British Gas quadrupled my bill

Robin9

Peanut - this is a lovely theory - but how would it help OP and their £48 which a big underestimate?

matelodave

Even a big under estimate can be identified BY CHECKING THE METER AND BILL regularly.

I've shouted that, because it's fundamental in understanding what you've used and how much you've got to pay for it.

It's not difficult but it seems beyond a hell of a lot of people on this forum in the same way that they seem to be oblivious of how much money is in their bank accounts and cant identify whether their DDs are being claimed or paid.

IMO if they are capable of getting onto the forum to have a whinge and whine then they are capable of reading a gas or leccy meter and checking their bills.

Talldave

victor2 wrote: »

......
OFGEM should at least ban the "winter loaded" tariffs a number of suppliers now offer. That defeats the most basic principle of monthly DD payments.

If by that you mean the Pure Planet style DD with higher payments for the winter months and lower for summer, I disagree. I think it's a sensible compromise between 12 equal direct debits and full variable "pay for what you use" payments.

matelodave

Talldave wrote: »

If by that you mean the Pure Planet style DD with higher payments for the winter months and lower for summer, I disagree. I think it's a sensible compromise between 12 equal direct debits and full variable "pay for what you use" payments.

I agree - it works a lot better for those who are unwilling or unable to cope with a 12 fixed monthly DD and then wonder why they are either £££'s in credit and want it back or £££'s in debt and wonder why because they use more energy in the winter than they do in the summer.

Mind you some energy companies don't seem to grasp this concept either and start faffing about with DD amounts

[Deleted User]

Robin9 wrote: »

Peanut - this is a lovely theory - but how would it help OP and their £48 which a big underestimate?

I'm quite sure it would help at least as much as you're previous posting.

Talldave

DeletedUser wrote: »

Not sure what the problem is. You sign up, they ask you your previous years usage, which is clearly visible on your annual statement.
If you don't have it, then perhaps it should be on an industry database just like NCD.

Either way, they could ask type of dwelling, and primary source of heating.

Then, using the 'typical' figures for said installation, its a pretty simple calculation for the energy company to work out your approx monthly bill spread over 12 months.

And, if you supply them with the (at least) 4 readings that most of em ask for per year, you're not gonna be far out.

Sadly, I don't think the industry is capable of doing anything sensible with the data they have. I just spent 5 weeks after moving into a property with npower, the bill comes to £128 (after I refused to pay their estimated reading from switch day and insisted they use the actual reading). But the bill also tells me that my energy bill for the next 12 months will be £4310. Utter rubbish, and makes them look the total idiots they are.

[Deleted User]

This is why I prefer the suppliers that bill monthly unlike BG that stick to quarterly bills even when on monthly DD. I was with Bulb and now I'm with So Energy and I provide a meter reading online just before the monthly bill is due so I get a 100% accurate bill each month. I'm £277 in credit right now ready for the winter months. I won't be getting a surprise increase after winter.

st999

Ever tried explaining what a kWh is to an elderly person

An elderly person should know what a kWh is.

I'm 73 and have known what a kWh is since I was about 10 years old.
That was when we got a "dry" meter, no more shillings in the meter. though I did miss the meter man coming to empty the meter, my Mum used to share what was over between my sisters and I.

RelievedSheff

We are with British Gas on a fixed direct debit account. They will review our account every six months to check that our direct debit is set to a suitable amount.

We are on smart meters so our meter readings are submitted daily.

We log onto the account on a regular basis to check that our payments are covering our energy consumption. Having been with British Gas since June we have also built up a large credit balance to use up over the winter so do not expect any increase in our direct debit amount either.

The means are there for people to keep track of their energy accounts. People just need to use it and stop relying on others.