Problem with incorrect estimated annual gas/electricity usage

Clarendon58

How far back should a utility company be going to calculate the estimated annual usage? Over the last 13 months Eon next has been given 10 meter readings each for the gas and electricity (the first of these was by a meter reader in January 2022).  However, they appear to be going back much further and including an error by them in the gas one where the meter reading they migrated from Eon to Eon next in April/May 2021 was recorded as 5298 rather than 3298 (and they repeated the error the following month before it was corrected).  I am unable to provide readings every month as this was my late parent’s flat, which has been empty for more than 6 months whilst I wait for probate and then the sale of the property.  I do provide readings when I am able to travel there.  Today I received the latest bill where they estimate that the gas meter reading would have increased by 219 whereas the increase in meter reading for the previous 13 months was a total of 231.  The account was over £300 in credit last month and they are now trying to claim that I now owe them over £400 which they want paying in 7 days.  I did email them a couple of days ago before I got this bill with all the relevant info and just got back a scripted reply that I would be getting accurate estimates if I am providing regular readings.  I have threatened reporting them before when they failed to record a gas reading that I has sent by email along with photographic evidence and they tried then to bill me an extortionate amount.

Brie

I assume if they want a large lump sum you don't have a direct debit set up with them.  Which I would say is completely acceptable given the circumstances. (you not having a DD).  Otherwise I have found them quite good about accepting explanations why their estimates are out of line.  The problem is that after dealing with a human you are then thrown back to the computer which doesn't think and just follows a debt collector logic to make you pay a lot now.  

All that said - are you claiming that they are ignoring your readings as well as the meter reader in Jan 2022?  And simply making up a number??  Or are they (or their computer) thinking that it's cold out so you must be using lots of energy when in fact the property is empty and just using enough to keep the pipes from freezing? 

Normally I'd say you should ensure you log this as a complaint and tell them that you won't be making any payments until they sort things out.  In your circumstances though I wonder if you'll get more help if you contact their bereavement team.  There's some info here on how to do this - Bereavement support for energy customers | E.ON Next (eonnext.com).

Sorry for your loss btw.  No matter what your relationship was with your parents having a hassle when trying to deal with stuff just doesn't help at all.

[Deleted User]

Clarendon58 said:

How far back should a utility company be going to calculate the estimated annual usage? Over the last 13 months Eon next has been given 10 meter readings each for the gas and electricity (the first of these was by a meter reader in January 2022).  However, they appear to be going back much further and including an error by them in the gas one where the meter reading they migrated from Eon to Eon next in April/May 2021 was recorded as 5298 rather than 3298 (and they repeated the error the following month before it was corrected).  I am unable to provide readings every month as this was my late parent’s flat, which has been empty for more than 6 months whilst I wait for probate and then the sale of the property.  I do provide readings when I am able to travel there.  Today I received the latest bill where they estimate that the gas meter reading would have increased by 219 whereas the increase in meter reading for the previous 13 months was a total of 231.  The account was over £300 in credit last month and they are now trying to claim that I now owe them over £400 which they want paying in 7 days.  I did email them a couple of days ago before I got this bill with all the relevant info and just got back a scripted reply that I would be getting accurate estimates if I am providing regular readings.  I have threatened reporting them before when they failed to record a gas reading that I has sent by email along with photographic evidence and they tried then to bill me an extortionate amount.

Sorry for your loss. You owe the supplier nothing unless you have formally taken over the supply contract. Any bills fall to the Executor and the deceased Estate to pay. Estimated Annual Usage is only used to set a DD payment. All charges are based on the tariff and the actual amount of energy used. 

Send the supplier a photograph of the meter readings and ask them to re-bill.

Clarendon58

Thank you for the advice about the formal complaint as I know I do not owe them any money and am trying to run down the credit on the account.  You are right about why I haven’t set up a d as who knows what they would set it up as.  I will head the email as Formal Complaint.  I been in touch with the bereavement team on numerous occasions both by phone and the email given on the bereavement team section of their website (seems to be the same as the general contact email but it does mean I have their reply in writing!).  I can’t believe that their computer must be thinking that March has been colder than the whole of 2022 if that is what their estimate is based on  and yes the gas only comes on if the flat temperature in the internal hall falls below 15 degrees to prevent pipes freezing.  Eon next has been told all this.

All utility companies should be forced to be open and transparent about their usage forecasts.  I am currently with Octopus and can see their forecast for the next year on a month by month basis but other companies in the past gave accurate info on usage, which helped in switching.  I am shocked how little there is on Eon next, when they eventually gave me access.  

I have found Eon next’s customer service a nightmare, as did a family friend who got involved getting the 2021 error corrected at that time.

Clarendon58

Unfortunately I can’t provide a reading this month as I live nearly 200 miles away from the property and I am the executor as well as the only next of kin so I am liable for the bill. It is clear that the estimated amount on the bill I got today is based on the very over inflated estimated annual usage quoted at the top of the bill and not based on how much had been used in the last 13 months.  There is no explanation on how that estimated annual usage is calculated.

[Deleted User]

Clarendon58 said:

Unfortunately I can’t provide a reading this month as I live nearly 200 miles away from the property and I am the executor as well as the only next of kin so I am liable for the bill. It is clear that the estimated amount on the bill I got today is based on the very over inflated estimated annual usage quoted at the top of the bill and not based on how much had been used in the last 13 months.  There is no explanation on how that estimated annual usage is calculated.

Estimates are based on historical usage using an industry-approved algorithms. When usage patterns change then estimates go awry. Can’t you get someone to read the meter for you? Alternatively, pay the bill and when you are able to provide an up to date reading the supplier will amend it.

Clarendon58

I’m not prepared to pay them over £400 when the account was over £300 in credit at the end of last month and the monthly bills have been at most about £50, excluding the additional government support and including standing charges, when I have provided meter readings over the last 7 months.

I have now raised a formal complaint with E.on next as my request for the estimated annual usage to be reviewed was ignored, I got a scripted reply from the customer service advisor, they clearly had not gone through the evidence I had provided or looked at the detailed info on the account.

Interesting that the BBC  was looking at energy bill issues this morning and their advisor stated that if you have been providing regular readings the estimated usage should be accurate. 

Clarendon58

Latest update - original Eon next team emailed me back and stated that the estimated annual usage and estimated readings was system-generated and there was nothing they can do.  I then rang customer services (appears to be a different team from those replying to emails) and spoke to a very helpful advisor, who looked at the reading history, saw the discrepancy and manually corrected the estimated readings in alignment with last months readings that I had provided. They were also going to report the error in the system generated figures.  Interestingly I spoke with my own energy supplier, Octopus, who explained how they do their calculations and also pointed out that this calculation is on their website, I could find no equivalent explanation on Eon next’s website.  Surely there should be a legal requirement for utility companies to be transparent and publish such information.

steviedude

i have had a similar argument with british gas where they keep putting my direct debit up based on there system working out they could not give me a satisfactory answer how they worked it out, so i done it for them based on my last yearly meter readings that i gave them monthly that shows my actual usage was 14000 kwh for the last year, there estimate on there system was 32000 kwh for the next year so i kept asking to show me how there system worked it out to get to that figure as that is what they are basing the direct debit on they assured me there system is accurate but i wouldnt accept it was, till they showed me they wanted to increase my direct debit to 280,00 pounds per month from 110.00 they then told me that most of the working out was based on propertys of a similar size in my area, and no mention of my previous monthly usage so as above a little more transparency and a legal requirement to show how they get to there annual usage should be a minimum

born_again

If you have a bill form EON Next or can view on via the online acc.
There is a section on there that gives the below: Right hand side of top page.

March 23
>>Your estimated annual cost. £974.05 a year for electricity £996.73 a year for gas This is an estimate based on your expected annual energy usage, and your current tariff rates, charges and discounts, including VAT. Actual bills will vary depending on your usage and tariff selection. More information about your current tariff is over the page. <<

Given back in September 22
Your estimated annual cost £1633.78 a year for electricity £1474.64 a year for gas This is an estimate based on your expected annual energy usage, and your current tariff rates, charges and discounts, including VAT. Actual bills will vary depending on your usage and tariff selection. More information about your current tariff can be found overlea

It is tracking our reduced usage over the winter, compared to previous year.

markin

Switch to octopus! You don't want to deal with them for another 6 months or make the next owner have to deal with them.