Est. Usage reading changed 6mnths ago-Left supplier at end of contract and got hit with £601 bill

Luudus

First time homeowner and 6months into our Gas/Elec contract they requested a reading. Our original est usage went from 750kwh to 3,100kwh. 

We received a bill for roughly £450 back in June when the new readings were sent, but our DD didn't changed at all. 

Having spoken to customer services, they weren't helpful. 

Suffice to say we should have noticed the change in the bill and energy usage at the time. But with the first 6 months being what it was, we didn't realise that the readings would have changed the statements each month. 

As a result a £601 DD is being paid from our joint account which currently doesn't have the money in and they have done nothing to try and support and understand that and only tried to explain why we're being charged that. 

Also I am attempting to claim that on every BG statement is a big green box that says: 

"We'll regularly review your payment amount of £27.32 to make sure you're on track to cover your expected energy use."

That amount was for the original est reading. Surely there is a case for if this kind of thing occurs where half way through your contract, they slam you with a £450 bill and do not review your DD with you? 

MeteredOut

Are you disputing the amount of the bill, or just how they've collected it?

Assuming the latter, best you can do is make a complaint. If you cannot afford the £601, they should work with you to change your DD so it claws back what you owe over a longer period of time.

They should have notified you that your DD was changing - did they not do this?

flaneurs_lobster

Did you honestly think that £27.32 was a sufficient amount to cover your energy use per month?

You've done nothing in the first six months to monitor your use or to check that the estimates were reasonable.

You got a bill for ~£450 in June but did nothing to either make a payment on account or adjust your DD payment.

And now five months later you have a bill for £600. 

Don't think you can shift much blame onto the supplier here.

Robin9

@Luudus   With respect you have learnt a few lessons the hard way.

Do get into the habit of reading your meters every month -  create a simple spreadsheet.

What about your water ? Is that on a meter?

Luudus

The usage estimate is weirdly dead on accurate. And I honestly don't think its sufficient, but it was for the first half which has put us into a false sense of security. Having since moved supplier I have a smart meter and have put two and two together since, in terms of what is reasonable. 

I'm not blaming them and I ulimately take responsilbility, but if every bill has a huge box that says your DD is regularly reviews and literally never was, surely that's reason for a complaint? 

"We'll regularly review your payment amount of £27.32 to make sure you're on track to cover your expected energy use."

There was no review. Surely after the new readings when the est usage changed, they would have adjusted it?

I feel ashamed and stupid for think this was okay, but surely energy suppliers would offer this support without the headache of the back n forth with customer services etc? 

Just feels like an awkward way of doing things when the DD is there to make life easier? I don't know

QrizB

Most people on this forum will agree that BG are terribly lax, but they're not solely to blame here.

Luudus said:

First time homeowner and 6months into our Gas/Elec contract they requested a reading. Our original est usage went from 750kwh to 3,100kwh. 

Your original estimated annual consumption of 750kWh was far too low. Do you know where that came from? Normally a supplier will ask the homeowner for an estimate, and will compare it to the industry database.
Did you supply an estimate or did BG magic one up? 750 is really low, was your home empty for a period before you moved in?

The national average is 2700, so 3100 is more reasonable.

Luudus said:

Surely after the new readings when the est usage changed, they would have adjusted it?

Like you, I'd have expected them to change your DD back in June once the first £450 shortfall was apparent. The next review after that would have been after a year, which seems to be when you decided to switch.

But at the same time, you should have realised that they hadn't changed your DD and that £30 a month wasn't anything like enough You had reason to expect another catch-up bill whenever they next sent one through.

Luudus said:

... it was for the first half which has put us into a false sense of security. 

I don't think many people would receive a surprise £450 bill and then feel a sense of security. Most would want to understand why it happened, and plan how to pay the next bill.

Luudus said:

I feel ashamed and stupid for think this was okay,

Please don't feel ashamed and you're not stupid. You're a first-time homeowner and there's a lot to learn. 

Now your more familiar with how energy billing works, you can keep an eye on things and won't get caught out again.

EssexHebridean

flaneurs_lobster said:

Did you honestly think that £27.32 was a sufficient amount to cover your energy use per month?

You've done nothing in the first six months to monitor your use or to check that the estimates were reasonable.

You got a bill for ~£450 in June but did nothing to either make a payment on account or adjust your DD payment.

And now five months later you have a bill for £600. 

Don't think you can shift much blame onto the supplier here.

OP has said outright that they were a first time homeowner - for all we know this could literally be the first time they have had responsibility for energy bills. 

Sometimes it pays to remember that none of us were born knowing this stuff - we've learned it. And yes, I just bet there are a few who are quick to make accusatory statements here who'd learned lessons the hard way in the past! 

QrizB said:

Most people on this forum will agree that BG are terribly lax, but they're not solely to blame here.

Luudus said:

First time homeowner and 6months into our Gas/Elec contract they requested a reading. Our original est usage went from 750kwh to 3,100kwh. 

Your original estimated annual consumption of 750kWh was far too low. Do you know where that came from? Normally a supplier will ask the homeowner for an estimate, and will compare it to the industry database.
Did you supply an estimate or did BG magic one up? 750 is really low, was your home empty for a period before you moved in?

The national average is 2700, so 3100 is more reasonable.

Luudus said:

Surely after the new readings when the est usage changed, they would have adjusted it?

Like you, I'd have expected them to change your DD back in June once the first £450 shortfall was apparent. The next review after that would have been after a year, which seems to be when you decided to switch.

But at the same time, you should have realised that they hadn't changed your DD and that £30 a month wasn't anything like enough You had reason to expect another catch-up bill whenever they next sent one through.

Luudus said:

... it was for the first half which has put us into a false sense of security. 

I don't think many people would receive a surprise £450 bill and then feel a sense of security. Most would want to understand why it happened, and plan how to pay the next bill.

Luudus said:

I feel ashamed and stupid for think this was okay,

Please don't feel ashamed and you're not stupid. You're a first-time homeowner and there's a lot to learn. 

Now your more familiar with how energy billing works, you can keep an eye on things and won't get caught out again.

 1st BiB: I can actually see the logic here - because even if it was a shock, the thinking would have been "Oh - at least that means we know what the bills will be now - that's for 6 months, so double that = £900 a year" - for someone who hasn't paid bills before and doesn't know the ins and outs of how energy billing works, that would be an easy assumption to jump to.  Not "right" but easily done. 

2nd BiB - yep, this! There is SO much to learn out there - some of us have been fortunate in having parents who were able to steer us in the right direction and ensure that we knew at least the basics, but that's not everyone. 

Robin9

EssexHebridean said:

  

Sometimes it pays to remember that none of us were born knowing this stuff - we've learned it. And yes, I just bet there are a few who are quick to make accusatory statements here who'd learned lessons the hard way in the past! 

 ..................... and wear the T shirt 

- read the same meter wrong twice !

EssexHebridean

Robin9 said:

EssexHebridean said:

  

Sometimes it pays to remember that none of us were born knowing this stuff - we've learned it. And yes, I just bet there are a few who are quick to make accusatory statements here who'd learned lessons the hard way in the past! 

 ..................... and wear the T shirt 

- read the same meter wrong twice !

Mine is managing to pay someone elses water bill for a couple of years before I FINALLY spotted the DD going out on the bank statement! Thankfully all easily reclaimable - but a valuable lesson about checking the bank regularly!