ARVO nearly quadrupled my DD and wont talk to me

Gerry1

If you have used almost 900kWh of electricity in 31 days that seems rather high; average annual use is 2900kWh.

Make sure the immersion heaters are both switched off so that the hot water is supplied by cheap gas rather than expensive electricity.

Similarly, make sure you're not using any electric showers, plug in electric heaters, panel radiators, electric underfloor heating, electric towel rails etc.

Have you done a meter sanity check?  Turn everything off at the consumer unit after dark, watch the red LED marked 1000 Imp/kWh (impulses = flashes) or similar for five minutes and make sure it never flashes even once.  Then switch off all appliances lights etc and plug in just one high power item such as a kettle or fan heater.

Count the number of flashes per minute, pro rata it up to an hour then divide by 1000 (or the figure printed on the meter) and that's the kW it thinks you were using at that minute.  It may not be exact because the power drawn depends on the voltage and the rating plate may only show an approximate value, but as it's so easy it makes sense to do your own check before asking the energy company to install a check meter.

molerat

Why have you got 2 gas meter readings ?  Have you got a 2 reading (E7) electricity meter ?

bagand96

As other's have said, it's all estimated readings.   They calculate the bill by simply looking at how much the meter has increased, and then billing you for that use.  Obviously though with estimated readings the danger is it doesn't reflect actual use.

Electricity
E 30th December 2020 6585

E 30th December 2020 30278

E 30th January 2021 7033.2

E 30th January 2021 30726.2

30726.2 - 30278 = 448.2 kWh
7033.2 - 6585 = 448.2 kWh
Total usage = 896.4 kWh

It looks like you have a 2 rate (Economy 7) meter, is this the case?  That's why there's 2 sets of readings.

Gas
E 30th December 2020 2264.8

E 30th January 2021 2538.5

E 30th December 2020 22863.8

E 30th January 2021 23137.3

23137.3 - 22863.8 = 273.5 units
2538.5 - 2264.8 = 273.7 units
Total usage = 547.2 units (which then has to be converted to kWH)

I've never seen 2 sets of readings for Gas?  Do you have 2 gas meters, or a dual reading gas meter?

What do your meters say today? That's a starting point to sense check the Avro estimated readings and see if they're way out.  If they are way out you then can go to Avro and ask for the account to be rectified to reflect the actual meter readings, and ensure going forward they are using your actual reads.

If you have a record of your previous readings that will help.

Stu2985

niktheguru said:

Looks like all your bills are based on estimated readings and you've been building up debit over a few months.
You said earlier you provide meter reads every months. I hope you've written them down somewhere......otherwise you may end up being in a mess trying to sort this out. Make sure you take a meter read TODAY and submit it and keep a record too. Then take one every week for this month. That way you will get a rough figure of how much energy you actually use to see if their "estimates" are in the same ball park or not.

Have you emailed avro to ask why they are using estimates when you are submitting readings every month.

I have sent ARVO 3 emails to date over last 3 weeks using the link on my online account page. I have tried using their facebook page and FB messenger page.  There telephone number states for emergency use only and to use email contact. 

I have not made any note of previous readings. I have been in the address for 11 years.  June 2019 we had smart meters installed however they couldnt get them to talk to the servers (ara of bad reception i was told).  I have been with ARVO less than a year. I will try to  get printed and scanned docs up.   For info its a 4 bed house. I live in alone apart form 10 days a month when my kids stay. I work 12 hour shifts so not actually home that much to use that much energy

Robin9

As you have been with Avro less than a year you will have a final bill from your previous supplier. |What were the readings on that bill  and what are they today.   Do your meters have a small key pad on them ?

I'm not an Avro customer but doesn't your online account have a "Give Us Your Meter reading " button. 

Gerry1

I hope you didn't send any emails to ARVO because AVRO will never receive them...

niktheguru

You need to get all your avro bills out
You should also get the final bill from your last supplier to see what the "agreed final read was"
Then you can compare your meter reads from today to the opening reads and can calculate exactly how much you owe.

Please answer the other questions people have asked about what meters you have. Are you on economy 7?

bagand96

Robin9 said:

As you have been with Avro less than a year you will have a final bill from your previous supplier. |What were the readings on that bill  and what are they today.   Do your meters have a small key pad on them ?

I'm not an Avro customer but doesn't your online account have a "Give Us Your Meter reading " button. 

Good point:

OP, post your meter readings for today.  That will be an initial sense check.  If you can post the readings from the last bill of your previous supplier that will be even better to get an idea of what's happening.

Stu2985

ok sorry guys bear with me trying to do as posters have asked my meters and supplies are just standard not economy 7 .  Emmersion is switched off.  I have my water on 24/7 but thats been like that for 10 years and never paid more than £100 a month. Rad stat is set 21 and boiler is 5 years old ideal standard one with setting on E for economy.  Hot water cylinder is set at 55 degrees as well.  in winter heating is set to come on 0700-08:30 and evening is 1700-21:30 readign currently Elec 6909  Gas 2806

bagand96

Those readings today don't seem too far off one set of the Avro estimates. Gas reading is 2806 vs  2538E and the electricity 6906 vs 7033E.  In the right ballpark, and seem to correspond to your meters in place.

The biggest question here is where the second set of readings are coming from?  It raised my suspicions seeing two sets of readings for gas as this would be very unusual.  It's less unusual for electricity due to economy 7, but you say you don't have that.

Could it be that Avro are mistakenly billing for a second set of meters that don't exist?  A c*ock up when smart meters were installed?  There should be a label near your meters that show the final reading on the old meter and the opening reading of the new meter (0).