Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

[frances1p]

A close friend has an ongoing problem with Southern Electric, who have supplied her Gas and Electric, since 2007.

She pays by DD monthly and initially, her charges were set at #42.00 per month for Electricity and @ #25.00 per month for Gas. However, owing to a combination of factors, ie: not billed for over 2 years - no increases to monthly payments requested - estimated bills (despite readings given and taken regularly) this all led to her receiving a catch up bill, putting her in some #2000 arrears.

SE then demanded monthly DDs for Electric to be increased to #263.00 pm in April 2010, reducing to #159.00 pm for May 2010 and same amount taken, for June 2010. She was in discussion with SE at the time, stating that 1. she could not afford such high amounts and that that her consumption seemed extremely high for no reason? In July 2010 they applied a backbilling adjustment to her account, this amounted to #49.68 and #399.18, to reduce the outstanding balance, but by no means reducing outstanding balance to an acceptable level.

In fact, the adjustment basically credited her for the extorionate DDs they had taken from her during the 3 months prior (as above). They then altered her monthly DD for Electricity to #81.00 pm fromJuly 2010 to November 2010, further increasing her DD to #118.00 pm from December 2010 to current date!

Her Gas Account, which had started at monthly payments of #25.00 from September 2007 up until June 2010, at which time her DDs increased to #61.00 pm increasing again to #95.00 per month from Dec 2010 to current date.

She has disputed these amounts and her consumption repeatedly, but SE are adamant her bills are right?? But they just cant be, its ridiculous.

Can somebody please confirm these 'meter readings' seem right? I am not sure she is being billed correctly for her Electricity Usage. She lives in a small 3 bed house, which is very well insulated with loft insulation and cavity wall insulation. Since her older children left home a few years ago, she remains living in her home with her youngest son, age 14. She has basic appliances (wash machine, tv etc) nothing really extravagant? If anything her usage has reduced over the years?

Anyway, if anybody could just check these readings which I have listed in date order. Her Electricity meter is an old imperial meter, with a number of clocks with pointers. Each clock numbered 1 - 9. I had thought it was a four number reading that was taken, but if you see the list below, it ranges from 3 to 5 numbers?? I wonder if there is an error here somewhere? Anyone spotting any oddities with it, please advise. Many thanks.

Electricity Bills: Meter Reading: Reading: Units:
this time - last time

Sept - Nov 2007 91597 93870 (E) 2273
Nov 2007-Feb 2008 93870 (E) 96969 3099
Feb - May 2008 96969 468 (E) 3499
May - Aug 2008 468 (E) 1281 813
Aug 2008 -Mar 2010 1281 14072 12791
March to June 2010 14072 17328 3256
June to Dec 2010 17328 21168 (E) 3840

Can anybody verify if these readings seem right? Seems to be a vast span of numbers, within this primitive meters range??? Does this make sense?

This remains in dispute with SE, but to be honest she has made little progress in achieving any form of resolve. But common sense prevails her usage/consumption is extreme - without justification???

If anybody can shed any light on this, I would be eternally grateful and my friend can sleep easy at night - without worrying about how much debt she is getting into with the bank. It is really causing her a great deal of distress and anxiety.

Thanks I know somebody will find the answer!!! :tinysmile_kiss_t4:

[Swingletree]

Re: Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

Possible answers on the 'range' of meter readings;

Electricity meter changed (without your knowledge - is it in an outside meter cabinet?)

The four digit numbers read from the GAS meter rather than the electricity meter.

If it is an old electricity meter with dials then there are not too many of these about now and it will be part of a periodic change to digital style. They can slow down by themselves and also by external influences and therefore not always accurate. They are also known to 'creep' when no appliances are switched on

You could perhaps switch on number of appliances and read the meter before and then an hour later, do some calculations, that might give a (very) rough of the electric usage within the household.

If the property is 'old' (and there may be out building)and the wiring is worn then there might be a fault which will cause high meter reading and yet not operate any fuses or circuit breakers.

Hope this helps and does not confuse the issue.

[Luminol]

Re: Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

Could she ask them to come out and check her meters?, the reading on the gas look ok to me, its just gone round the clock hence the change in numbers.

And I know my Electric meter was updated, but when this happened a card was left in the meter cupboard stating the old reading, which I had to provide them with, I read my own meters regularly and update it online so they never get chance to issue a estimated bill.

I would ask them to come and check the meters.

Lumi

[Swingletree]

Re: Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

Southern electric will charge for a check meter to be installed and only reimbursed if the meter is found to be faulty.

I think there is a need for some 'homework' before adding to the already burdening costs.

You can ask for a meter change which will be non-chargeable as it is still an old dial meter but that will only probably be done on a 'when we get around to it' basis

[CleverClogs]

Re: Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

Aug 2008 -Mar 2010 1281 14072 12791

Had electricity been leaking somewhere - perhaps from an open socket?

Or had her next-door neighbour connected his appliances into her ring main?

[calamity jane]

Re: Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

Had electricity been leaking somewhere - perhaps from an open socket?

Or had her next-door neighbour connected his appliances into her ring main?

Not that high considering it's for an 18 month period.




CJ

[Swingletree]

Re: Southern Electric - Bankrupting Me, Help !

Had electricity been leaking somewhere - perhaps from an open socket?

Or had her next-door neighbour connected his appliances into her ring main?

It has not been unknown for a street light to be connected to a consumers supply!

As for electricity leaking out of an open socket ...............hmmm I think we all might be in trouble