Electricty Bill...WTF!!

[billybuds]

I have lived in the same property for just over 2 years now, a reasonably sized, ground floor, 2 bedroom flat. In a purpose built building of 4.

My Electricity bills over the 2 years have been fairly consistent, around £130 a quarter. With the meter being read twice a year and the other 2 quarters being estimated. Last week I received a bill for the period Oct '08 - Dec '08 (Which seemed a little late to me) for £128, this was based on an actual reading of the meter, which I assume must have happened at the end of December.

This morning another bill drops on my doorstep for the next quarter Jan - Mar, this one was estimated at £316.14, which seemed a bit steep to me. So off I trot to read the meter, and get an amended quote. I have an economy 7 tariff, so my bill and meter is split with day and night units used.

To my horror when I read the meter it appears that I have somehow used 6910 units of day electricity and 1078 units of night?! Compared to the average over the last 2 years of around 750 and 300 respectively. Doing the maths, this now means by bill stands just shy of £1200! Now there has been absolutely no change in my usage at all. Now I may not be the most energy efficient person (leaving lights on, pc's on etc.) but this is taking the piss! There is no way I could have used all that leccy.

Anyone ever experienced anything like this, my train of thought is either the meter is faulty or someone, somehow is tapping into my supply.

Any ideas??! I thought the collective knowledge of PH may have some thoughts on the subject!

[Famous Graham]

Turn off everything and go look at the meter, see if it moves.

And I mean everything, ie boilers and so on, too.

[Pyro]

Glad i could help

[cliffe_mafia]

Could be that they've changed your meter type from imperial to metric at the call centre? This happened to me and I was looking at a bill for 2k on top of my normal amount. I think they deliberately try it on and some people will just pay.

Edited by cliffe_mafia on Tuesday 14th April 13:38

[littleandy0410]

You might have a leak in your pipe somewhere.














.....oh, wait, that's gas and water, isn't it.

As above, switch EVERYTHING off, if the meter still moves, someone is stealing your leccy! If it doesn't move, must be a fault with the meter.

[Shake&Bake]

Famous Graham said:

Turn off everything and go look at the meter, see if it moves.

And I mean everything, ie boilers and so on, too.

Do as this man says. Don't forget to turn off any electrical appliances in your garage (if applicable).

Have you had any work done to the flat recently? Namely items like underfloor heating installed etc.?

[Steamer]

...or,

when I had a similar paranoid moment when opening a leccy bill:

Wait until everyone else in the apartments is home - ideally in the evening when you know they will be using lights / PCs / cooking...

...flip the mains switch on your meters - totally isolating the electricity to (just) your flat.. wait and see if anyone comes out to see what happened.

[billybuds]

Cheers guys, when I get back home I'll do as suggested.

As far as the bill being switched over to metric, I don't think that'll be the case, it was a brand new build 2 years ago and the meter is one of those digital ones.

Nothing has been done to the flat that I can think of that would effect the supply. The only thing that has happened over the last few weeks is that I am currently doing my garden. I had an chap round wiring leccy up to my new shed and runing cable round where the decking is going to be for lighing.

[Pferdestarke]

billybuds said:

Nothing has been done to the flat that I can think of that would effect the supply. The only thing that has happened over the last few weeks is that I am currently doing my garden. I had an chap round wiring leccy up to my new shed and runing cable round where the decking is going to be for lighing.

He's obviously tapped in to your supply and is growing copious amounts of weed in a hydroponic system in his attic, half a mile away.

Chill Winston!

[asbo]

I've just been landed with a similarly epic bill up here in Jockistan.

How much water does the imperial/metric argument hold?

[spikeyhead]

asbo said:

I've just been landed with a similarly epic bill up here in Jockistan.

How much water does the imperial/metric argument hold?

None at all with electrickery, but is true for gas

[Nickyboy]

cliffe_mafia said:

Could be that they've changed your meter type from imperial to metric at the call centre? This happened to me and I was looking at a bill for 2k on top of my normal amount. I think they deliberately try it on and some people will just pay.

Edited by cliffe_mafia on Tuesday 14th April 13:38

Thats more than likely what has happened, theres threads galore about it on Moneysavingexpert

[Simpo Two]

The excuse they quoted when my mother's bill was suddenly £800 instead of £300, was that they'd got the Normal and Economy 7 numbers mixed up... but only after the red bills and threats

[asbo]

spikeyhead said:

asbo said:

I've just been landed with a similarly epic bill up here in Jockistan.

How much water does the imperial/metric argument hold?

None at all with electrickery, but is true for gas

'Tis the gas which has suddenly gone stellar.

Phone call to Scotteesh Power required methinks

wk bds