electric usage

countryman_uk

im trying to help an eighty year old lady with her electric usage, she lives in a 20 year old 2 bedroom bungalow , she only has electric for heating,, she has her heating on for a couple hours in the morning and a couple of hours at night, and not set very high,, she doesn't have any flash electrical  items, no dishwasher, tumble dryer,, but her energy company are saying she is using between 1400 and 1800 kw a month,, i got a smart meter put in in Dec but her last few bills have been estimates, i contact her supply and they said the meter was not working properly,, with no engineer coming out they then said the meter was reading ok,, refunded he bills for the last 3 month then charge her over £565, she now in debt to over £800 ,, i asked them for a home display unit for the smart meter so she could keep an eye on her usage , but they said they dont have display units for the smart meter they put in and wont be getting anymore, i asked why they didnt put a new generation meter in and they just said they didnt have any in stock they are now saying her direct debt will be over £260 a month, this is an elderly women living alone,, i cant see how she can be using so much energy, i asked if they could check the meter and was told it would cost her £257 if an engineer came out,, she is worried sick and not putting her heating on, due to the worry she can not afford to pay her bill, is there anyone i can get help from,

JGB1955

So... can you go and check her meter and see what it says?  Can you help her provide s meter reading to the provider?  Seems a bit odd that an IHD wasn't provided when the smart meter was installed....

Brie

are these estimates given that the meter isn't working?  if not she/you need to do regular readings to submit.  

If you pop through some actual readings and info that's on her bills (rate etc) then someone will be along to check the math.

I agree £260 is excessive.  I'm in a 3 bedroom with 2 other adults including at 95 year old with the electric heat on non stop in her lounge (well beyond tropical).  Our bill is much less than that albeit the central heating is gas.

countryman_uk

they where all estimates until last Monday , she can not read the meter to complicated for her,, once i asked about the high usage, they then sent out a new bill saying they had got the readings from the smart meter

Robin9

When was the Smart installed ?  The reading then would have been 0000.0. What is todays reading ?   If it has a small keypad - press 9)

Does her bill record the new meter correctly - there will be a sticker on it.

countryman_uk

JGB1955 said:

So... can you go and check her meter and see what it says?  Can you help her provide s meter reading to the provider?  Seems a bit odd that an IHD wasn't provided when the smart meter was installed....

they said that it was a 1st gen smart meter fitted ,, and they they can no longer get the IHD for that smart meter ,will be going down the read her meter,, i check her usage on line, i am with the same company and i do have gas for my heating,, but i have every gadget you can have and my monthly usage is roughly 250-300 kw,, hers for the first 11 days of March is  566 kw 

Robin9

countryman_uk said:

JGB1955 said:

So... can you go and check her meter and see what it says?  Can you help her provide s meter reading to the provider?  Seems a bit odd that an IHD wasn't provided when the smart meter was installed....

they said that it was a 1st gen smart meter fitted ,, and they they can no longer get the IHD for that smart meter ,will be going down the read her meter,, i check her usage on line, i am with the same company and i do have gas for my heating,, but i have every gadget you can have and my monthly usage is roughly 250-300 kw,, hers for the first 11 days of March is  566 kw 

Forget your house  - (you can't compare your gas heated with her electric heated) - it's her bungalow that you need to help her sort.   Her meter reads please.

Robin9

@countryman_uk   You will get more replies if you post under "Energy"

user1977

Robin9 said:

@countryman_uk   You will get more replies if you post under "Energy"

Yes, I can't see there is (yet) a consumer rights issue - and even if there is, there will be more relevant answers on the Energy forum.

countryman_uk

thanks i will try find the energy forum

Robin9

Mortgages and Homes -  Energy