Are utility companies deliberately issuing underestimated meter readings?

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Grizzly

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I was switching my Gas to Electric Ireland today. I noticed that my previous supplier FloGas had issued me with an estimated bill for my last bill.

This estimate was way under the amount of gas used. Why issue me with an estimated bill that is way under the usage? If they had issued a bill that was nearer my actual usage I would have paid a lower price based on the introductory offer plan that I had subscribed to. If there is a price increase soon then I will pay more for the units not charged for in my last bill.

I was also coming up to the expiry date of my contract, when my special offer ends and I go back on their standard rates. So in theory all the units that I should have been charged at the lower rate in my last bill will now be included in my next bill and charged at the much higher standard rate.
 
You can always read the meter and then submit the reading. That way the estimates will be closer to your actual use
 
Hi Grizzly,

I have a vague recollection that this topic was covered on AAM previously so if you have a root through you might find the discussion.

Sooner the better you get your Smart meter and you won't have to bother with readings.
 
jpd said:
You can always read the meter and then submit the reading. That way the estimates will be closer to your actual use
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I wonder how many people submit their meter readings every month/two months? Maybe if we got an email prompt to remind us?
 
Maybe if we got an email prompt to remind us?

Energia send email to submit readings when due, all companies should do similiar, not that hard one would think,
 
jpd said:
Most people could just put a prompt into their smartphones to remind them

Honestly, it beggars belief that people are so annoyed about energy bills and yet can't be bothered to submit readings
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I've been doing this since we got our first home 30 years ago and would pay a sum equal to the amount used in any given month excluding the vat ,never liked paying tax early.

Its something I learned from my grandmother who lived until she was 97, we got gas Central Heating installed in her modest house in the early 90s, every week she'd go and get her pension and put £5 on the gas bill and £5 on electricity, if she couldn't do it an Aunt or cousin would.

After she died the accounts were closed ,each one in credit which " was enough to pay for a nicer coffin" .

Obviously the utility companies have budget accounts but I personally prefer this method and it allows us to budget and manage our energy usage and understand our bills and react to price increases.
 
jpd said:
Cost?
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Well the technology is there, having people trapse around the country taking actual readings isn't cost effective either.

And apparently Gas Networks Ireland sets the conversion factor for gas from M3 of gas to kWh " for every household meter at billing date". Which I find difficult to believe if those properties aren't connected digitally.

1 M3 of gas conversion rate to kWh is 10.55, look at a bill and its always over 11.3 and closer to 11.5 . Excuses like temp, type of gas etc are given for the fluctuations in this conversion rate, but I really don't accept those as our gas is either UK , very high methane or Corrib where a huge plant was built to clean out impurities, but we simply don't know from one month to another how the conversion factor is arrived at. It might be acceptable at 11.3/4/5 etc but customers only find out when the bill arrives.

It would be a good exercise for people to use 10.55 conversion rate on their bills and see the difference on cost, vat, carbon tax...
 
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jpd said:
Honestly, it beggars belief that people are so annoyed about energy bills and yet can't be bothered to submit readings
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Do all companies have an option on their website to submit a meter reading or do you have to send an individual email each time?
 
Grizzly said:
Do all companies have an option on their website to submit a meter reading or do you have to send an individual email each time?
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I know Airtricity, Energia and Bord Gais do
Airtricity you can submit on a monthly basis but the other two only let you submit a few days before your bill
They will all send you a reminder email a few days before your usage is calculated
 
IME with the energy companies, when prices are plateaued for a period, they over-estimate the bills in order to improve their short-term cash flow.

When prices are trending upwards as they are right now, they under-estimate bills in order to charge an increased price from an arbitrarily selected date i.e. the increased consumer price does not reflect the date their costs increased.

I always phone in an accurate meter reading to Electric Ireland, +353 1 852 9534, as soon as I get my estimated bill in order to keep them honest. I use Electric Ireland Customer Services number rather than ESB networks as it can take from 5/7 working days for them to pass the reading on, in which time the actual reading is no better than an estimated one.

ESB Networks send estimated meter readings to Electric Ireland. From the time of producing the estimated reading to a bill (electronic) arriving to me will take at least 12 elapsed days.

Why all these delays, particularly from a company whose side-line is running around the world charging other energy suppliers how to be efficient and effective? That's ESB International, just in case you didn't know.
 
jpd said:
You can always read the meter and then submit the reading. That way the estimates will be closer to your actual use
Click to expand...
This happened to me last year, never happened before. Bill May/June was almost 200€ extra because no official reading was sent in due to covid. I now send in readings on the end of month but still get 'estimated' on bill. Many people did not know that the official reading stopped during covid.
 
jpd said:
Most people could just put a prompt into their smartphones to remind them

Honestly, it beggars belief that people are so annoyed about energy bills and yet can't be bothered to submit readings
Click to expand...
A lot of people think the official meter reader still comes. I did and got caught out.
 
Regardless of who your supplier is, you can also submit readings directly to ESB Networks. They provide usage details to the suppliers, so providing them with an updated reading every month or a week or so before your bill is due should see your provider use that data.
 
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