Fight on our hands - electricity £100 per week

dunstonh

SkyChild said:

I used to work for BT and generally distrust all big companies and their customer service. That said, not sure 6 monthly billing will work for us at all, we really hate surprises! 
Will try EDF and my cousin recommends Octupus so will give them a shout as well. 
Thanks everyone  

If you do monthly readings and keep track of them yourself, there should be no surprise.  Its frustrating but it doesn't lead to cost issues as long as you are paying for what you use.   i.e. once you are on the right tariff and you know your monthly payments average out to your annual cost then there is no monetary problems.  Just an admin frustration.

Octopus off peak rate is 16.3p compared to EDF at 8p for us.       EDFs billing method is a frustration but one I put up with at that cost difference.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

here's a wee energy calculator you could try, just input meter readings and tariff info.

Would suggest taking readings at least once a month, and if you can give same readings to supplier, keep note of your monthly payments, then you should know how you stand.

CALCULATOR.

Edit:don't forget vat.

SkyChild

Thank you all - I've been ill this weekend so not made much progress other than to cancel DD with SSE, give them a meter reading, be told it's STILL going up and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Had a chat with both neighbours either side and they are with Octopus and happy (and bills much less, including one elderly lady who is home all day and uses heating) 

Start of another week, hooray!

Mstty

Cancelling your DD will mean higher prices and if you have only done this your end without advising the supplier a marker on your credit report.

SkyChild

I spoke to them on the phone and they won't set it to anything I can reasonably afford so agreed to cancel and pay when the bill comes in. It's far from ideal but at the moment I'm feeling like I don't really have another option

RelievedSheff

SkyChild said:

I spoke to them on the phone and they won't set it to anything I can reasonably afford so agreed to cancel and pay when the bill comes in. It's far from ideal but at the moment I'm feeling like I don't really have another option

By doing that you will now be charged a higher unit rate so your bills will now be more expensive!

dunstonh

SkyChild said:

I spoke to them on the phone and they won't set it to anything I can reasonably afford so agreed to cancel and pay when the bill comes in. It's far from ideal but at the moment I'm feeling like I don't really have another option

You have to speak their language.  That means talking in kWh and evidencing what you are saying.

i.e. you give them accurate details of your use over 12 months in kWh.  Then add around 20% as 2022 was a mild year.      They should be setting the direct debit on that sort of basis but if you have a history or estimated readings, then it is guesswork all round.  If you talk to them in money terms then you usually won't get far.

We can help you if you post your accurate readings here that cover at least a year.

SkyChild

I don't have accurate readings for a year, we've only lived there 1 month and they've already messed it up by adding estimated readings to my actual ones (sent fortnightly since the first one on 1st day we moved in) The off-peak seems to be using 600kwh per week - so we switched off the only one of the storage heaters we were still using. Thankfully not been cold this weekend. 

I asked the man on the phone from SSE for my estimated projection kwh and he just laughed and said he didn't have it. He said he would reinstate my direct debit at £800pm and I said I couldn't afford it and could they set it to £250 or £300 and he said no. I mean, I thought they were meant to at least try and help?

I meant to post our actual readings on here but then I fell ill last week so didn't do it. On top of that it looks like my partner's about to lose his job so I'm just at my wits end really. 

Deep breath and I will set a reminder to post our readings on here tonight when I get home from work

Robin9

SkyChild said:

I asked the man on the phone from SSE for my estimated projection kwh and he just laughed and said he didn't have it. ...................

 

That is not acceptable -   a formal complaint in writing and ask them for a copy of the tape

SkyChild

Ok so they have sent us 9 bills by email and 3 by paper post, despite having a paperless account. Some are duplicates and the dates don't seem to tally with our actual readings.

All have our annual estimated usage projected at 29178 kwh: 14774 on the heating control and 14404 on standard electricity. Prices vary on the bills for this between £9000 and £10000. 

All supposedly for the period 1st Feb-31st March. 
Estimated (30 March)
40442
75223
£638.79

Actual (4th April)
40156
74944
£286.16

Actual (18th April)
40023
74906
£231.77

Actual (17th April)
40523
75049
£436.29

We had the direct debit off £100 come out on 28th March and then I made a payment by phone to clear the outstanding amount of something in the region of £230.

I should probably add myself and my partner are both autistic - not severe enough to warrant any kind of help, support or sympathy, but enough that phone calls, paperwork and surprise bills cause us significant problems and we just come across as stupid/irresponsible/irrational. 

I really don't know what to do other than save up, give another meter reading in a month's time and hope