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

tim_p

KxMx said:

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. 

Basic checking of bills and any financial dealings should be. If not, someone needs to. 

mac.d

The gas usage is a lot but please be aware of what KxMx said about it being supported living accommodation. We know nothing about the disabilities of the people concerned and their needs or capabilities and you can't compare it to a normal household.

As for it being a waste of taxpayer money, it is coming out of their benefits which are based on their needs and it is not uncommon for people with disabilities and associated health conditions to spend a high proportion of their income on gas and electricity. Also remember that their energy bill is being split four ways, they are probably each paying £200 each per month, and in supported living sharing a house isn't quite the same as you or I sharing a house with someone, it's more like 4 different households sharing a building.

What is clear is that whoever is their financial guardian should be doing more to help them with their energy usage and their bills but bear in mind that this could be a charity or family member, and their main concern will be the daily care and wellbeing of the individuals and as long as the bills are affordable for each individual, there won't be any huge concerns.

williewonder

Even my support manager said we are paying a lot. Yes it is only £222 a month I pay towards the house and thats for everything, I don't want to cause arguments in the house with my housemates but they leave the back door open all the time and internal doors are open because of the dog so it gets cold, not only this when I shut the door different staff will leave the back door open too. Its annoying. 2 of my housemates have their fans on in their rooms as well.. But I can live with it. If I was paying for it alone I be peed off. It would be nice to have the £1300 back. I can put it towards a watch.

QrizB

williewonder said:

Even my support manager said we are paying a lot.

Someone is responsible for the energy account, and it's probably one of the support workers. They should be reading the meters and submitting the readings.

Without submitting readings you don't know if your £1300 in credit or not.

You might even be £5000 in debt.

born_again

tim_p said:

KxMx said:

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. 

Basic checking of bills and any financial dealings should be. If not, someone needs to. 

This begs the question of where does housemates even come into this, given it is sheltered accommodation. So OP should not be getting bill for whole house. 🤷‍♀️

mac.d

It's not sheltered housing, it's support living sharing a house is it not? And it's normal for the bill to be in one individuals name and doesn't mean they are the sole bill payer, any bills for the house will be split equally, as the OP has said they each pay into a house kitty.

Somewhere I worked they'd had a basic sky package for years and one individual wanted movies added as their birthday gift, it was a nightmare to sort out as a previous manager had set it up in their name instead of one of the people whom stayed there and sky weren't for making any changes without speaking to this person who'd long since left.

WiserMiser

williewonder said:

It would be nice to have the £1300 back. I can put it towards a watch.

A watch costing more than £1,300??

Best not tell the Daily Mail !

QrizB

WiserMiser said:

williewonder said:

It would be nice to have the £1300 back. I can put it towards a watch.

A watch costing more than £1,300??

Only a quarter of the refund would be the OP's.

They can spend their money however they want, including on fancy wristwear.

But, again, until someone submits meter readings no-one knows if the account is in credit or not.

It's like Schrödinger's energy bill.

Robin9

Perhaps the Support Manager could make this fun and provide an incentive.  The support manager would have to do this not the residents.

 

HedgehogRulez

Robin9 said:

Perhaps the Support Manager could make this fun and provide an incentive.  The support manager would have to do this not the residents.

 

Why can’t the residents incentivise themselves? Saving money is its own reward.