Help needed on extremely high electricity bill

Gentlegiant

Hi guys,
I am not sure this is the right forum to post this. However, any help is need before I lose my mind.
I moved to this new flat in Dec 2018 and signed up for british gas for electricity while EDF is for gas. I gave them the meter reading at the time and according to my bill,my estimated reading at the time between May 2019-Dec 2019 was1396.78Kwh. They also said my monthly direct debit will not increase which was £42. I have always paid this amount and never missed payment.
Generally in the house we use only electricity for bulb, Tv etc. just basic thing while gas is majorly for cooking and hating. We use an old meter and I have called BG regarding a new meter but they said due to the pandemic there is a lomng list and they will get back to us.
Last week, my wife said soemone came to read the meter ; I was happy my thought was expecting a new smart meter soon. Only to receive today a bill of £2450 estimating my actual usage at 13719kwh between May- Dec 2020. How can this be possible? I mean we dont even have an electric heater neither am I cropping hemp.

Please any advice would be appreciated before I run mad.
Many Thanks in advance

rjmachin

If you read the meter now and subtract the opening readings that you gave in Dec 2018, does it equate to around the actual usage on your bill?

You mention that you had estimated bills previously.  I manually submit meter readings every month to ensure that my bills are accurate and avoid any shock bills.

Once you determine if the latest bill is correct and arranged to pay it, I would recommend submitting readings every month if you are able to (i.e. you don't have a disability).

If you are unsure of how to work out your usage, pop your opening and current meter readings on this thread and someone will be happy to help.

MWT

When you signed up for BG in the first place, what information did you give them about your consumption?

Since you had only just moved in I assume it was a guess or you selected the 'low user' option...

When did you next give them a meter reading?

If the answer is you didn't then I'm afraid that is the problem...

As suggested, take your opening meter reading and your current meter reading and calculate the consumption to date and the cost of that. Deduct your payments and see how that compares to the bill they have given you...

Gentlegiant

rjmachin said:

If you read the meter now and subtract the opening readings that you gave in Dec 2018, does it equate to around the actual usage on your bill?

You mention that you had estimated bills previously.  I manually submit meter readings every month to ensure that my bills are accurate and avoid any shock bills.

Once you determine if the latest bill is correct and arranged to pay it, I would recommend submitting readings every month if you are able to (i.e. you don't have a disability).

If you are unsure of how to work out your usage, pop your opening and current meter readings on this thread and someone will be happy to help.

In all honesty, I have never submitted a meter reading until now. also, How is it possible that I have used 13719kwh of electricity in the space of 6months? Am I missing something here? And when they say "Fixed direct debit" Does that mean the amount stays the same regardless of the usuage?

Gerry1

Please post a photo of the current meter reading together with the relevant bill page showing the latest reading.  (Redact personal info.)

It's very easy to misread a dial meter.  If you think this one reads 79020, you'd have a bad case of bill shock !

• What was your opening meter reading?

• Why are your bills estimated?

Updated: Oh dear, if you don't submit meter readings then this is what happens.  As it's an old meter, presumably it's a new-to-you flat rather than a new build?  If so, the previous occupier could have misread the meter or given a final reading that was deliberately low.

And no, it's not an All You Can Eat tariff, no one offers that.  That's why there is a meter.

MWT

Gentlegiant said:

In all honesty, I have never submitted a meter reading until now. also, How is it possible that I have used 13719kwh of electricity in the space of 6months? Am I missing something here? And when they say "Fixed direct debit" Does that mean the amount stays the same regardless of the usuage?

If you have never submitted a reading and they have all been estimated up to now, that isn't what you used in the 6 month period that has been build up since December 2018...

... and no, 'fixed direct debit' does not mean you get to use as much as you want without paying for what you actually use. It just means that what you pay is kept the same each month on the basis that it should be close to your actual annual usage if it is estimated correctly.

Your initial estimate was not correct and you didn't submit any meter readings so it didn't get adjusted...

Do give us a photo of the meter as Gerry requested though as it is at least possible that some of the amount being charged is due to an incorrect meter reading.

niktheguru

Gentlegiant said:

rjmachin said:

If you read the meter now and subtract the opening readings that you gave in Dec 2018, does it equate to around the actual usage on your bill?

You mention that you had estimated bills previously.  I manually submit meter readings every month to ensure that my bills are accurate and avoid any shock bills.

Once you determine if the latest bill is correct and arranged to pay it, I would recommend submitting readings every month if you are able to (i.e. you don't have a disability).

If you are unsure of how to work out your usage, pop your opening and current meter readings on this thread and someone will be happy to help.

In all honesty, I have never submitted a meter reading until now. also, How is it possible that I have used 13719kwh of electricity in the space of 6months? Am I missing something here? And when they say "Fixed direct debit" Does that mean the amount stays the same regardless of the usuage?

Seems a crazy amount of usage for just 6 months. First you need to do what everyone else on this forum has asked of you. Give the original meter reading and go and read the latest meter reading to see if the latest reading is accurate or a mistake.
Then, also check do you have any high usage electrical appliance on all the time.
Additionally, check what tariff you are on for your electricity, are you on a standard tariff?

Fixed direct debit means you pay a fixed amount every month, regardless of usage. If you are giving accurate meter readings then at some point the company should discuss with you to increase or decrease the direct debit. If you don't give meter readings the company just goes off estimates, which may be wildly inappropriate for what you actually use, then, as in your case when the "accurate" usage is found you are either dumped with a massive shortfall (or rarely that you've already paid too much), then its either up to you to pay up, or arrange a suitable large increase in direct debit to pay it off over time.

It still baffles me how so many people don't read their meters regularly, even just every 3-4 months. Either that or get a smart meter ASAP.

Gentlegiant

MWT said:

Gentlegiant said:

In all honesty, I have never submitted a meter reading until now. also, How is it possible that I have used 13719kwh of electricity in the space of 6months? Am I missing something here? And when they say "Fixed direct debit" Does that mean the amount stays the same regardless of the usuage?

If you have never submitted a reading and they have all been estimated up to now, that isn't what you used in the 6 month period that has been build up since December 2018...

... and no, 'fixed direct debit' does not mean you get to use as much as you want without paying for what you actually use. It just means that what you pay is kept the same each month on the basis that it should be close to your actual annual usage if it is estimated correctly.

Your initial estimate was not correct and you didn't submit any meter readings so it didn't get adjusted...

Do give us a photo of the meter as Gerry requested though as it is at least possible that some of the amount being charged is due to an incorrect meter reading.

According to the bill I have received today it says my usage between 21 May 2020- 15 Dec 2020 is 13719Kwh
Luckily I took a picture of my meter when we moved in. 
Opening Readings: 61944.66
Current reading : 76714.25
I assume both these readings are in Kwh. I have been quoted several price per Kwh but the highest is 16.953p

Gentlegiant

niktheguru said:

Gentlegiant said:

rjmachin said:

If you read the meter now and subtract the opening readings that you gave in Dec 2018, does it equate to around the actual usage on your bill?

You mention that you had estimated bills previously.  I manually submit meter readings every month to ensure that my bills are accurate and avoid any shock bills.

Once you determine if the latest bill is correct and arranged to pay it, I would recommend submitting readings every month if you are able to (i.e. you don't have a disability).

If you are unsure of how to work out your usage, pop your opening and current meter readings on this thread and someone will be happy to help.

In all honesty, I have never submitted a meter reading until now. also, How is it possible that I have used 13719kwh of electricity in the space of 6months? Am I missing something here? And when they say "Fixed direct debit" Does that mean the amount stays the same regardless of the usuage?

Seems a crazy amount of usage for just 6 months. First you need to do what everyone else on this forum has asked of you. Give the original meter reading and go and read the latest meter reading to see if the latest reading is accurate or a mistake.
Then, also check do you have any high usage electrical appliance on all the time.
Additionally, check what tariff you are on for your electricity, are you on a standard tariff?

Fixed direct debit means you pay a fixed amount every month, regardless of usage. If you are giving accurate meter readings then at some point the company should discuss with you to increase or decrease the direct debit. If you don't give meter readings the company just goes off estimates, which may be wildly inappropriate for what you actually use, then, as in your case when the "accurate" usage is found you are either dumped with a massive shortfall (or rarely that you've already paid too much), then its either up to you to pay up, or arrange a suitable large increase in direct debit to pay it off over time.

It still baffles me how so many people don't read their meters regularly, even just every 3-4 months. Either that or get a smart meter ASAP.

Thanks very much indeed for your response.
According to the bill I have received today it says my usage between 21 May 2020- 15 Dec 2020 is 13719Kwh
Luckily I took a picture of my meter when we moved in. 
Opening Readings: 61944.66
Current reading : 76714.25
I assume both these readings are in Kwh. I have been quoted several price per Kwh but the highest is 16.953p

Gentlegiant

MWT said:

Gentlegiant said:

In all honesty, I have never submitted a meter reading until now. also, How is it possible that I have used 13719kwh of electricity in the space of 6months? Am I missing something here? And when they say "Fixed direct debit" Does that mean the amount stays the same regardless of the usuage?

If you have never submitted a reading and they have all been estimated up to now, that isn't what you used in the 6 month period that has been build up since December 2018...

... and no, 'fixed direct debit' does not mean you get to use as much as you want without paying for what you actually use. It just means that what you pay is kept the same each month on the basis that it should be close to your actual annual usage if it is estimated correctly.

Your initial estimate was not correct and you didn't submit any meter readings so it didn't get adjusted...

Do give us a photo of the meter as Gerry requested though as it is at least possible that some of the amount being charged is due to an incorrect meter reading.

Mine looks nothing like this its just a single dial that moves horizontally. It says "Single phase watt hour meter"

Gentlegiant

rjmachin said:

If you read the meter now and subtract the opening readings that you gave in Dec 2018, does it equate to around the actual usage on your bill?

You mention that you had estimated bills previously.  I manually submit meter readings every month to ensure that my bills are accurate and avoid any shock bills.

Once you determine if the latest bill is correct and arranged to pay it, I would recommend submitting readings every month if you are able to (i.e. you don't have a disability).

If you are unsure of how to work out your usage, pop your opening and current meter readings on this thread and someone will be happy to help.

Based on my calculation it equates to about 14,500kwh usage from Dec 2018 to date. But BG are claiming in the bill sent today that I have used 13719Kwh between May-Dec 2020