Moved into new house and took over high tariff

x_toonangel_x

Hi, we moved house on 9 jan & I switched straight to The Energy Deal who are the best company around IMO at the moment.

I then totally forgot to contact the CURRENT supplier which evidently is N power, they've sent me a bill for £175 for a 3 bed house & family of three for 3.5 weeks and seem to think this is acceptable???

They said they have gone off the leaving meter reading from the last tenant and the one they took themselves on 18th Jan.

This is insane to me! I don't know where they've pulled that figure from and I've tried disputing it & they're having none of it.

Does anyone know where I stand on this? I never even agreed the tariff with them (which ironically is the highest one they do!)

molerat

You agreed to their variable tariff the first time you flicked a switch. You should have contacted them then started a switch. Have you got a meter reading from when you took on the property ?

x_toonangel_x

I know I should have contacted them, as I stated in my OP I completely forgot, we've had a really hard time over the past few months (one of the reasons we moved) and my mind has been totally pre-occupied.

Yes but the reading was given to us by the landlord which I later found out was given to him by the previous tenant...

System

A hard lesson to learn I am afraid. It is possible that your usage figure includes some from the previous owner/tenant. The Deemed Supplier Regulations have been in place for decades. They exist to ensure that there is a continuity of supply when properties change hands. As the Deemed Supplier cannot put consumers on a fixed( cheaper) tariff without their consent, deemed supply defaults to the supplier's standard variable tariff.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

is there a big difference between the reading you took when you moved in and the one supplied by the landlord/previous tenant?

Have you checked meter reading now to compare to reading on bill?

x_toonangel_x

We didnt take a reading as the landlord told us we didn't need to because he had written them down for us I just can't believe they think it's acceptable to charge £175 for less than a month of gas and electric when we are a family of three, surely they know that's insane... Oh well thanks everyone

CashStrapped

What was the original meter reading and what was the latest one on your bill? Is the latest one an actual reading too or is it estimated?

What is the tariff unit rates and standing charge.

No harm in double checking everything.

x_toonangel_x

Both starting readings are from the previous tenant

Electric starting 38817 current 39053 (they came to read the meter for the current)
Gas starting 17108 current 17384 (they've estimated the current)

It's their standard tariff which is apparently their most expensive x

x_toonangel_x

Sorry I'm probably being really thick here and the answer of what to do is obvious, just with being 8 months pregnant and having a lot going on at the minute I feel like I can't think straight x

CashStrapped

The current meter readings could be the issue. Not the ones the tenant gave! They have guessed (estimated) your latest meter readings. They may have massively over estimated them.

Go to your meter now and write down the kwh numbers (gas specifically) and post them here.

Look at your bill and write down the pence per kwh. and the daily standing charge. Or the tariff name and company,

We will help you work it out.

x_toonangel_x

Thank you for your help I really appreciate it, the gas meter is in a funny place and I can't get down with being so heavily pregnant so when my husband is home I'll ask him to take a look.

We are with N Power they placed us on standard tariff -

Payment method - receipt of bill
Standing charge is 10.960p a day and the revised daily standing charge is 26.03p a day for receipt of bill payment method. Unit rate is 15.990p per kWh for electricity & Standing charge for gas was 27.400p a day and the unit rate for gas 3.862p per kWh x