Unexpectedly High Electricity Bill

jrdutton

Dear All

Today I have realised that my monthly duel duel bill has risen from £135 per month to £650 per month. I have investigated and spoken to nPower. Here are the facts:

Annual electricity bill:
2006 to 2016 - increased linearly from £550 to £750
Joined nPower
May 2017 to Sept 2017 - Customer readings. Average daily usage of 14.5KW
Monthly standing order £135, then £110 for dual fuel.
Sept 2017 to Sept 2018 - All estimated readings. Average daily usage of 55KW
Monthly standing order £650 for duel fuel.
Sept 2018 to December 2018 - Customer readings. Average daily usage of 17KW

Having spoken to nPower, they cannot explain why my usage should have more than tripled for a full year. Nothing has changed in my house. However, because the usage has reverted to normal, they will not test the meter, nor admit to there being any chance of a fault.

So I feel that I cannot prove anything, and my annual electricity bill has sky-rocketed for one year from £750 to £2400. And I stress again, nothing has changed in our house beyond lights being left on for longer than normal.

Do I have any redress, or can I contact a third-party for help with this matter?

Thanks for any help and advice you can give.

James

D_M_E

What were the readings when you switched to Npower, what tariff(s) are/were you on, and what are the current readings and how did Npower conjure up the £2400 bill?

Part, if not all, of your problem most likely is down to a full year of ESTIMATED readings and it has to be asked why did you not query this at the time and submit ACTUAL readings.

Robin9

Has there been a meter change following your switch to nPower ? Where is your meter - actually in your property or a communal cupboard in a block of flats.

I am wondering if there has been a admin mess up at nPower. Could you check the metering details - the serial number on your bill and on your meter. Have the numbers been consistent on all your bills ?

Could you post the meter readings on the bills since your switch to nPower and indicate which are actual or estimated ?

jrdutton

I hold my hands up to being lax with meter readings.

This is a detached property with a meter in a cabinet on the wall outside. As far as I know, nothing has changed on the meter.

Initially I was on a fixed price tariff, then in September of this year, they did an annual reading and re-estimate. Based upon the incredible consumption for the year, they are assuming that this rate will be ongoing, hence the uprise in monthly price. I am now on a variable rate.

The shocking thing to me is the fact that for a year, my electricity has averaged at more than three times that of an average four-person household. Yet, either side of this, with no lifestyle changes, we have been at or below the average level. I just cannot square this.

Meter readings as follows:

15/12/18 28766 Customer read (Average since last read of 17.4KW per day)
03/09/18 26967 npower read (Average since last read of 55.76KW per day)
29/06/18 25033 Estimated read
03/04/18 20238 Estimated read

No idea how they estimated that my 4 month usage would be 7000KW, 60KW per day

29/12/17 13586 Estimated read

No idea how they estimated that my 3 month usage would be 6000KW, 60KW per day

15/09/17 7282 npower read (Average since last read of 14.4KW per day)
29/06/17 6396 Estimated read
10/05/17 5425 Customer read
09/05/17 5425 Customer read

I've checked the meter numbers and nothing has changed. However, the latest printable bill I have is for December 2017, and seemingly no way of getting a later one online. Bit strange.

And finally, I'm having a smart meter fitted this week, but perhaps I should cancel that on the basis that any evidence of a faulty meter might be taken away?

Robin9

jrdutton wrote: »

The shocking thing to me is the fact that for a year, my electricity has averaged at more than three times that of an average four-person household. ........

Meter readings as follows:

15/12/18 28766 Customer read (Average since last read of 17.4KW per day)
03/09/18 26967 npower read (Average since last read of 55.76KW per day)

These readings would suggest you are a high user - equates to 7,000 units a year cf the average 3,000

Robin9

What sort of meter have you got ?

A clock type, speedometer type or digital. All have potential reading issues - for consumer and meter readers ?

grumpycrab

jrdutton wrote: »

This is a detached property with a meter in a cabinet on the wall outside.

Robin9 wrote: »

These readings would suggest you are a high user - equates to 7,000 units a year cf the average 3,000

Quite possible. Electric is the only form of heating?How old is the detached property?

wavelets

jrdutton wrote: »

Dear All

Today I have realised that my monthly duel duel bill has risen from £135 per month to £650 per month. I have investigated and spoken to nPower. Here are the facts:

Annual electricity bill:
2006 to 2016 - increased linearly from £550 to £750
Joined nPower
May 2017 to Sept 2017 - Customer readings. Average daily usage of 14.5KW
Monthly standing order £135, then £110 for dual fuel.
Sept 2017 to Sept 2018 - All estimated readings. Average daily usage of 55KW
Monthly standing order £650 for duel fuel.
Sept 2018 to December 2018 - Customer readings. Average daily usage of 17KW

Having spoken to nPower, they cannot explain why my usage should have more than tripled for a full year. Nothing has changed in my house. However, because the usage has reverted to normal, they will not test the meter, nor admit to there being any chance of a fault.

So I feel that I cannot prove anything, and my annual electricity bill has sky-rocketed for one year from £750 to £2400. And I stress again, nothing has changed in our house beyond lights being left on for longer than normal.

Do I have any redress, or can I contact a third-party for help with this matter?

Thanks for any help and advice you can give.

James

If you want the meter to be tested, and have been refused by the supplier, then follow the supplier's complaint procedure.

A charge may apply (typically about £150), which will be refunded if the test proves the meter to be faulty.

Here is some advice on some preliminary tests you can carry out yourself, and confirms the advice I give above to complain to the supplier if you are still unhappy.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/find-out-if-your-energy-meter-is-faulty/

But if I understand you correctly, based on your own meter redaings you used an average of 14.5kWh per day for the period May 2017 to Sept 2017, and 17kWh per day for the colder period of Sept 2018 to December 2018.

That is probably an indication that the estimated consumption for the period Sept 2017 to Sept 2018 was over estimated, and this was corrected when they received meter readings from you for the period Sept 2018 to December 2018.

Supply regular/frequent meter readings, and this will help the supplier improve the accuracy of any estimated reading they may need to generate in the future.

PeterGr

You refer to having a dual fuel contract but with no details of your gas consumption or your heating & hot water systems.


If your meter reads are correct is there a way you may have used approx. 20,000 kWh of electricity in a year? What electrical heating devices have you got? An immersion heater in a hot water cylinder?

brewerdave

Looks like the earlier 2017 readings SHOULD have had a 1 in front? eg

09/05/17 5425 Customer read should be 09/05/17 15425 Customer read
Maybe the display was hard to read?



OR the meter "clicked" over from a zero as the first digit direct to a "2" -don't know how likely that could be? Suppose it could happen on an old mechanical meter with excessive wear.

Robin9

jrdutton wrote: »

2006 to 2016 - increased linearly from £550 to £750

Even in 2006 you were a high user - the average bill then was £410