Help! Huge fina; bill..

loadsamoneyyy · 15 February 2019 at 11:07PM

Summary: PFP Energy have sent a final bill of £762.59p - we disconnected with them to change suppliers back in June 2018.

Very unclear how this has been calculared.

The summary of previous bills shows this:

12 May 2018 - 13 June 2018 Bill Amount -> £48.96 -> Balance = £48.96

12 April 2018 - 11 May 2018 Bill Amount -> £680.44 -> Balance = £690.44

12 May 2017 - 11 April 2018 Bill Amount -> £757.52 -> Balance = £28.64

In detail, the billing period between May 2017 and April 2018 shows this:

Electric = £374.73

Gas = £382.79

Combined total = £757.52

As far as we are concerned, we paid £62 a month fixed for the time we were with them which would equate to c.£745 ish

So out of nowhere, and nearly 10/11 months or so later, they want over £700 final bill. I've had some 'final bills' in my time and in fact, a previous issue where some readings were incorrectly given between old companies and new when we had switched in our old house - but this takes some beating.

We live in a small 2 bed house - just the 2 of us (3 of us since little one arrived) but 2 of us for the duration the bill was given.

What in the hell is happening here? PFB say the readings are correct and the bill is due. I have escalated it to the complaints team and have asked for all the information they have on their findings.

As far as we are concerened, we never missed a monthly DD and there is NO WAY ON THIS EARTH WE WOULD USE OVER £700 WORTH OF ENERGY ON TOP OF WHAT WE HAD ALREADY PAID MONTH ON MONTH.

Who can we have for support of they pursue this? We are quite distressed with this. If you'd like to see a more in-depth version on the bill, I'd be happy to share.

Thanks all

elsien · 15 February 2019 at 11:12PM

Forget about the monetary figures.
What was your energy consumption for the relevant period? Were your bills based on estimated or actual readings? Do you agree with the readings that have used to produce the final figures?

loadsamoneyyy · 16 February 2019 at 9:49AM

I am unclear at this stage as a whole what the final bill is based on but they say the readings taken.

However one discrepancy i have is one reading I could not properly enter on to their portal. I fear I put in the wrong reading potentially.

dogshome · 16 February 2019 at 10:12AM

You may have entered a mis-read somewhere down the line, but what really counts are the Start Reads for the Gas & Elec, and the End Reads

You gave a Start Reads to your new supplier, do the End Reads on PFP's Final Bill match or come close to?

loadsamoneyyy · 16 February 2019 at 5:08PM

I don't know what happened with the end reads - I can't remember if I entered them on their portal or if they did it themselves.

grumpycrab · 16 February 2019 at 6:22PM

loadsamoneyyy wrote: »

I don't know what happened with the end reads

You've been with your current supplier since June 18. Easy question first. What were the start reads with them? (either on a paper bill or online). And if you don't know these you really are in trouble.

tronator · 16 February 2019 at 7:02PM

Nobody here can help you if you don't answer their questions and give actual meter readings. If you didn't make notes, look at the bl**dy bill. The figures are there.

You paid £374.73 in 11 month, which is ~£34 per monthly and is very low for a modern household with 2 people. I and my SO live in a 1 bedroom flat and use ~15 kWh / day during summer. So you massively underpaid each month.

Compare the final meter reading (ON THE BILL!) with the starting meter reading of the new company.

Then calculate what you spent on electricity with the old company.

(end reading - start reading) * unit rate + days * standing charge

Do the same for gas.

Does this differ from the bill?

Cardew · 16 February 2019 at 10:20PM

OP, Like many people on this forum you dispute the final bill on the grounds that 'we couldn't possibly have used £xxx in yyy months'.

You state you are 'unclear how your bill has been calculated' Along with every other company it can only be calculated on consumption based on start and end meter readings, and the number of days with the company.

As you have a bill with the reading for 12 May 2017 this will be the start readings(assuming you did move in on 12 May)

Your end reading should be on the final bill from PFP which should be the same as the start reading with your new company in June 2018(assuming the switch took place in June)

Unless you have grounds for disputing those meter readings, you have no grounds to dispute the final bill. Certainly not using the 'we couldn't possibly have used' defence!

Incidentally you still haven't stated if the 3 bills you received were based on estimated readings.

Also you calculate you have paid '£745ish' and have a final bill of £762 so £1507 for 13 months or possibly slightly longer. That is only slightly above the UK average expenditure.

WiseOwll · 17 February 2019 at 7:59PM

My guessing is a deemed or estimated start read is the issue here.

An easy way of telling if it’s right..
Get your start read PFP energy used, take what it was when you left.
((Newreading) - (Oldreading) = usage * unit rate)
+
(Standing charge * days with PFP)
=
TOTAL VALUE

Do that for both gas and elec. You may have to convert your gas to readings to KWh.

How far off is

Help! Huge fina; bill..

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