Curbing the ridiculous

[Deleted User]

I am literally SO cross.  We just got the gas bill for the flat and it's over £700 for just under 3 months (well, really more like 900 when you think we had already pre-paid some estimated costs).  I just don't think it's right - I think what has possibly happened is that the landlady didn't take a meter reading when we moved in (we kept asking to take one and never did) and now, we are "playing catch up" paying for the previous costs, but we have no way of proving it.  And I just can't tackle my friends over it as don't want to fall out - the only way I could question it is if I ring the gas company and ask when the last actual meter reading was taken (prior to the one we gave when we moved out), but then if they say it wasn't taken for a long time and just estimated, where do we go from there?  We can't really say to our friends we shouldn't have to pay more as can't risk losing more friends.  

So, with this, and then the final electricity (which I've chased with the electricity co) and the water (which again, was estimated and they didn't even bother doing a reading) bills, our "bills account" is probably going to be pretty much wiped out.  Never ever have we had this before.  Which does just make me think that the bill calculation just cannot be right.  But nothing we can do.  I know gas prices have risen but they haven't risen the same way here as in the UK.  That flat was just THE WORST thing we did EVER and I hate that we are still seemingly not free of it, that it keeps rearing its ugly head.

Will need to have a good chat to DH now about trying to cut down.  I've always liked the security of having a good buffer in the bills account and now that is pretty much going to be gone.  And our spending is just ridiculous.  I mean ridiculous.  

I'm off to eat sweets.

badmemory

You aren't going to like this I'm afraid.  You have already lost these people as really close friends because you no longer trust them.  They don't know that yet & may never but unless the supplier gives you some readings that you can trust you will never be sure of them.

Alchemilla

badmemory said:

You aren't going to like this I'm afraid.  You have already lost these people as really close friends because you no longer trust them.  They don't know that yet & may never but unless the supplier gives you some readings that you can trust you will never be sure of them.

This. I am sorry, Rebecca.

redofromstart

greenbee said:

Broccoli has plenty of calcium  

And cyanide.

petit filous type pots worked for my older boy, luckily the Boy Who Doesn't Eat likes milk. Much sympathy.

moving_forward

I agree that they aren't real friends if they would do this too you x *hugs*

joedenise

Agree with others, they aren't real friends.  Nobody could possibly use that amount of gas in 3 months - that's more like nearly a year's worth of gas.

QueenJess

But this is the end and you will be free of it. Just think of it as a period that was rubbish, but worth it if you got the house you wanted in the end. 

Just lots of happy memories to make in a lovely new house now. Just look forward.

badmemory

I have just been checking my figures.  My heating is on 24/7 at 23.5deg as I can't cope with cold.  I have been on an SVR for 6 months, so no cheap bits in there.  My gas bill for the 6 months still doesn't come to £500.  Should have said 3 bed house so no flat above/below to keep us warm.

TheAble

Was it not possible to take the reading yourself when you moved in?

One thing you could do is call the energy company for the last couple of readings taken before you moved in and extrapolate from those.

[Deleted User]

TheAble said:

Was it not possible to take the reading yourself when you moved in?

One thing you could do is call the energy company for the last couple of readings taken before you moved in and extrapolate from those.

No, because the meter was in the landlady's house - we kept asking but she always sort of fudged it.  

However, it is sorted now (will set out below).