# Massive Gas Bill - HELP!!!!



## Ladybird30 (4 Apr 2016)

Hi!

Never been on this site before, so hope I'm in right place!! :-/

Im in an awful panic/mess!!!!! Our Bord Gais bill has been estimated forever!! - literally I can't remember when it was read. I put of calling in a meter read coz I new that they were underestimating us, but had no clue by how much. I finally braved figuring it out and I think I owe them 1500e - aaaaagggggghhhhh!!!!!!! I always reckoned it was around 300/400e. Anyway now I'm in an awful state!! We only use the gas for heating so it's a lot!! I'm wondering, should I??!!.....

A) Call them, own up and ask for a prepay meter? We have one for electric too, but didn't have arrears with that. And it'll probably take forever to pay off that way.

B) Dip in to savings? There's not much there as it is and we're saving for a deposit for house so don't really want to.

C) Try to over pay them for next few months, maybe til end of summer, then call them and set up a payment plan for whatever's left?

D) Get loan to pay it off? We're debt free other than this! And don't really want to borrow, but maybe we should.

......oh god I am such an idiot!!!!!! I should have known it'd be so high as the house is very hard to heat!! So heat is on a lot!! I've never even heard of anyone owing do much on a utility bill - what a mess!!!!!!!!!


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## Bronte (4 Apr 2016)

So you have savings B to pay it but you want to borrow instead D !

C is an option, these companies have debt management policies in place but I'm not sure if it means you will end up paying a higher per unit amount.  If it is then the obvious option is B

Are you sure you're ready to buy a house if this type of thing sends you in a tizzy.


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## newirishman (4 Apr 2016)

If you have the money in savings then pay it off. Everything else would be a bit pointless, or expensive.
Pre-pay meters are one thing: Expensive. 

Most (all?) electricity / gas companies have an "spread your bill" option where you roughly pay the same year round.

And make it habit to submit the meter readings regularly, at least once a month. 

Agreeing with Bronte on all points....


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## Boyd (4 Apr 2016)

I had a gas bill in arrears for four months. It doesnt take long to add up - mine came to over of E800. They never contacted me once about this! It turned out I was actually paying my neighbours bill due to GPRN mix up. My point is that utility companies are very slow to cut you off or anything like that, so you should make contact with them immediately. Explain the situation and offer them whatever solution you can. In the end, they let me off only paying E400 to cover the E800 bill. Offer them E1000 to close the matter out immediately, or else offer that you will pay it off in installments of E100 per month, as long as there is no late payment fees. Usually they dont charge these.

Dont get pre-pay as its way more expensive. Certainly dont borrow to pay a bill if you have savings to do you - it will cost you much more in the long run.


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## Leo (4 Apr 2016)

First of all, relax and try not take it all out on the punctuation keys.

Pre-pay meters will result in you paying a much higher rate for your gas, so probably not a good idea if you can avoid that route. 

It sounds like they have not read your meter in some time, if that's the case, and it's likely to continue that way, you have another option. You could note your usage yourself, and each time a bill is due, submit a reading that is your usage over that period plus a percentage of the arrears. That way you will catch up over time.


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## Ladybird30 (4 Apr 2016)

Thanks everyone!! Think I'll try to knock some off it over next few weeks, then call and fess up to see what they say. Don't want to touch savings coz we're terrible savers and it's a amazing we have any at all! But I will if I have to. Thanks again! Not being rude if I don't reply again, just never really on this forum


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## Bronte (5 Apr 2016)

Ladybird30 said:


> . Don't want to touch savings coz we're terrible savers and it's a amazing we have any at all!
> 
> Not being rude if I don't reply again, just never really on this forum



Oh oh, you badly need this forum. BEFORE you buy a house.


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## Marigold77 (6 Apr 2016)

Leo said:


> First of all, relax and try not take it all out on the punctuation keys.
> 
> Pre-pay meters will result in you paying a much higher rate for your gas, so probably not a good idea if you can avoid that route.
> 
> It sounds like they have not read your meter in some time, if that's the case, and it's likely to continue that way, you have another option. You could note your usage yourself, and each time a bill is due, submit a reading that is your usage over that period plus a percentage of the arrears. That way you will catch up over time.


This is what I am doing with my ESB account. Taking the initiative. They never read the meter as I am "remote rural" and the meter is inside the house.


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