Can I pay for the gas I will use next year now ???

MrGas

Hi there due to the new rise of gas and electricity in the UK, I was wondering if it is possible for me to pre pay my meter in advance and increase the meter reading. I have both meters inside house and they are set up on direct debits and I send in reading each month.

ie say my meter reads 12345 and when I put my meter reading in and say it is 55555 but it is really 12345.

So am i doing anything wrong, doing it this way although my metre is less than I sent in as I would prefer to pay them now at the low price if I can before the big increase. I think it would help alot of people.

Thanks for your help

MWT

MrGas said:

So am i doing anything wrong, doing it this way although my metre is less than I sent in as I would prefer to pay them now at the low price if I can before the big increase. I think it would help alot of people.

Yes you will be doing something wrong, it is fraud to do as you suggest...

EssexHebridean

As already said - it would be fraudulent. However, do you not think your energy supplier might notice if you suddenly consume a crazy amount of energy, out of the blue, right before we're heading for a major price rise?

PennyForThem_2

Ummm criminal offence springs to mind - defrauding utility company and a very easy offence to obtain evidence, unless you also tamper with the meter which is a whole new possible offences..........

You could 'possibly' load your account with surplus payments so that you are in credit i.e. overpay your DD or alter your DD so paying more so that the inevitable rise is flattened out somewhat.

Astria

Be aware that your provider will be doing estimated readings regardless of your readings you supply and if your readings are wildly outside of their estimates they'll simply ignore yours and use the estimates, they might also send around a meter reader to verify your readings. Knowingly providing a false reading can get you a rather large fine.

What you can do is take energy now and store it away for the future, for example by using a battery bank.

QrizB

Astria said:

What you can do is take energy now and store it away for the future, for example by using a battery bank.

... but do keep in mind that storing 1000kWh of electricity will need £300k worth of battery!

Brie

I'm not saying you should but I would suggest you could increase the reading each month and if asked have a plausible reason for the slight increase.   

pre price rise  "oh we got a hot tub - that's why our electricity use is up!"  
post price rise "oh we rid of the hot tub as with the increase in prices we didn't think we could continue to run it"

littlemissbossy

Could you increase your direct debit or put some extra money to one side?

EssexHebridean

Brie said:

I'm not saying you should but I would suggest you could increase the reading each month and if asked have a plausible reason for the slight increase.   

pre price rise  "oh we got a hot tub - that's why our electricity use is up!"  
post price rise "oh we rid of the hot tub as with the increase in prices we didn't think we could continue to run it"

OK  - you understand that's actively encouraging someone to act illegally, yes? Pretty sure forum rules suggest that's not a plan.... 

superbigal

If your estimates are way to high do not replace them.
Even the forum polis on here can't get you locked up for that.

Brie

EssexHebridean said:

OK  - you understand that's actively encouraging someone to act illegally, yes? Pretty sure forum rules suggest that's not a plan.... 

I did say could, and specifically not should! 

And quite frankly it all sounds too much of a  faff for very little profit, illegal or otherwise! 

What might is save?  £5 a month, maybe?  Keeping track, being consistent.  I wouldn't bother myself.  And that's not just covering my broad back side either!