Shared electric meter problems with landlord

Luna_Unicorn

I found an estimated bill that put the estimated projection at £1303 for the year. Should this be the number I use working with the %?

I've calculated I have paid £513.00 since May 2018.

Landlord has paid £120 off my account for upstairs since May 2018.

Total bill stands still at £343.78.

Struggling to get to CAB at the moment so whilst I know and appreciate comments that I need to go there it's just not possible for me right now.

In between trying to move and being disabled it's been quite difficult.

Any more help is appreciated. Happy to send someone my quarterly bills if it helps me work this out. I must add though, with each quarterly bill it's gone up and up dramatically that's without me underpaying initially.

Thanks again guys!

Gerry1

Sorry for the lecture, but you really must be far, far more precise in making your case: at present it's like trying to grab a handful of fog ! If it's all a muddle that no-one can understand then no-one can hep you reclaim the overcharge.

You need accurate meter readings, accurate dates and accurate tariff info. Forget all estimated readings, they're just the quicksands of confusion. Forget fixed direct debit payments, they're equally confusing because they're always too much or too little.

Compile a simple chart showing each date, meter reading in kWh, whether the reading was Customer, Meter reader or Smart. Show the number of days in each period between the accurate readings, then multiply by the daily standing charge. Show the kWh usage in each period between accurate readings and multiply by the price per kWh. Then add up all the monetary amounts between the take over date and the leaving date, including the 5% VAT. You should be able to find our this info from your statements, so it's really just a case of stripping out the estimated readings. The only exception to the No Estimated Readings rule is if you failed to take a reading on a day the tariff changed; you will then have to use an estimated reading.

Having shown exactly what you have been billed for (which probably won't be the same as the DDs total because you may have ended up with a debit or a credit that may take six weeks to be sorted out) you can then multiply it by the proportion you can reasonably say was due to the other flat's usage, subtract the amount the landlord has refunded and claim the amount that the landlord still owes you.

It may sound a chore, but a good, short, factual summary is absolutely essential. Anything with vague dates, estimated usage, DDs that were too low or too high will just cause confusion and sink your case. You have to hit the bullseye: a miss is a good as a mile.

Here endeth the lesson. Good luck !

Luna_Unicorn

Okay sorry I don't think I understood clearly enough before but I definitely do now.

I appreciate the time you took to spell it all out for me. Thanks

Gerry1

Another tuppence worth...

• Keep it really short and simple, one page. Don't mention other things; toilet, dishwasher, HMRC or any 'You Said, I Said' disputes. Anything off topic will just muddy the waters.

• Executive Summary along the lines of:-

Background: Investigations after very high electricity consumption revealed that Luna_Unicorn's electricity meter serves upstairs flat as well as Luna_Unicorn's. Moved in on 1/4/18, moved out on 31/7/19.

Meter readings: Initial reading 1/4/18 10,000kWh, final reading 31/7/19 13,000kWh. Billed for 3,000kWh @ 15p = £450 plus standing charge 487 days @ 20p/day = £97.40

Total electricity billed to Luna_Unicorn: £547.40

Estimated proportion of usage by upper flat (1 occupant): 80% of Luna_Unicorn's flat's usage (2 occupants).

Estimated cost of usage by upper flat: 80/180ths of £547.40 = £243.29

Refund due to Luna_Unicorn: £243.29 less £120 already refunded = £123.29

You can then provide the meter readings and calculations, perhaps in slightly smaller font. If the proportion used upstairs is challenged, you could reduce it to 75% which aligns with the Council Tax discount for a single household.

Luna_Unicorn

Spoke to electric. The bill is actually £718.21. I wish I could get to cab I'm at my absolute wits end I can't believe he's done this

Gerry1

Get a hard copy of the latest statement, jot down all the summary info as previously suggested, give it to your landlord and see whether he pays up. There's always a chance he'll pay up when he sees you really mean business, especially if he has dodgy things to hide. If he doesn't co-operate, start preparing a small claim and see what the CAB says.

Obviously it helps to go in person because you can take your paperwork, but you could always phone them with the basics and see what they say. Just talking to them will probably make you feel better.

Luna_Unicorn

I had to speak to shelter instead of cab but will speak to someone tomorrow in more detail about it.

The only thing about the calculation that bothers me, is that he didn't pay a thing for the first 10 months.. The calculation sn't factoring in that. There's no way the rest of the bill remainder would be mine using actual figures from sse. Unless I've done it wrong.

When you look at it the way I figured it all out it made more sense to me..
I've paid £538 altogether, add his £120 then if you add up what should have been paid for upstairs for 10 months I actually figured, not 9, then it is within a few quid of the total bill.

Numbers really don't lie but will do this again when I get the bill in post.

Thanks for replies

Luna_Unicorn

Have uploaded my excel sheet to the Google drive

drive.google.com/folderview?id=1mhINUYCKM5CwekvXYrdlg62oX7rrMhpC