Gas Bill Hell! Advice Needed for my Parents.

julia.julibob

I hope that someone can help.

My parent's use a different gas supplier to myself and we have both recently had bills.

I will tell you their units used and kwph and then mine. I cannot understand the difference, and their horrendous bill.

They used (Over 93 days) 873 Units and 27,264.98 kwph. With a total gas bill cost of £665.66 + VAT!!!!!!!!

We used 829 Units (over 93 days) and 10,050 kwph. With a total gas bill of £225.41+ VAT.

This seems very wrong to me!! We both have metric meters, and they only live 4 miles away. We both use major gas suppliers.

Can anyone throw some light on this for them, otherwise I have said that I will contact OffGas for them, as their supplier says that there is nothing wrong with their bill!

Julia

Cardew

Your parents are being billed for an Imperial meter where 1 gas unit is approx 31kWh. (a unit is 100 cubic feet)

You have a metric meter where a gas unit is approx 11 kWh( a unit is 1 cubic metre)

Are you sure that their meter is metric? if so it will have m3 on it. An Imperial meter will have cu ft or cubic feet on it.

julia.julibob

Dad has just checked their meter and it is metric. Mum rang her supplier with our reading, and theirs, and they insist that mum and dad's bill is being converted for a metric meter and that it is correct.

What do we do now, what is the next step???

Julia

Cardew

How did your dad determine it is a metric meter? metric does not mean digital.

If it is Metric and he has only used used 873 units he is being charged 2.86 times too much. 873 units on a metric meter will be approx 9,500kWh

If they have had a new meter fitted in the last few years it will be metric; it is possible that it has been changed and the Utility company have not been notified.

If they are absolutely certain it is a metric meter, then demand someone comes and inspects your meter. If he is wrong it will cost for the inspection.

I am a little surprised that your 829 units are 10,050kWh. I would have thought that it would be closer to 9,300kWh.

The calorific value of gas can change a little; but are you sure your figures are correct? - the units and kWh.

glasgow_DFW

If the meter tested it will cost to have it tested you will olny get the money back if the meter is found to fulty.

the supplier is using a imperil multiplier just doing the maths back from the kWh to the units used on the meter show this ((((27,264*3.6)/1.02264)/39.3)/2.83) = 863

Alowing for the chanable calorific value (the 39.3) this definetly shows that the supplier is billing for a metric meter. Could it be that the has had the ponit moved along when given. If it is that they have the wrong meter type instaled on the account and that is what Transco have you are in for a long wiat for the this to be fixed as it will take Transo some time to fix the informtion that they hold and to pass to the the supplier.

julia.julibob

Thank you all! I rang EnergyWatch today, and they put me on to the suppliers Public Relations Dept who saw immediately (hallelujah) that she was being billed for imperial, not metric. They were great, and mum and dad have a rebate cheque for £840 in the post!!! They have been billing them incorrectly since the new meter was installed in Feb 2007!

At least it is all sorted now.

Thanks again

Julia

Cardew

julia.julibob wrote: »

Thank you all! I rang EnergyWatch today, and they put me on to the suppliers Public Relations Dept who saw immediately (hallelujah) that she was being billed for imperial, not metric. They were great, and mum and dad have a rebate cheque for £840 in the post!!! They have been billing them incorrectly since the new meter was installed in Feb 2007!

At least it is all sorted now.

Thanks again

Julia

Good news and as we suspected.

Not that uncommon I believe! I wonder how many other people are paying 2.83 times too much!!!!

ukmanchesterdan

many thanks for the info too....
just found out that my supplyer has been charging me for imp not metric for the last year.
going to ring them today to sort this out.