I'm not. I never turn the heat up to more than 18 degrees, and it's usually set at 17.


I am currently taking photos of my meter readings once per day, but I can't submit these to e.on as their system only allows weekly. I will use this over the month to average my use and then work this against the same period last year. Obviously I expect my consumption to be highest in winter so I should get a good maximum average.

Robin9

These readings do seem to be the wrong way around - I would have expected the Low rate readings to be the highest.

[Deleted User]

Yes, Robin9 may be correct. Can you double check that the readings on the meter coincide with the correct billing rates. Rate 4 on a meter is usually the low rate. The meter should indicate the active rate by a blinking curser or reading or it should default to show the active rate when you view it

spiro

redzombii wrote: »

Thanks - I have checked my change of supplier readings and they are estimated.


Here are my readings:


16/01/2015 04996 Customer Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
16/01/2015 07250 Customer Normal / Rate 1

25/10/2014 4411 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
25/10/2014 7235 Estimated Normal / Rate 1

24/07/2014 4191 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
24/07/2014 6551 Estimated Normal / Rate 1

11/05/2014 4035 Customer Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
11/05/2014 6044 Customer Normal / Rate 1


13/02/2014 3630 Customer Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
13/02/2014 5458 Customer Normal / Rate 1


23/01/2014 1315 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
23/01/2014 2799 Estimated Normal / Rate 1

24/10/2013 740 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
24/10/2013 1820 Estimated Normal / Rate 1

25/07/2013 526 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
25/07/2013 1152 Estimated Normal / Rate 1


21/03/2013 117 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
21/03/2013 209 Estimated Normal / Rate 1




So according to this, I have used 7041kWh high and 4879kWh low over nearly 2 years. According to electricityprices.org.uk/average-electricity-bill/ the average consumption for my type of property is a total of 2000kWh per annum, not the apparent 5960kWh annual average e.on are saying I have used. I am careful with my use of electricity, hardly ever have the heating on and use low energy products throughout my property. My hot water is set to the correct Economy 10 times to use low rate.


My tariff if it is relevant is "Electrical Heating Economy 10".


I have written again to e.on to formally dispute the bills but I guess I will just get the same reply as before - that I need to pay it...


Any thoughts on where to go next?

As this shows you are using a lot more during the day compared to night. Typically an E10 is going to be 10%-20% more expensive that E7. Your consumption needs to be the other way round to make E10 worth it. Two questions, what are your day and night prices? Have you checked the readings are the right way round? In terms of you change of supplier reading it is the responsibility of the new supplier to send the reading to the old supplier that is probably why it was an estimate.

tberry6686

With the heating being supplied by an electric combi-boiler (possibly the most expensive form of heating available), your previous £30 per month looks absurdly low and so does an average usage of 2000KWH.

On the other hand, around 5000KWH looks a bit on the high side. Do you turn your heating on and off when you are outside of the low rate windows ? That would explain why you are using more power at peak rates than off peak (unless the readings are swapped)

Robin9

Sascquacco - is it possible that the meter tails are connected wrongly ?

stewie_griffin

When do you move in and how long were you with BG before switching to E.ON?

Richie-from-the-Boro

electric combi-boiler, which provides hot water for a central heating system

E10 electric water heating .. .. .. Do you mean you have wet electric central heating with conventional steel radiators and pipe-work ?

Cardew

redzombii wrote: »

Thanks - I have checked my change of supplier readings and they are estimated.



21/03/2013 117 Estimated Low / Rate 2 / Rate 4
21/03/2013 209 Estimated Normal / Rate 1




So according to this, I have used 7041kWh high and 4879kWh low over nearly 2 years. According to electricityprices.org.uk/average-electricity-bill/ the average consumption for my type of property is a total of 2000kWh per annum, not the apparent 5960kWh annual average e.on are saying I have used.

The average electricity consumption for your type of house might be 2000kWh pa if you have gas CH. Bear in mind that the average electricity consumption in UK, for people who don't use electricity for heating/hot water, is 3,300kWh pa.


To use less than 12,000kWh over a two year period in an all electric house is IMO excellent.

CashStrapped

Regarding my earlier post. I was trying to establish if you had been relying on estimated readings or not.

If you have a confirmed/correct reading when you switched supplier, and that reading matches what eon have charged you since they took over, then then is what you have used.

It seems that you are either:

1. Using a lot more than you think you are

2. As others have suggested, you meter may be wired wrong and it is recording the day/night usage the wrong way round.

In terms of 1. you need to monitor your meter over a days usage. Look at exactly what you are using and when.

I cannot think of a more costly set up then a electric combi boiler on an Economy 10 tarrif. It is a system designed to be used at a moments notice. However Economy 10 and 7 are not designed for that kind of instant use.

So, whenever you use the heating, it uses the extortionate day rate. There is no way to store the heat on the cheap tariff.

In terms of point two, it should be simple to check. Check which meter is counting whn you are using day rate electricity. Very simple check.