OVO energy back bill HELP

Robin9

Can we try and rule out a gas meter / reading error ?

Have a look at your meter - does it have m3 on it ? Note the serial number and read the meter. If it have 5 digits you need to include the leading zero ie 03373.

Have a look at your bill - does that say m3 or cuft ? Is the meter serial number the same ? What is the meter reading ? Does it have an A, E or C against it.

kerrie1256

The electric meter is in our kitchen, the gas meter is outside fixed to the wall of the house, It has our house number written inside and the serial matches our bill.

It is a victorian style house that has been converted into four flats. Our box is just on its own and the others are in different locations.

The meter says on it that it was new in 2011, we moved in March 2016.

Meter is in m3 -

35629kwh
units used 3163
= approx 11.2

Actual meter reading is 15184... I can't see an A, C or E

Robin9

Assuming the meter read 0 in 2011 then it has consumed approx 2000 m3 a year - why was last year nearly twice the average ?

molerat

I would presume the readings the supplier is using are estimates and estimating in their favour. Have you got any historical actual readings, have you got the readings from when you moved in or is that an estimate ?

macman

This is a secondary issue compared to the insanely high gas usage, but using an electric fire for heating costs you 17.42p per kWh, compared to your gas CH at 3.66p per kWh. That's nearly 5 times more expensive. So get yourself off E7 as a priority. If you have to pay for a meter change at about £60, then you'll get that back in a couple of months in savings.
Even an old and poorly insulated building does not explain 3 times average gas usage. What temp do you have the thermostat set at?

macman

Robin9 wrote: »

Assuming the meter read 0 in 2011 then it has consumed approx 2000 m3 a year - why was last year nearly twice the average ?

New meters are not always set to zero at install: the label with the install date should also show the opening read.

Cardew

kerrie1256 wrote: »

I've just put worked out our supplied meter readings...

Gas
36,849 kWh
Our tariff was 3.66p per kWh plus 28.77p standing charge per day

Elec
Day 5686kwh @ 17.42p
Night 722kwh @11.3p

It all seems to add up
Need to seriously reflect on what we are using.
I just wish if we had been able to see usage we could've made changes quicker rather than letting it get so out of hand.

Thanks everyone


Electricity

Everyone seem to assume that those consumption figure are for a year. i.e. 36,849kWh per annum.


Could it be that the OP is calculating the total consumption since moving into the flat in March 2016?

dogshome

There are two problems, one with Elec and one with Gas so best to tackle one at a time


THE ELEC
The OP has been paying £90 a month and has had bills, but at a guess has not kept them.
In this situation it's reasonable for him to ask OVO for copies of all the Elec bills since moving in - There can't be that many in 29 months - What firstly important is the opening meter read on the first bill compared to what the meter reads now.
Secondly is the Debit/Credit balance on each bill and what it is now.
(In Back-billing situations it's not unknown for suppliers to 'breath' on figures)

If the horrendous consumption is confirmed by the billing, the problems could be:
In this converted building there is the possibility that meter is feeding
more than just the flat
(A) Cables on the output side of the meter that don't go directly to the
flat's Consumer Unit.
(B)Wires from the Consumer Unit that go beyond the flat

Action - Turn off the main switch on the Consumer Unit, read the meter and go out for as long as possible, ideally a week-end - The meter read
should not change, if it does because of (B) you'll soon know about it as another flat will have lost it's power. TAKE THIS UP WITH YOUR LANDLORD

If it's (A) you have either a faulty meter or it's also supplying somewhere else
COMPLAIN TO OVO THAT THE METER IS FAULTY
Their engineers visit will confirm if the meter is feeding more than your flat