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Energy Company 0, Me 1

Cutting a long story very short:

Energy company sent me a letter today (18 October) saying that prices are going up from 25 August, i.e. retrospectively. (+20%,+30% Gas/Elec)

I ring them to ask where I can find my meter reading for that date. Ultimately they admit that no-one knows and my charging is a 'guess'.

I have the option to leave them and have my final bill calculated at the pre-price rise rates. After some negotiation they agree to charge me the old rate until today.

They told me the regulator (OfGem) allows them up to 65 days to tell customers of price increases after they've increased!

Any one else had this? Only the (real) threat of leaving seemed to kick them into touch...

Justin.

Reply to
Justin Cole
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It's important when you hear of an energy price rise that you read your meters on the day of the rise (or as near as you can get). All these companies will treat you the same. It's also important that you read your own meter ever time you get an estimated reading and ring in the correct reading. You can do this without talking to anyone with most compamies by dialing in your account number & then your own reading using the keypad on your phone. If you do get seriously adrift with estimated readings over a period, it can cost you an absolute fortune when there's a price rise. You can also ring in your readings at random intervals to keep your account somewhere near. Apparently about 80% of meter readings are estimated. I have not been able to determine how this estimate is arrived at, it's certainly nothing logical. BTW, I hope you've checked you meter reading for the bill now in question!

Reply to
harry

It can also work in your favour - but you *do* need to read the meters in order to work out which way to play it.

A little while ago, my supplier grossly *over-estimated* my readings just before a subsctantial price increase. By letting the estimated readings stand rather than submitting corrections, I got a lot more units at the

*old* price.
Reply to
Roger Mills

Oh, indeed! Although I told them that I'd tell them asap if they had underestimated around increase time... Yeah right!

Justin.

Reply to
Justin Cole

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