# Board Gais Huge Electricity Bill



## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right forum.

Basically we changed to Bord Gais the start of March/End of February.

We got our last bill from ESB which was up until the 23rd March which was fine. Then I arrived in yesterday to find a bill from Bord Gais for €326 for a 20 day billing period. I just think this is extremely high and I am wondering if someone has tapped into my esb as the girl next door whos box is directly beside mine has got a 2 month bill for €700 or perhaps the ESB/Bord Gais have made a mistake. Any ideas?


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## mathepac (22 Apr 2010)

Did they take a meter reading or is it an estimated bill? Can you take a meter reading and calculate the correct bill?

If you are paying by direct debit, any discrepancy in the meter readings may take some to balance themselves out.


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

The reading on the meter was higher than the bill but there's no way I used that amount of esb. I'm gone at least 45 hours a week Monday to Friday for work, my housemate hasn't been around in 2/3 weeks. We're both never really there at the weekends, it just doesn't add up.


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## TheBlock (22 Apr 2010)

Was your last bill from *ESB* an estimate or a reading. Could be what you owe up to the actual switch over BG paid ESB this on your behalf and you we it to them now?


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

We got a bill in March from ESB up until the 23rd, this was estimated. We got a bill from Bord Gais yesterday from the 24th onwards, but it's still ridiculous.


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## luckystar (22 Apr 2010)

That's sounds outrageous!! I'm with Bord Gais for my electricity... my current bill is €68!!! previous one was €79. Normal electricity usage (no heat tho that is gas) 3 bed house. Definitely get that checked.

Was it definitely for the electricity and not the gas (bills are identical, electricity one says Bord Gais energy on top)


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

No we don't have gas and I know the electric heaters are expensive but they get little or no use at the best of times, this weather they don't really get used at all.


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## MANTO (22 Apr 2010)

Danielle24 said:


> We got a bill in March from ESB up until the 23rd, this was estimated. We got a bill from Bord Gais yesterday from the 24th onwards, but it's still ridiculous.


 
But was it just the last ESB bill or were your previous bills also estimated?


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## Boyd (22 Apr 2010)

Ring Bord Gáis and explain to them you thinks its wrong, they might be able to explain. They may fob you off to esb which is a downside of the arrangement


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## MANTO (22 Apr 2010)

username123 said:


> Ring Bord Gáis and explain to them you thinks its wrong, they might be able to explain. They may fob you off to esb which is a downside of the arrangement


 
They may redirect you to ESB as they do not have the previous meter read history before you signed up so they will not be able to tell of previous estimations.


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

MANTO said:


> But was it just the last ESB bill or were your previous bills also estimated?


 

Hmm not sure if I ring them can they confirm that?


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## MANTO (22 Apr 2010)

Give ESB a buzz and they can tell you when your last actual read was with them, you could also request a copy of your bills to make sure.


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## sandrat (22 Apr 2010)

when I switched I had to give them a current reading for the electricity meter did you not do this?


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

sandrat said:


> when I switched I had to give them a current reading for the electricity meter did you not do this?


 

No they came out and read it themselves


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## MANTO (22 Apr 2010)

The actual switch can be done on an estimated reading, if the read is lower then when the swith took place then bord gais credit the ESB so it could have been estimated at the time of switching and then the meter was read after that.


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

The Bord Gais bill is an actual reading. The last ESB bill was an estimate.


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## Qbot (22 Apr 2010)

Would you of left your Immersion on for any great length of time? also, is it on sink or bath?


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

No it's on a timer it comes on once a day. I must switch it off.


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## SparkRite (22 Apr 2010)

I would strongly suspect that your last few ESB bills were estimated and hence you have underpaid for some time.


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## Danielle24 (22 Apr 2010)

SparkRite said:


> I would strongly suspect that your last few ESB bills were estimated and hence you have underpaid for some time.


 

I phoned them they said the December bill was done based on a meter reading, February was and estimate and March was an estimate that's still over 600e for just over 3 months.


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## Qbot (22 Apr 2010)

well if you dont have gas and are using electric heaters and also underpaid due to estimates, then it could be right.. my gas and electricity have come to 300 euro for 2months (just got the bills in over the past few days and they are exact, not estimates)..


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## gebbel (23 Apr 2010)

SparkRite said:


> I would strongly suspect that your last few ESB bills were estimated and hence you have underpaid for some time.



That's what I think.


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## suemoo1 (23 Apr 2010)

Danielle24 said:


> Hmm not sure if I ring them can they confirm that?


 yes they can


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## suemoo1 (23 Apr 2010)

gebbel said:


> that's what i think.


 +1


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## Danielle24 (23 Apr 2010)

suemoo1 said:


> +1


 

Our last 2 have been estimates the one before that was a proper reading


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## SoylentGreen (24 Apr 2010)

My ESB bill is circa €100 every two months for a 5 bedroom house. We cook on gas and our central heating is on gas. So this €100 is basically for TV's, computers, lights, immersion.


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## tenchi-fan (24 Apr 2010)

Hi
Work out the cost yourself

Take the meter reading as it stands at the moment.
Less: The number of units on your last ESB bill
e.g. 15,000 - 14,000 = 1000

Multiply by the unit charge (e.g. €0.15  x 1000 = €150)

There will also be a standing charge of say €15, and then add vat of 13% or so.
All in all, that example will come to around €185.


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## net64 (26 Apr 2010)

I have moved to bord gais electricity.We are a family of 5(two of them are teenagers).There are showers every evening,emersion on,tvs, laptop.I am at home all day.My current bill is 200 euros.The last one was 230 but that was during the really cold snowy spell.It seem that you are paying the balance of your estimated bills with the esb or have a problem

net64


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## muffin1973 (28 Apr 2010)

I remember when we moved into our house a family had been living in it previously, we kept getting estimated ESB bills, didn't think much of it and kept paying them (no comments please ) - anyway, eventually we sent in a reading and the next bill came out with them owing us money so the next few bimonthly bills were in credit!! 

We switched to BGE for electricity around Feb this year and when we got the first bill with BGE it was estimated, so I rang in our MRPN to get it updated.  With ESB they used to send out a new bill with the correct amount on it.  I waited a few weeks never got another bill so rang up and was told BGE dont' do this - you live and learn.  So I paid it over the phone.

I would also say your bills have been estimated for a long time and that is why the bill is now so big...  

M


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