Could really use some help

Shomberlon

Hi,

I could really use some help with regards to my electric bill. I'm with Scottish Power and seem to be being massively overcharged. I live in a 1 bedroom flat (electric only) and I'm currently getting a bill for £337 per quarter (£1,204.75 p/a). I've spoken to them a number of times only to be told that's what the reading says so I have to pay up. I don't own anything that draws a lot of power such as a fish/reptile tank. I cook 1 hot meal a day on a stove which is on for no more than 20 minutes. My heating is on Economy 7 so I don't have heating on 24/7 over the winter months, instead I have those storage heaters.

They just seem to be unwilling to investigate what could be causing such a high bill, instead just claiming I should pay up. I just don't know what to do. I've just registered another complaint but don't expect that to go anywhere.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Ectophile

You can insist that they check the meter is accurate. But if it is, then you'd have to pay their costs in testing it.

How carefully are you watching the meter? Is it clocking up units when it shouldn't be? Have you checked that the heating is actually on E7, and not being run on the wrong rate? Are the two meter readings the right way round?

dogshome

Hot water system a tank that heats up overnight on E7 ?

This system usually has a 'Boost' switch to heat water during the day - If this is left ON all the time, it will eat power.

If your meter is in a service room along with all the other meters for the flats, it's possible you are being charged for the wrong meter - Check it by having a mate with a mobile phone Switch your kettle On/Off to your order whilst you watch the meter.
The meter should react in synch with the Switching, if it doesn't it is not your meter

Robin9

Do you enter your readings at least monthly online ? Do you look at the bills you get - does the letter E for estimated appear very often?

Read your meters today and let us know what the readings are. What are the settings on the time switch (not unknown for the old mechanical ones to be many hours out)

As others have said there is plenty of scope for getting wrong bills particularly for E7 in blocks of flats but first do you own checks.