We are £1326.26 in credit with our gas and electric, should we ask for it back?

QrizB

williewonder said:

I don’t understand the letter so it would be very helpful if we are paying too much?` This is just for gas, electric is £173.89 for the month.

Noting that the bill is estimated and isn't worth the paper it's printed on, it nevertheless reflects your household using more gas in a month than we do in a year.

7868kWh is a HUGE amount of gas to use in a month when it's this mild. It's 260kWh a day, 11kW of continuous use.

I agree with everyone else that someone needs to read the meters and send accurate readings regularly.

Rodders53

This year Oct-Nov = estimated 7868 kWh... same time last year they used 7308 kWh ...  So that suggests this has been an on-going issue for a very long time, and likely need a change of mindset of the occupants to decrease heating use.

In addition to submitting monthly actual Customer reads for billing purposes.

QrizB

OP had a similar thread last winter, albeit with less info regarding billing and their living conditions:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6558505/im-1600-in-credit-on-my-gas-should-i-ask-for-it-back-or-leave-it-during-winter

Scot_39

To answer your refund question.

As the bill is estimated the credit shown is also estimated - its not real.

It could be a reasonable guess or could be far higher or lower if this is another in a long series of estimated bills - its at least the second as both readings say estimated 

Suppliers will in my experience insist on real recent readings  - iirc mine has a 2 week limit rule if meter not smart and reporting them like daily -  before allowing any refund request anyway.
Phone to ask for refund your guaranteed to be asked for readings if no smart data available.

So the first thing to do is - if can - get and phone in or update online - accurate meter readings - and get a revised actual statement and actual balance. 


Its arguably even more important if one of you is paying and billing others when sharing bills and especially so if people coming and going regularly.  Which should really ideally always be based on actual measurements and actual costs  - not the smoothed DD payment.

Any idea when you last got a bill based on an actual accurate set of meter readings - as errors can accumulate over a long time  ?

If there are reasons why bill payer cannot read meters and regularly report usage  like health vulnerabilities or age etc - then should really phone and see if can register with suppliers priority services register - to get them to read - at least yearly - some do 6 monthly.

They might offer smart meters instead if not already fitted.  So are they - but just not sending in gas and possibly also not electric readings (are electric bills based on rwal readings or estimates)?- and if so have you complained to supplier, have they tried to fix  ?

But again once get a real balance from real readings.

At this time of year - its normal on an annualised direct debit plan for many - especially those with high winter heating costs - to be around 2+, maybe in some case at some suppliers like Ovo and Octopus for instance who now aiming/want 1 month minimum credit at end of winter - now 3+ months DD in credit propping up in other recent thread here..

So given Nov estimate - if moderately accurate - you are probably not excessively in credit - so most suppliers wouldnt refund it - certainly not all of it.

But as above - even if affordable when split - you should think about ways of saving - reducing wasted energy if can. 

If nothing else any savings might allow some little treats - a day out, a coffee at a local cafe, a pint down the pub if allowed / preferred,  a meal out etc

MouldyOldDough

This is an unbelievable thread !

We pay £65  per month for electricity and gas in a large 3 bed house and even at this time of year add to the credit !

currently £360 in credit

tim_p

MouldyOldDough said:

This is an unbelievable thread !

We pay £65  per month for electricity and gas in a large 3 bed house and even at this time of year add to the credit !

currently £360 in credit

Isn’t it just. Still, you could always leave a window open and crank up the heat, except I doubt it will be at the taxpayers expense, nor will you have a financial deputy doing nothing about it either. Sigh. 

Staggering waste of money going on here. No problem whatsoever with those in need getting everything necessary but…..

slipthru

Is there any possibility that they are being billed cubic ft instead of cubic m? That is more than I use all year.

Whoever is looking after the account is not doing a good job.

Lorian

There are Cheaper gas tariffs available too.

MWT

slipthru said:

Is there any possibility that they are being billed cubic ft instead of cubic m? That is more than I use all year.

Whoever is looking after the account is not doing a good job.

No, the problem is where the units are metric but being billed as imperial, but in this case there is no sign of that, the units and the conversion to kWh suggest metric for both.

As does the 5 digits as imperial meters used 4.

KxMx

tim_p said:

MouldyOldDough said:

This is an unbelievable thread !

We pay £65  per month for electricity and gas in a large 3 bed house and even at this time of year add to the credit !

currently £360 in credit

Isn’t it just. Still, you could always leave a window open and crank up the heat, except I doubt it will be at the taxpayers expense, nor will you have a financial deputy doing nothing about it either. Sigh. 

Staggering waste of money going on here. No problem whatsoever with those in need getting everything necessary but…..

I decided against replying to your comment this morning, but since you've found it necessary to post again, I'm not sure telling other people (your clients housemates) how to behave is in the remit of a financial deputy.