Elderly Parents getting Ripped Off

Gerry1

xlnc99 said:

Also - am i doing this for just the electric or both gas aswell? I presume that my mum was giving the wrong readings for both

Just the electricity.  The gas seems to be OK, except that it's just horrendously expensive.  There's no Economy 7 for gas.

xlnc99

If everyone thinks the GAS is ok -

Shall i do the GAS switch now and switch the electricity once i sort this issue out with SP?

The problem i see right now is my parents have a dual saver with GAS and electricity with SP. So if i switch GAS only what will happen dual plan with SP

Gerry1

If I recall correctly the fixed tariff is about to expire in a few days, so doing nothing is not an option.

rjmachin

xlnc99 said:

The account does not show any older bills online. Only the past year, so i would need to ask SP for them on the phone. I have posted the last 12 months bill on this thread which are visible to everyone. As for your last comment - honestly i have no idea what that even means as i am a complete novice and struggle even on this thread when people talk about this topic.

Hi,
All I meant by my last comment was that for example if the bills from 2 years ago showed the reading being 40,000 in January 2018 and then in February 2018 they were submitted as 39000 (the wrong reading), their electric part of the bill would have been lower, just the standing order daily charge while they caught up to 40,000.  
As the months went by, if the wrong reading was continued to be given, but increased, slightly, they would have been charged the difference of the wrong reading.  

The above is just an example of course.

On the other hand, this assumes there was a correct meter reading given at some point.  If the wrong reading has been used since they moved in or since the new meter was installed, I don't see how you or SP would be able to get a correct starting figure to be able to correct the billing.

Robin9

xlnc99 said:

If everyone thinks the GAS is ok -

Shall i do the GAS switch now and switch the electricity once i sort this issue out with SP?

The problem i see right now is my parents have a dual saver with GAS and electricity with SP. So if i switch GAS only what will happen dual plan with SP

Just swopping one of the fuels is no problem - the SP will become a single fuel and as the fix runs out shortly will be charged at a standard (ie expensive) rate - how long it will take SP to adjust the DD I don't know.

I really fail to see how SP are at fault here. I

Gerry1

xlnc99 said:

Gerry1 said:

• The OP isn't doing their parents any favours.  They were advised 10 days ago to switch to a gas tariff that would have made a genuine saving of about £290 per year (depending on their region).  It wasn't even from a dodgy company with umpteen ASA and CAP rulings against it, nor would the switch have triggered an exit fee because the existing fixed deal is about to expire.  Predictably, the offer has now been withdrawn and it seems that the OP choose to let it slip through their fingers.  Horses, water... 

On the third point, i am gutted the i have not made the switch yet but again the issue is i have no idea what im doing so its hard for me to make a switch when i dont know what im switching or anything about it.

If you'd run out of coffee and saw a jar of Nescafe in Waitrose at £8 but saw exactly the same thing next door on offer in Aldi for a week at £4.99, which would you buy?  It really is as simple as that.

Talldave

rjmachin said:

Hi,
All I meant by my last comment was that for example if the bills from 2 years ago showed the reading being 40,000 in January 2018 and then in February 2018 they were submitted as 39000 (the wrong reading), their electric part of the bill would have been lower, just the standing order daily charge while they caught up to 40,000.  
As the months went by, if the wrong reading was continued to be given, but increased, slightly, they would have been charged the difference of the wrong reading.  

The above is just an example of course.

On the other hand, this assumes there was a correct meter reading given at some point.  If the wrong reading has been used since they moved in or since the new meter was installed, I don't see how you or SP would be able to get a correct starting figure to be able to correct the billing.

I don't think many suppliers would accept a reading 3783 units lower than the previous one?

The correct starting figure would be the one that was used plus 3783, as that's the offset between the Using and Imp registers.

xlnc99

OK whilst i sort out the Electricity -

I will make the switch today for GAS. Which is the best GAS opton today? Is there anything i should be looking for when switching and what estimate should i put on for the GAS in KWH

Robin9

xlnc99 -  let's see if we can help you switch
go to www.citizensadvice.org.uk/.../switching-energy-supplier
and answer the questions as they arise - there will be lots of drop down boxes to help you.
You need the post code (and then the address) and the annual consumption in kWh for the gas
Select gas only when asked - select monthly DD when asked.
Press GO - within seconds you will have a list of over 50 suppliers and about 150 tariffs.  The cheapest will be top of the list.

You may be given a option for CAB to make the switch.  

MWT

Gerry1 said:

MWT said:

Can't really agree with you this time Gerry.

#1 - it is not 'horrendously complicated' they only need to press one button to get the correct reading, they were just pressing the wrong button and since discovering that it has been easy to give the right reading.

#3 Switching before fixing the meter reading problem will likely make it impossible to ever resolve. It shouldn't take much to get it fixed, but it needs to be done first, then switch. The amount to be saved by switching now vs a week or two later doesn't come close to matching what they will be throwing away by not getting the meter problem resolved.

> #1 - it is not 'horrendously complicated'

Would you care to explain all the terms in the meter cycle (EXP KVARH and USING NOW etc etc) in words which the OP, the OP's parents (and Gerry1) can understand?  Plain English it ain't !

> #3 Switching before fixing the meter reading problem will likely make it impossible to ever resolve.

Why would switching the GAS to a far cheaper supplier make resolving the ELECTRICITY reading impossible to ever resolve?

#3 - I'll give you that one, I missed that you were only talking about the gas

#1 You don't need to know or care about any of those terms, just check the video I've posted a couple of times.

Previously the parents were pressing button 'B', one press and it displays the 'USING NOW' register which is it the current active register and only really has meaning in E7 mode.

They should have been pressing button '9', just one press and it displays the total import register which is the one they should be using.