ESB Meter mix-up, now have bill for €1,517 for 10 months usage in 1 bed apartment

T

tanyad

Guest
Can someone please advise if the above bill sounds even remotely right for a 1 bed apartment? I'm located in a two storey building, above a vacant crèche with another vacant 1 bed apartment next door to me. Therefore I'm the only person living in the building. I have storage heating which I rarely use, as I have floor to ceiling windows which creates immense heat (so much so, it's unbearable at times)!
I transferred over the ESB bill when I moved in beginning of July 09. Each time I received a bill, I rang with a meter reading. The bills I was paying were anywhere between €30 (summer) - €130 (winter). I'm not there during the day, and use washing machine/dishwasher once a week. Immersion is on for an hour a day maximum, some days/weekends not at all as I'm not always home. For the first four months, I didn't need heat (due to windows) then when I turned on the storage heating in Nov, I discovered they didn't work. I rang the builder who said it wasn't his problem, that the ESB must have mixed up the wiring with the vacant apartment next door. Called ESB who came out, went through all wiring, and confirmed they fixed everything. I eventually got heat end of Nov, only to turn them off permanently in Feb. In January, I rang the ESB to give meter reading only to discover someone switched the stickers around which identified the two apartments. Rang builder who said it must have been the management co but he believed the meters were mixed up, management co. said it must have been ESB. Rang ESB who knew nothing but I complained that something was seriously wrong and called them out yet again. Finally it was discovered the meters were mixed up on the 24th March 10, it wasn't just the stickers that were changed (by who I still don't know), and that the whole input & output connections were completely crossed over.
Due to the meter mix-up, logically speaking all bills I've paid up to 24th March 2010 were for an empty apartment which is an impossibility! In the last four days, I've received a bill confirming I was in credit of €150, then a day later I got another bill saying I owed them €57 (after deducting the credit) and now I've got a bill for a massive €1,517. I rang ESB yet again who confirmed they had to go back to the beginning (ie beginning of July when I moved in). They have no idea of the meter readings of when I moved in or make no sense in arriving to this figure. €1,517 works out at €313 bi-monthly bills I should have been paying since I moved into a 1 bed apartment for the past 10 months.
I would appreciate everyone and anyone's thoughts on this. I have an appointment with my local TD on Monday (words I never thought I'd say) as I have no choice now or no other route to go down. I am at a complete loss here and can get no help from anyone, therefore I would appreciate all thoughts and advice.....
 
Hi There,

You should edit your post to be more readable :)

If you only moved in July 09 and there was a meter mix up there is a good chance you have been billed for usage of a previous customer.

The best thing you can do for now is contact ESB - register a complaint and ask for the complaint reference number.

Once you have the ref number get on to the CER and make a formal complaint and ask them to act on your behalf.

http://www.cer.ie/en/consumer-information-complaints.aspx
 
Thanks Manto, I've already done that but i'm getting no where fast. My problem is that there were no previous customers at my address and I do not know the meter reading when I moved in. I was reading from the wrong meter box (due to mix-up). Anything could have gone on in my building before I moved in and ESB are obviously now billing me for all activity since the building was built. ESB response to my complaint was to make payment plan as they have no one else to pin the bill on. I personally believe the line is being tapped into as there is no way I could use €1500 worth of power in 10 months.
Thanks for your advise, contacting the CER is my next step.
 
There is a good chance they will try and pin the bill on yourself but when you are dealing with the CER remember when you are fighting your corner that this was an error caused by ESB and you should be compensated for their error,

A payment plan is only standard practice to ensure you can pay the bill and they get their money - but you still need to be compensated.

Good Luck.
 
You should take threaten the ESB that you are going to take the matter to the Small Claims Court - it will only cost you €15 to have the case heard - no legal representation. Have you first used the ESB`s arbitration service ? You would have to use them first, before going to court.
 
Many thanks for your advice d, no I haven't used ESB arbitration service but I will do now! And yes i'll go to court if I have to, crazy amt of money ESB are asking and it's not physically possible! I don't have enough sockets to run up that kind of bill let alone anything else :confused:
 
tanyad said:
I personally believe the line is being tapped into as there is no way I could use €1500 worth of power in 10 months.
Click to expand...

Does your meter register use when you have everything switched off?
 
Unfortunately, I can't tell if my meter is still using when I have everything switched off. My meter is one of these new digital meters with no decimal points (ie: nothing spins around and no numbers tick over after watching it closely for a full 45 min). Therefore I tried watching it the opposite way ie turned washing machine, dishwasher and heaters on full blast. Still couldn't see anything tick over within a 30 min time frame. It makes no sense to me. Please keep the tips coming though, I will try everything at this stage....THANKS!
 
Take a meter reading around the same time each day and see what that throws up. Could be useful as evidence too.
 
You can get buy power meters which will record your overall use of power and give you a pretty accurate reading.
 
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