British Gas quadrupled my bill

GeorgePowerFinch

Morning all,

Woke up today to see £208 come out my bank account from BG instead of the usual £48 fixed tariff, got straight on the phone and they said they're changing it because our usage has gone up and said there's nothing they can do and that if we want to leave suddenly we'll have to pay £1000. Although strangely they said they can charge us £100 a month instead? (didn't really understand why its gone from £48, to £208 then offered us £100 a month DD).

We looked at our statements and our usage seems to be in line with what we've been using since we moved in 6 months ago (weren't with anyone prior, we're first time buyers).

Check our meter readings and we use on average about 450-500 kWh per month in the day and about 45-50 kWh at night. In September our night reading has been the highest since we moved in (83kWh compared to 48kWh in August) and our day reading has been the second highest since April (555kWh compared to 560kWh in April).

We are quite shocked that our bill has quadrupled and if I'm not mistaken surely it can be just down to the higher than usual usage over the last month?

It's not really our main concern, our concern is now paying this £208 until our Tariff ends or until they review our account which they said they do twice a year and considering we've lived here 6 months I'm guessing our latest bill ties in perfectly with their review hence why they jacked the prices up.

They said it could be a faulty appliance although to our knowledge everything seems to be running okay and plug sockets mostly get turned off when not in use.

I'm hoping someone can advise Thanks for listening.

EDIT: I should mention we live in a ground floor flat and do not have an outside meter, our meter is for electricity only and its inside the flat.

[Deleted User]

Hi,


is your usage based on actual meter readings or estimated?

GeorgePowerFinch

I'm pretty sure its based n actual readings as the reading they had in their system was the same as what our metre actually says, also I should mention we are electricity only, no Gas,

RelievedSheff

Was the £48 covering anywhere near your monthly useage or were you building up a large debt balance?

GeorgePowerFinch

I'm not sure? We were told our Tariff was fixed and if wee were ever going over our usage they'd let us know, they haven't said anything in the last 6 months about going over apart from today.

Robin9

What is your heating - storage rads, panel heaters etc ?


£48 is very low so I am not surprised at the need to have an increased DD

In your first 6 months 500 Kwh per month is 3000 @ 18p = over £500. Add off peak 600 kwh @12p = £72 Add standing charges and VAT and your bill is over £600

At this time of year your account should be well in credit -during the winter expect your off peak to rise to 400 -500 kwh a month ie £60.

Your total in a year perhaps £1300 ???


PS Look at your last bill - does that say that BG will be revising your DD.

GeorgePowerFinch

Robin9 wrote: »

What is your heating - storage rads, panel heaters etc ?


£48 is very low so I am not surprised at the need to have an increased DD

In your first 6 months 500 Kwh per month is 3000 @ 18p = over £500. Add off peak 600 kwh @12p = £72 Add standing charges and VAT and your bill is over £600

At this time of year your account should be well in credit -during the winter expect your off peak to rise to 400 -500 kwh a month ie £60.

Your total in a year perhaps £1300 ???


PS Look at your last bill - does that say that BG will be revising your DD.

We have electric panel heaters on the wall, rarely on though, we've had a pretty warm summer!

In regards to your annual estimation, I do understand but they're now billing us £208 a month, which is £2500 a year!! Surely that cant be right?

And what about this £1000 they're talking about if we want to leave?

RelievedSheff

They are billing you that much to claw back the debt that you owe them plus your current usage.

Have you got an immersion heater that is switched on 24/7 to be using that much electric?

The £1000 to leave will be the money that you owe them on your account.

You really need to start taking better notice of your energy supplier accounts and keep a closer eye on what you are paying versus what you are using.

Robin9

GeorgePowerFinch wrote: »

We have electric panel heaters on the wall, rarely on though, we've had a pretty warm summer!......

Watch your use of these very carefully - they are often on the day time tariff rather than the (cheaper off peak)

It looks as though you are on a E7 tariff which may not be the best for your heating.

Just checking - you do read your meter monthly and get and read your monthly bills , don't you ?

wild666

500Kw/h per month what you doing a drugs factory? I only use 170Kw/h per month. The number of bedrooms and occupants makes a difference plus how often the heating is on lights on 24/7 appliances left on or on standby, some things need to be on 24/7 like the fridge and freezer and the cooker showing the time. I turn everything off I am not using the TV being on all day and night and the DVD and blu-ray player along with games systems. Kids on games systems with a TV on in the background all contribute to the energy used.

Robin9

Use your email address and get her monthly bills sent to you in future.

Also get permission to speak to BG on your mothers behalf.


While you are at it look at her insurances, water and phone bills.