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Bord Gais electricity saying they cannot refund me excess payment

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  • 19-10-2010 9:48am
    #1
    groom
    Registered Users Posts: 1,104 ✭✭✭


    Hi,
    I moved house recently. In the old apartment I was with Bord Gais for gas and electricity. The last readings they took before the move were estimated readings and they overestimated what I used. When I moved I rang them up with the actual readings which were less than the estimated readings.

    They immediately refunded me the Gas payment but said the Electrics payment would have to be reviewed. I heard nothing for a couple of weeks and rang them back. At this point they said they couldn't refund me the Electrics overcharge because they couldn't confirm the reading and there was nothing they could do.

    Do you think if I had gone way over the estimated reading on the last bill that they would have left it as is? Anyone know where I stand on this. Seems a bit wrong.

    Any opinions appreciated


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    #2
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    groom wrote: »
    Hi,
    I moved house recently. In the old apartment I was with Bord Gais for gas and electricity. The last readings they took before the move were estimated readings and they overestimated what I used. When I moved I rang them up with the actual readings which were less than the estimated readings.

    They immediately refunded me the Gas payment but said the Electrics payment would have to be reviewed. I heard nothing for a couple of weeks and rang them back. At this point they said they couldn't refund me the Electrics overcharge because they couldn't confirm the reading and there was nothing they could do.

    Do you think if I had gone way over the estimated reading on the last bill that they would have left it as is? Anyone know where I stand on this. Seems a bit wrong.

    Any opinions appreciated
    if they owe you crediton your account and you are closing that account they must give you that credit to your bank by transfer cash or cheque! write a formal complaint to them and copy it to the energy regulator!


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    #3
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    I think the issue is bord gas have no access to the meter and won't believe the op' reading.

    op, you need to get evidence of the reading in your old place, but i don't know how. call them again and see what will they accept. i would start a formal complaint with them as it is out of the ordinary and you will need a supervisor to look in to this for you.

    also contact comreg and keep them informed


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    #4
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    They should be able to put in a request to ESB Networks, who read all electricity meters, regardless of supplier. Be careful though, they might try and charge you for this.


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    #5
    Mountjoy Mugger
    Registered Users Posts: 4,487 ✭✭✭Mountjoy Mugger


    wmpdd3 wrote: »
    also contact comreg and keep them informed

    It's www.cer.ie the OP needs to contact.


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    #6
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    Red Alert wrote: »
    They should be able to put in a request to ESB Networks, who read all electricity meters, regardless of supplier. Be careful though, they might try and charge you for this.
    They will charge you. It is mandated by the CER.


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    #7
    BrianD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    The best thing to do is to write to Bord Gais formally and cc it to CER.

    Bord Gais should have a closing account or moving procedure in place to deal with these scenarios. If they are unable to independently verify somebodys meter reading then they need to relook at their proceedures.

    The OP refers to estimated readings. Did he or she ever have an actual reading?

    On that note, I was quite surprised to learn that the meter had my parents house regularly has the meter read. I thought it was only an occasional read that you got these days. Ironically, they seemed to have missed the cannabis growing house down the road that was illegally connected to the grid!


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    #8
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,992 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    BrianD wrote: »
    On that note, I was quite surprised to learn that the meter had my parents house regularly has the meter read. I thought it was only an occasional read that you got these days. Ironically, they seemed to have missed the cannabis growing house down the road that was illegally connected to the grid!

    Maybe the reason your parents meter was read so much was because they where trying to find where all the extra electricity was going. The farmers bypass the meter and if no one answers the door ESB networks can't read it.


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    #9
    BrianD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    Del2005 wrote: »
    Maybe the reason your parents meter was read so much was because they where trying to find where all the extra electricity was going. The farmers bypass the meter and if no one answers the door ESB networks can't read it.

    True. Who do the meter readers work for ESB Networks or Supply. Most new houses seem to have the meters external so they can be read if there's no one at home and assuming that they haven't got a moat or large dogs.


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    #10
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    BrianD wrote: »
    True. Who do the meter readers work for ESB Networks or Supply. Most new houses seem to have the meters external so they can be read if there's no one at home and assuming that they haven't got a moat or large dogs.
    networks.

    ESB Supply business is the exact same as airtricity/BGES etc, IE a retailer of electricity to end users and nothing more.

    Esb networks (along with Eirgrid) are responsible for the network.


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    #11
    BrianD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    Well surely if Networks read the meter then it will establish if the OPs reading is in the realm of accuracy. Really, it is the responsibility of BG to accept the meter reading if they are unable to go out and do it themselves.

    Anytime that I have closed an account with ESB (when they were the sole supplier) they were happy to accept a final reading from me.


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