Charity Funded Playgroup paying excessive bills needs out of contract ..... HELP

Playtimes

matelodave said:

You do really need to read your leccy meters at least once a month (both the peak and off peak registers) so you can see when it's being used . Likewise check your bills and send in readings once a month so you don't get any random estimates.

If you keep your own records and monitor your consumption you can then do something about controlling it rather than throwing a wobbly when the bill come in.

As others have said, if you are on a business tariff (who is your supplier and how much do you pay per kwh & s/c) you might find it difficult or even impossible to leave without paying a large penalty. If you are on a domestic tariff then it might only be £30-£50 to escape. You need to check your T & C's

I've only been in the job a few months so just getting to grips with it all ....... unfortunately i think the damage is already done, I'm just trying to find a way out of the mess ...... We are happy to pay for what we are using but their prices are extortionate compared to others and being a charity we need to save as many pennies as we can :$ 
Sadly it seems we may close before this contract ends any way  

Playtimes

Gerry1 said:

Presumably the all the storage heaters were switched off at the end of March?  There should have been very little consumption during lockdown: weekly meter readings would have soon spotted anything untoward.

However, if you've let your bills be estimated then the computer will have assumed it's been Business As Usual the whole time.  Look at the latest readings on the bill: you may find the actual meter readings today are a lot lower.

Ive been giving meter reads for a few months now ...... Its only now i'm able to sit and look at what has been used and what we have been charged 

Playtimes

Robin9 said:

I've got a business tariff for a village hall but without the night units and I used a similar total at a cost of £1800.  I get billed monthly and pay by variable DD.  For the whole of 2020 and we've been closed like most others for much of it and have a bill of £600 (in 2019 it was £900)  Like others have suggested I think Estimated readings come into play.

A suggestion - are you in a village hall or similar - if so it should qualify for the Retail, Hospitality, Leisure grant of £10,000. Could they subsidise you ?  My hall is looking at subsidising or even free hire to get our users back - but much of out business is on hold.

We have done this ..... I'm just looking at ways to reduce as many costs as possible ..... Their charges are just criminal when matched against others ...... going forward im just looking to save as much as we can for as long as we can hold in there

Robin9

Do you own/rent the building? Do you pay business rates even if you pay £0 ? Are you actually registered as a charity ? Do you pay 5 or 20% VAT  on your utility bills ?

Is it a free standing building or part of a complex?

Playtimes

Robin9 said:

Do you own/rent the building? Do you pay business rates even if you pay £0 ? Are you actually registered as a charity ? Do you pay 5 or 20% VAT  on your utility bills ?

Yes, Yes, Yes & 20%

Playtimes

Playtimes said:

Robin9 said:

Do you own/rent the building? Do you pay business rates even if you pay £0 ? Are you actually registered as a charity ? Do you pay 5 or 20% VAT  on your utility bills ?

Yes, Yes, Yes & 20%

Also freestanding ....

Gerry1

So what were the meter readings at the start of lockdown, what are the kWh rates and daily charges, and what are today's readings?  Do the sums match up with the £900 bill?

Robin9

Playtimes said:

Robin9 said:

Do you own/rent the building? Do you pay business rates even if you pay £0 ? Are you actually registered as a charity ? Do you pay 5 or 20% VAT  on your utility bills ?

Yes, Yes, Yes & 20%

1) Contact your local council - payment of the grant should be automatic but I'm having to chase mine ( a mix up from decades ago)
2) Complete a Charity Declaration form - download from the suppliers website.  A predecessor of mine hadn't and I managed to claim the VAT back from the date of the original contract.

What about those meter readings.?
Are you now reopen as a preschool ?

Gerry1

If your existing supplier has horrendous rates and punitive charges for breaking the contract, you may well be stuck with them for quite a while.

However, I wonder whether it would be realistic to have another supplier install a separate meter and MPAN?  Obviously you'd have additional expenses and wiring changes would be required, but as there's quite a while to go with your existing supplier it could save money in the long run if you can find a really competitive alternative.

Robin9

I think we will find that word Estimated is used quite a few times when the OP comes back.  I've been basically shutdown since March with minimal use (Food Bank), emergency lights, hot water and have used about 250 units a month cost of £37.  I do have AMR meters  which helps when buildings are shutdown.