Advice on gas usage, incorrect billing and checking please

[ecb]

Hi

I recently switched supplier from Eon to another company.

I received a call from Eon retention dept to ask why - ive moved to a capped deal and also because their monthly DD has now gone up to £270 (combined) and I cant pay that!

 

Their rep was very helpful. She said my usage is enoromous and made the assumption that I lived with loads of people. She said that last year I used nearly twice the average household amount of gas. I asked her what I had used during the summer and she said 18000, which is half the average annual household useage. This set the alarm bells off for me. I havent used my central heating all during the summer. Even now the kids are moaning for me to put it on and because of the increase in my DD (was previously paying £170, now gone up to £270) I wont put it on.

 

im a single parent, 3 kids, work full time so house is empty all day.In the winter, the heating is only on 6hrs maximum per day. I only have gas boiler, everything else is elec. After many many problems with my not very old but very unreliable boiler (18mths old) I replaced it last September with a Worcester Bosch 30CDi combi (which I understood to be most economical version...) When I have looked on the Eon energy tracker, it shows that my usage is increased by over 700%!!!!! on last year.

 

I had an engineer call round to check that I dont have a leak. Thankfully I dont!

The company that installed the boiler have been back and checked that same thing. They also then fired the boiler and then went to check how much - and said as expected, it was using a minimal amount......

 

Ive been taking meter readings for a week, but to be honest, Im not really sure what to do with them.

 

Can anyone advise me where to do from here.

[E.ON Company Rep: Malc]

Hi ecb

 

Sorry for the late reply. Just noticed this thread.

 

Are your old bills with us based on accurate meter readings?

 

If they are, it looks as though either the gas has been used somewhere or the meter is wildly inaccurate.

 

Should it be the latter, you'll need to take this up with your new supplier. They'll now be responsible for the meter.

 

Although, if it turns out the meter is at fault, you'll need to come back to us so we can look at past bills again.

 

If it's the former, we'll still be happy to advise even though you've switched. I'd recommend talking to our Energy Efficiency team.

 

Tell them about your house, heating and appliances. They specialise in helping people understand their usage and ways they can cut back.

 

Won't help with past bills, I know, but might be useful going forward.

 

Don't rely too much on our online Energy Tracker. It's only meant as a guide. Sometimes, a rogue meter reading or an estimate can throw it out. Always best to keep a handle on the meter readings as you're now doing.

 

Alternatively, if our past bills are estimates and you've meter readings we've not used, please let us have them and we'll be happy to re-bill the account.

 

Sorry I can't be of more help ecb but hope this is of interest.

 

Malc