Huge ESB bill

[Purple]

I just got an ESB bill for €3'500. It turns out that they haven't read my meter for two and a half years. My bills were no smaller than my last house and were often bigger but this means that they were out by nearly 50%. It's not the money, I can afford it, I just find it astounding that they can't measure the amount of power you use without some guy coming out to your house and writing it down in a copy book. What does it cost to have all these people driving around the country? Why can't your meter have a dial-in function where an ESB computer can collect the data once a month using a phone line (or charge a little more for a cell phone dial in where no land line exists?
If, over a period of two and a half years, they couldn't get at the meter why didn't they write to me and let me know? Given that so many households in Ireland are not occupied during the day why can't they call out in the evening (even once a year)?

 

[pc7]

purple that's shocking, I had this problem with them some years ago so now I have a reminder set on my phone and I call in the reading every 2nd month to try avoid it happening again. You are lucky that you have the few bob but its the principle! 3500 that's one heck of a holiday!

 

[CCOVICH]

Aren't the ESB obliged to take a reading at least X times a year?

Did the readings on your bill always say "E" for 'estimate'?

 

[Gordanus]

Did they not drop in a note to say they'd called and couldn't get access? I usually get these and then phone in the reading. On the odd occasion I do bump into the meter reader - well, to be fair, they're no longer using copy books! (Maybe that's how long since you last saw one? )

 

[Purple]

purple that's shocking, I had this problem with them some years ago so now I have a reminder set on my phone and I call in the reading every 2nd month to try avoid it happening again. You are lucky that you have the few bob but its the principle! 3500 that's one heck of a holiday!

I'll know in future.

Aren't the ESB obliged to take a reading at least X times a year?

Good question! I don't know.

Did the readings on your bill always say "E" for 'estimate'?

Probably

Did they not drop in a note to say they'd called and couldn't get access? I usually get these and then phone in the reading. On the odd occasion I do bump into the meter reader - well, to be fair, they're no longer using copy books! (Maybe that's how long since you last saw one? )

There was the odd note (one or two a year). I'll phone in a reading in future.

 

[ClubMan]

Aren't the ESB obliged to take a reading at least X times a year?

Did the readings on your bill always say "E" for 'estimate'?

When you receive an estimated bill and it is not in line with actual usage as read from your meter then [broken link removed]. You should always check your bill to ensure that it is accurate (whether it uses a meter reading or an estimate). As you can see from that page ESB meter readers are supposed to call at least 4 times a year. Many (most?) houses have the meters outside the house these days so the meter reader does not need anybody to be home to make a reading. I suspect that the meter reading also serves as a manual check that the meter is not being tampered with (as some people have done using magnets etc. in the past). The [broken link removed] may have some more information on obligations that the ESB may have in this context. If you suspect that the meter is faulty and leading to overcharging then you should contact the ESB to have it checked out. If the meter is not faulty then even if bills are estimated things should balance out in the long run since you have to pay for whatever electricity you actually use one way or another. If you are otherwise not happy with how ESB have dealt with this matter then [broken link removed].

 

[z109]

The other reason to give a reading regularly is that you pay at the rate you use the power at - ESB prices have gone up a fair whack in the last couple of years, so you are paying a premium (the current price (boom boom!)) for power you used a couple of years ago (when it was cheaper).

 

[efm]

Ok, seeing as someone didn't like my other post....

Purple, are you going to try and negotiate a figure with them? That is a huge figure to be asked to repay in one go. Could you work out a repayment schedule? I know you say the money isn't an issue but what if you were to say to the ESB that you would repay the figure over three years and then you can still be earning some interest on the money? Can you challenge their findings? How can their estimates have been out by some much? If you refused to pay and it ended up in a court I wonder would a judge be sympathetic to your position? (not that I am recommending you pursue that course of action it's just an academic question)

But, as you say yourself, now you know not to rely on estimated meter readings only - that little "E" in front of the meter number really can be important

 

[ClubMan]

If, over a period of two and a half years, they couldn't get at the meter why didn't they write to me and let me know?

Presumably they did - the "E" on a bill means "Estimated". Or are you saying that they omitted to send you any bill for this period and then landed you with one big one?

Can you clarify if you are disputing this bill or that you actually used the amount of electricity for which you have been billed? How did you suddenly get a bill for €3,500? What period does this bill relate to? Have you been receiving and paying your bills every two months as normal?

 

[pinkyBear]

I thought, that if you were unavailable to let the ESB guys do a reading they dropped in a card, that contained the number for customer services and you could do the reading yourself.
That is what happens to us???

 

[ClubMan]

Do many people still have their meter indoors requiring access to the home to do a meter reading?

 

[Caveat]

Do many people still have their meter indoors requiring access to the home to do a meter reading?

In older terrace houses I would say so, yes.

 

[ClubMan]

Seems standard nowadays for the meter to be externally accessible - anybody know when this became the norm for new builds?

 

[Purple]

Presumably they did - the "E" on a bill means "Estimated". Or are you saying that they omitted to send you any bill for this period and then landed you with one big one?

Can you clarify if you are disputing this bill or that you actually used the amount of electricity for which you have been billed? How did you suddenly get a bill for €3,500? What period does this bill relate to? Have you been receiving and paying your bills every two months as normal?

They sent bills over the last two years and I paid them. This bill is on top of that.
I will check the bill when I get home to see what period it is for but I am not disputing the amount at this time.
My gripe is that it was just dropped in the post with no cover note. I can afford to pay it but many would not. I also find it amazing that any company can under charge it's customers by about 50% for two years and still stay in business.
I also find it amazing that this is still done manually. The cost must be massive.
My house is over 30 years old; my last house had the meter outside.

 

[ClubMan]

They sent bills over the last two years and I paid them. This bill is on top of that.

How much were the bills up to now? Were they all estimated? Are you saying that for 2.5 years your bills were all estimated and when they finally read the meter the estimates were way below what was actually used? I suspect that you can arrange to discharge this bill over a period of time if you didn't want to pay it in one go.

I will check the bill when I get home to see what period it is for but I am not disputing the amount at this time.

How did you managed to rack up that bill? Is this a domestic or business/industrial bill?

I can afford to pay it but many would not.

Why would somebody not pay for electricity that they have actually used?

My gripe is that it was just dropped in the post with no cover note.

Bills normally don't come with a covering letter.

 

[Purple]

How much were the bills up to now? Were they all estimated?

About €180 every two months

How did you managed to rack up that bill? Is this a domestic or business/industrial bill?

That’s what I asked them. It’s just a house. We did get some work done this year but there was no heavy plant used, just power tools.

Bills normally don't come with a covering letter.

Yes but they are not usually for 20 times the usual amount.

 

[ClubMan]

About €180 every two months

All estimated?

That’s what I asked them. It’s just a house. We did get some work done this year but there was no heavy plant used, just power tools.

Are you sure that this might not be part of the reason for heavier than normal usage?

Yes but they are not usually for 20 times the usual amount.

I don't think it matters. You don't get a letter unless you are in arrears as far as I know.

 

[MugsGame]

The other reason to give a reading regularly is that you pay at the rate you use the power at - ESB prices have gone up a fair whack in the last couple of years, so you are paying a premium (the current price (boom boom!)) for power you used a couple of years ago (when it was cheaper).

If this is correct, I would attempt to negotiate. Charging the whole lot at current unit rates seems unreasonable.

 

[ClubMan]

I suspect that ESB charges units at the rate actually in force when they were actually used but it's worth double checking to be sure.

 

[Purple]

All estimated?

I don’t know, I’ll have a look this evening.

Are you sure that this might not be part of the reason for heavier than normal usage?

Nope, it may account for the whole lot.

I don't think it matters. You don't get a letter unless you are in arrears as far as I know.

That’s kind of the point that I was making.

If this is correct, I would attempt to negotiate. Charging the whole lot at current unit rates seems unreasonable.

Good point, it’s worth asking the question.