Over-estimation of energy use

[Ollyboy]

Hi,

 

I have moved into a new property and have just received my first electricity and gas bill from the utility warehouse. It wildly over-estimates my usage since moving in. I rang to give accurate meter readings and asked for a re-calculated bill. I was told they could not do this but I would be in credit to the company after paying the estimated bill (luckily I have not set up a direct debit).

I do not want to do this as they would want to charge me £89.28 and the bill should be £47.26.

I have written to the customer services manager asking this to be recitified and have said I will not pay the bill till it is adjusted.

Can anybody tell me if I have any option but to pay the bill if they refuse to adjust it?

cheers

 

Olly

[zazen.warrior]

Personally I would pay the correct amount, by this I mean £47.26 - paying nothing would not be a wise move.

[Jan4a]

This is so cheeky - why should they get the interest from you being in credit? They don't pay you interest when they refund it at end of year.

 

Don't know this company but I've been given new bills based on my own meter readings in the past. Maybe its changed recently.

 

Agree with Zazen on what to do.

[Clare_L]

What????? Demand you ONLY pay for what you have used and change suppliers!

[Ollyboy]

I agree that paying the correct amount would be best and seems like common sense. However in a strict legal sense do I need to get them to agree to my calculations before I can settle up and change supplier would you think?

Thanks for your quick replies by the way.

[pedross]

I am amazed that you have had this response from Utility Warehouse you must be the only person in the country who has.

 

I am with Utilty Warehouse, have been for years and they are more than reasonable. I pay by direct debit and on the annual review if they have used estimates they are more than obliging in reducing the payments.

 

I suggest that you pay the correct amount and include a letter explaining why. When you next receive a bill contact them straight away with the correct reading and I am sure that they will correct it. If you phone you will get through to a UK office within minutes which is more than you could expect from alternative suppliers or you can use the internet to supply your reading.

 

You are obviously no mug as you have calculated to the penny how much the correct bill should be which 99% of consumers who do not have a clear understanding of utilities would probably have difficulty in doing.

 

On the plus side £47.26 seems really reasonable for gas and electric I am surprised that you are dissappointed.

 

Pedross

 

If this is helpful please click my scales to thank me.

[mattlamb]

I think Ollyboy is disappointed because the Utility warehouse won't use his lower reading. He has every reason to be disappointed.

[pedross]

I think Ollyboy is disappointed because the Utility warehouse won't use his lower reading. He has every reason to be disappointed.

 

Hi Matt

 

I do understand that but I was just making the point that they are always helpful when I phone and take my lower readings straight away. I am sure if he just pays the correct amount it will sort itself out. They do accept your own readings under normal circumstances.

 

I don't know what they would do if I phoned in a higher reading I have never tried that.

 

 

Pedross

[Clare_L]

They do accept your own readings under normal circumstances.

 

 

Pedross

 

I would say that this is normal circumstances, so they should amend the reading and rebill! The op is disappointed as his bill SHOULD be £47 and not the £89 they are trying to bill him. As the op stated, they do not pay by monthly direct debit so its not like it will balance itself out at the end of the year. What if utility warehouse over estimate every quarter?? How is that fair that they have to continually overpay?

 

I would pay what you believe the bill should be and at the same time change suppliers. They are unlikley to object as normally that would only be the case should you owe more than £100 which is more than 28 days old.

 

Clare

[pedross]

Hi Clare L

 

I know what the OP said and I never said it was fair to overpay.

 

I don't know the circumstances, all I am saying is that I have been with Utility Warehouse for a number of years and they have always had my readings from me when I phoned up and always been more than obliging. In view of my experience I was just trying to help the OP.

 

When I get my bill they always give me chance to send my readings if the estimate is wrong I suppose it is difficult to estimate for a new customer.

 

You will see that I did say only pay the amount you know is correct anyway. I don't understand how changing suppliers makes any difference they all estimate nowadays.

[Clare_L]

I appreciate what you are saying Pedross, and maybe you have been lucky. The reason I suggested changing suppliers is I dont know of any other supplier that would refuse to take your reading and rebill you correctly. What they have told the op is absurd. Yes, they all estimate where they have to ie no access to read the meter, but to refuse to take a correct reading is pretty unfair. If they did only pay the amount they think the bill should be, then they will still be hounded for the outstanding balance by reminder letters until the next quarter which by then they will have already started proceedings to take further action. It wont just go away.

[pedross]

Its just a matter of opinion I suppose.

 

I don't think I am lucky I am sure that I read somewhere that Utility Warehouse only lose something like 2% of customers so they must do something right. I don't think they will hound the OP.

 

But I am sure the OP will decide for themselves what they want to do.

[mattlamb]

Probably Ollyboy was unlucky in who took his phone call at UtilityWarehouse. If he rang them up again and got someone different obn the phone, they would probably use his reading and send out an amended bill.