Meter problem

Katykat

My daughter has just had her electric and gas bill from the same company. It was read by a meter reader in her absence( outside meter). Her bill states that her electricity usage has increased by 46% from the same time last year and gas is up by 476%. Her conditions have not changed, she lives alone, is at work all day, has a combi boiler and has not used her central heating since the first week in April. She rang SSE Atlantic who were not much help. They suggested changing her tariff to a cheaper one, but that isn’t her concern. She simply can’t understand why her gas usage has increased by almost 500%. What should her next step be?

Ectophile

The first thing to do would be to pop outside, read the meters, and check that the supplier's meter readings are correct.

Robin9

And look back on her old bills - when was the last Actual reading ?

How often has your daughter been reading her own meter and sending them to her supplier ?

Katykat

She doesnt read her own meter. Every other quarter its read by a meter man/ woman and the others are estimates. She has checked the meters and the readings do correspond with the bill. But the fact that the gas reading is up by 476% seems wrong. The only gas appliance that she has is a combi boiler which has only been used for hot water, no heating for the past 3 months. Is there likely to be a gas leak? Would we be able to smell it and should we be concerned?

dogshome

Who is the manufacturer of the gas meter and what type is it - 1 Clock meter with 5 little dials? -2 Analogue meter with numbered revolving wheels? - 3 Digital meter with electronic display?
1 Is very easily mis-read, even by meter readers
2 The most reliable, but can go wrong
3 Battery powered and can go rogue producing advancing reading when no gas is being used - CHECK THE READING several times during a day when no gas is being used

Robin9

Is this latest bill an Estimated one or from a meter reader ?

It's very rare for a meter reader to read any meter these days let alone twice a year.

Could you please post the readings for the last 12 months or so.

Katykat

Robin9 wrote: »

Is this latest bill an Estimated one or from a meter reader ?

It's very rare for a meter reader to read any meter these days let alone twice a year.

Could you please post the readings for the last 12 months or so.

It’s a meter reader bill. Every other bill is read so there are 2 meter reader ills per year and 2 estimated. I’ll get the readings & post.

Katykat

dogshome wrote: »

Who is the manufacturer of the gas meter and what type is it - 1 Clock meter with 5 little dials? -2 Analogue meter with numbered revolving wheels? - 3 Digital meter with electronic display?
1 Is very easily mis-read, even by meter readers
2 The most reliable, but can go wrong
3 Battery powered and can go rogue producing advancing reading when no gas is being used - CHECK THE READING several times during a day when no gas is being used

I’ll go round & check the meter

Waterlily24

Robin9 wrote: »

Is this latest bill an Estimated one or from a meter reader ?

It's very rare for a meter reader to read any meter these days[COlet alone twice a year.

Could you please post the readings for the last 12 months or so.]


That's not true, my son's a meter reader and works 7 days a week sometimes. He's one of the top readers for the company.

greyteam1959

Your son might be a meter reader & work very hard & be one of the top meter readers.
That does not mean that he reads peoples meters twice a year.

I have not had my electric or gas meters read by a meter reader for at least 5 years.

Robin9

Katykat - have you been able to resolve your daughter's bills ?