Am i being charged too much for electricity and gas ?

[welsh1966]

Hi,

I moved into a 2 bedroom council flat on August the 1st last year, and signed up with Swalec's "Better Plan" for electricity and gas, after their website blurb said i could save money with that package and also help the enviroment at the saem time. Sounds great i thought.

I am on Incapacity Benefit and get my benefit paid fortnightly. I spoke to Swalec on the phone when i gave them my gas and meter readings on the phone, and said i do not have a bank account to take direct debit payments from, so they set me up on the credit card style payment cards (i do not have token meters here).

I started putting £20 on my electricity card and £20 on my gas card a fortnight based on a guess, thinking i could check my first quarterly bill to see if i was underpaying or overpaying, and then correct my payments accordingly.

I have been in this flat for 8 months now and have never recieved a quartly bill. However last week i recieved a letter say that i owe £408 gas and £475 electricity, and i will be disconnected if i dont pay up ! I was shocked. I dug out all my post office reciepts for my payments and these say i have paid £200 electricity and £155 for gas so far (some weeks i didnt pay the full £40 on both cards when i had other bills to pay and i was short of money).

So adding all this up, Swalec reckon i have used £563 gas and £675 electricity in the 8 months i've lived here, a total of £1,238 for less than three quarters of a year !!! This surely cant be right can it ? This flat is double glazed throughout, with loft fully insulated, and i have a brand new gas combi wall boiler (installed July 08 ).

Granted, i am home all day everyday as i'm on the sick, but i never thought i was using that much energy. I have no tv, i dont have a cooker (gas or electric), the only thing thats on all day is my computer and fridge freezer, and one 11w energy efficient lightbulb above my head in the evenings. The only gas i use is for heating the water to do washing up or having a bath once a week. I only put the central heating on between November and February when it was chilly.

I phoned Swalec the other day and told them that these bills seemed obscene for what i considered i was using. They asked me for current meter readings there and then, as the letter was an estimate, so i gave the meter readings, and the women said what i owed was SLIGHTLY less, £278 for gas and £162 for electricity, which is still a total of £440 underpaid that i still dont agree with. I'm convinced they are trying to charge me for a previous occupants debt ! I remember a few weeks after i moved in here, there was a bill coming through the door addressed to "The Occupier" for £192 unpaid bill, which i handed to the council as i didnt see it as my problem. I'm sure Swalec are trying to get me to pay that ammount and have added it to my bill.

Luckily, i found my electricity meter reading from the day i moved in, so i did some rough calculations. My readings on August 1st 08 were 41491 (N) and 48277 (L). My readings a few days ago were 43605 (L) and 48913 (N). I'm far from any expert on the matter, so correct me if i'm wrong, but i work that out as 636 night units (roughly 636 x 7p = £44.42) and 2114 day units (roughly 2114 x 15p = £317.10p), a total of £361 aproximately. Bare in mind i have paid £200 on my cards, i estimate i owe them £161, not the £278 they claim. And remember, they actually sent me a demand for £475 initially ! Add my roughly calculated £161 to the £192 unpaid bill that came here when i moved in, and that comes to £353 interestingly enough, midway between the two figures Swalec claim i owe them still. Even more confusing, is the free Better Plan electricity monitor gadget i recieved, says that my average daily consumption is 95p.

I told them on the phone the other day that i want my meters and supply checked, because something is definately amiss or someone is tapping my supply somewhere. They told me that they wont sent anyone to check my meters until i have gone taken meter readings myself for a 7 day period, and phone them back with my readings this coming wednesday. I have not changed my living habits at all since i have started taking my readings, and this is what i have so far...

 

23/04 43605 (N) 48913 (L)

24/04 43614 (N) 48915 (L)

25/05 43621 (N) 48917 (L)

26/04 43628 (N) 48919 (L)

 

Would i be correct in assuming i've used 23 day units and 6 night units ? If its correct, it seems very low to me, and therefore i cant understand why Swalec are saying i have used 2,769 units in the past quarter alone !

 

I'm sorry for the longwinded post, but i have tried to be as detailed as possible in the hope that someone can help me out before i get back to Swalec on Wednesday. I suffer from mental health problems and find it hard enough to cope with daily life as it is, without these added stresses. So i would greatly appreciate any help or advice.

I havent even mentioned my gas account with you, because i cant even work that out. Even though my meter serial number ties up with what Swalec have on file, the meter readings dont even add up ! Their estimated bill for the last quarter was for meter readings 572 to 1384 (812 units in 3 months). However my meter digits is currently reading as 314 !!!! Are they billing me for someone elses meter or what ? If it helps, my meter readings for gas have been.....

 

23/04 313.573

24/04 313.677

25/04 313.762

26/04 314.966

 

Would that be roughly 2 units in 4 days use ? I don't understand the readings to be honest. Swalec are saying i owe them for 812 untis for the last quarter alone ! This seems obscene to me. I have no idea how many units they are saying i've used since August.

Thanks in advance for any help or advise offered, i'm at my wits end here and cant cope anymore. Thank you.

Edited April 27, 2009 by welsh1966

[seanamarts]

sounds about right on the usage of about 95p a day thats roughly how much I use.. did you know suppliers charge a standing charge on top of the electricity/gas you use.. its different for each supplier so could be the extra they are charging. have you asked if they run a scheme for low wagers and people on benefits I know EDF do it and some others you can save up to 15% a year on your bill. Cant you ask for a prepayment meter you dont get charged extra any more for having them and you can keep track on what you are using.. as for the rest Im sorry I cant help you but im sure some one will come along shortly who can help you sort this

Edited April 27, 2009 by seanamarts
spelling

[MG123]

Hi,

I moved into a 2 bedroom council flat on August the 1st last year, and signed up with Swalec's "Better Plan" for electricity and gas, after their website blurb said i could save money with that package and also help the enviroment at the saem time. Sounds great i thought.

I am on Incapacity Benefit and get my benefit paid fortnightly. I spoke to Swalec on the phone when i gave them my gas and meter readings on the phone, and said i do not have a bank account to take direct debit payments from, so they set me up on the credit card style payment cards (i do not have token meters here).

I started putting £20 on my electricity card and £20 on my gas card a fortnight based on a guess, thinking i could check my first quarterly bill to see if i was underpaying or overpaying, and then correct my payments accordingly.

I have been in this flat for 8 months now and have never recieved a quartly bill. However last week i recieved a letter say that i owe £408 gas and £475 electricity, and i will be disconnected if i dont pay up ! I was shocked. I dug out all my post office reciepts for my payments and these say i have paid £200 electricity and £155 for gas so far (some weeks i didnt pay the full £40 on both cards when i had other bills to pay and i was short of money).

So adding all this up, Swalec reckon i have used £563 gas and £675 electricity in the 8 months i've lived here, a total of £1,238 for less than three quarters of a year !!! This surely cant be right can it ? This flat is double glazed throughout, with loft fully insulated, and i have a brand new gas combi wall boiler (installed July 08 ).

Granted, i am home all day everyday as i'm on the sick, but i never thought i was using that much energy. I have no tv, i dont have a cooker (gas or electric), the only thing thats on all day is my computer and fridge freezer, and one 11w energy efficient lightbulb above my head in the evenings. The only gas i use is for heating the water to do washing up or having a bath once a week. I only put the central heating on between November and February when it was chilly.

I phoned Swalec the other day and told them that these bills seemed obscene for what i considered i was using. They asked me for current meter readings there and then, as the letter was an estimate, so i gave the meter readings, and the women said what i owed was SLIGHTLY less, £278 for gas and £162 for electricity, which is still a total of £440 underpaid that i still dont agree with. I'm convinced they are trying to charge me for a previous occupants debt ! I remember a few weeks after i moved in here, there was a bill coming through the door addressed to "The Occupier" for £192 unpaid bill, which i handed to the council as i didnt see it as my problem. I'm sure Swalec are trying to get me to pay that ammount and have added it to my bill.

Luckily, i found my electricity meter reading from the day i moved in, so i did some rough calculations. My readings on August 1st 08 were 41491 (N) and 48277 (L). My readings a few days ago were 43605 (L) and 48913 (N). I'm far from any expert on the matter, so correct me if i'm wrong, but i work that out as 636 night units (roughly 636 x 7p = £44.42) and 2114 day units (roughly 2114 x 15p = £317.10p), a total of £361 aproximately. Bare in mind i have paid £200 on my cards, i estimate i owe them £161, not the £278 they claim. And remember, they actually sent me a demand for £475 initially ! Add my roughly calculated £161 to the £192 unpaid bill that came here when i moved in, and that comes to £353 interestingly enough, midway between the two figures Swalec claim i owe them still. Even more confusing, is the free Better Plan electricity monitor gadget i recieved, says that my average daily consumption is 95p.

I told them on the phone the other day that i want my meters and supply checked, because something is definately amiss or someone is tapping my supply somewhere. They told me that they wont sent anyone to check my meters until i have gone taken meter readings myself for a 7 day period, and phone them back with my readings this coming wednesday. I have not changed my living habits at all since i have started taking my readings, and this is what i have so far...

 

23/04 43605 (N) 48913 (L)

24/04 43614 (N) 48915 (L)

25/05 43621 (N) 48917 (L)

26/04 43628 (N) 48919 (L)

 

Would i be correct in assuming i've used 23 day units and 6 night units ? If its correct, it seems very low to me, and therefore i cant understand why Swalec are saying i have used 2,769 units in the past quarter alone !

 

I'm sorry for the longwinded post, but i have tried to be as detailed as possible in the hope that someone can help me out before i get back to Swalec on Wednesday. I suffer from mental health problems and find it hard enough to cope with daily life as it is, without these added stresses. So i would greatly appreciate any help or advice.

I havent even mentioned my gas account with you, because i cant even work that out. Even though my meter serial number ties up with what Swalec have on file, the meter readings dont even add up ! Their estimated bill for the last quarter was for meter readings 572 to 1384 (812 units in 3 months). However my meter digits is currently reading as 314 !!!! Are they billing me for someone elses meter or what ? If it helps, my meter readings for gas have been.....

 

23/04 313.573

24/04 313.677

25/04 313.762

26/04 314.966

 

Would that be roughly 2 units in 4 days use ? I don't understand the readings to be honest. Swalec are saying i owe them for 812 untis for the last quarter alone ! This seems obscene to me. I have no idea how many units they are saying i've used since August.

Thanks in advance for any help or advise offered, i'm at my wits end here and cant cope anymore. Thank you.

 

Maybe you should ask for a breaddown of the bills over that period and not just copy statements.

 

There were price increases around that time as well.

 

Get them out to your meter for gas too, even take a picture of the meter to prove your point. How on earth did they get that reading or has there been a meter exchange notnupdated correctly? Hmm

 

Oh and the last poster is right, there is Fuel Direct which takes money from your benfits but Im not sure if the supplier your with does the scheme of offering a discount on the units of electric use, npower did a similar scheme but have stopped it.

 

Prepayment meters are a pain but do learn you how to be efficient even more so and some companies dont have standing charges but I cant list them as cant remember.

 

Good luck xx And sorry its brief.

[scuzziemoo]

Have a look at this website and put your details in, it should give you a decent estimate of how much they should be charging you.

 

Smart Meter Gas and Electricity Cost Calculator - Powered by UK Power

 

Goodluck

[welsh1966]

Thanks for your replies so far people.

I have some good news though, after getting back to Swalec with my meter readings. They claimed i owed them £408 for gas, but they now confirm i am £52 in credit I am however in debt for electricity though (which i knew i was), but its only £208 and not £475.

I'm also getting the old economy 7 meter taken out and replaced with a standard meter on May 20th Plus i was also put in touch with Energy Plus Care who have just confirmed to me i qualify for a 20% reduction of my bills. Happy Days