ESB bill unbelievably high

The Cool

Hi guys,
I've already posted this under the ESB forum but wondering if any of ye have had a similar problem, as a lot of people here in Galway have from what I've heard!
Basically, I live in a small two-bed apartment, just myself and one housemate. ESB bills have always ranged from 90-130 depending on the seasons etc but today we received a bill for €392!!

As you can imagine both our jaws dropped. As we're both students, we are very vigilant about electricity usage, because we can't afford to be paying that kind of bill. It looks very suspicious - the last bill, for the October - December billing period was estimated and this one wasn't, but on this bill we have used 3 times as many day units as the last and 5 times as many night units!

This seems a bit mad to me - especially the night units part. We never leave the heaters on at night, and we're always careful to plug off all appliances at the wall.

We're not the only ones, it seems - many friends of mine have had the same problem with their current bill, ie. that it's absolutely mental high. One in particular, lives with just her boyfriend in the house and both are out at college/work every weekday, travel home to Donegal at weekends and were out of the house for 4 weeks at Christmas - and their bill was around €450. Something's amiss.

Anyone else experiencing somethign similar?

listermint

The Cool wrote: »

Hi guys,
I've already posted this under the ESB forum but wondering if any of ye have had a similar problem, as a lot of people here in Galway have from what I've heard!
Basically, I live in a small two-bed apartment, just myself and one housemate. ESB bills have always ranged from 90-130 depending on the seasons etc but today we received a bill for €392!!

As you can imagine both our jaws dropped. As we're both students, we are very vigilant about electricity usage, because we can't afford to be paying that kind of bill. It looks very suspicious - the last bill, for the October - December billing period was estimated and this one wasn't, but on this bill we have used 3 times as many day units as the last and 5 times as many night units!

This seems a bit mad to me - especially the night units part. We never leave the heaters on at night, and we're always careful to plug off all appliances at the wall.

We're not the only ones, it seems - many friends of mine have had the same problem with their current bill, ie. that it's absolutely mental high. One in particular, lives with just her boyfriend in the house and both are out at college/work every weekday, travel home to Donegal at weekends and were out of the house for 4 weeks at Christmas - and their bill was around €450. Something's amiss.

Anyone else experiencing somethign similar?

Id be getting the meter readings and doing some maths. Had the same problem last year, They front loaded the previous tenants excessive usage and assumed we would be the same.

Always work of actual readings the estimates can be all over the place.

dilallio

Hi. Was your previous bill an estimated bill?
The ESB only check your actual meter reading 2 or 3 times a year (or less).

When they don't read the meter, they send you out an estimated bill which has an E after the no of units. They come up with the estimate based on previous usage and the time of year.

Perhaps your previous bills were estimated, but were too low, and now the reading is correct.

Check your current & previous bills.

Zab

Are you sure the bill before "October - December" wasn't also estimated? Even if not, October through to now includes pretty much the entire winter so if you're heating with electricity I would have expected it to be way higher than your summer usage. I'm not sure about the night units, what do you usually use at night?

The Cool

We've been in this apartment for four ESB bills now. Two of those, including the Oct - Dec bill were estimated. This one wasn't. That could be it, but surely there'd be some kind of notice at least as to why it's so high now?

dilallio

The Cool wrote: »

We've been in this apartment for four ESB bills now. Two of those, including the Oct - Dec bill were estimated. This one wasn't. That could be it, but surely there'd be some kind of notice at least as to why it's so high now?

The previous bills were probably estimated on the low side. If you had storage heaters on during the cold weather, you may only be seeing that now.

The ESB also has an option where you can provide them with the actual readings. This is important to do if you are renting with other folks - if anyone moves out, you want them to pay what they actually owe, not what the ESB estimates they owe.

They don't give any reasons why a particular bill is high. If you find this is too much now, call them and arrange to pay what you cannot afford now, over the next few bills.

jor el

The Cool wrote: »

That could be it, but surely there'd be some kind of notice at least as to why it's so high now?

The bill is the notice, and it's high because your previous bills were too low. If the reading is accurate (check what's on the bill with what's on the meter), then the bill is correct. Estimated bills are corrected periodically with actual readings, and under-estimated bills will have resulted in under payment which will be corrected at the next accurate reading.

Why do people keep asking this same question? If the reading on the bill matches the meter, then the bill is correct and you have to pay it. You used this electricity at some stage over the last year, you just never paid for it, so nothing is amiss.

The Cool

Alright then - so if it is because my estimated bills were too low and now I have to pay for the electricity I just haven't paid for until now, what kind of muppet is doing the estimations, to leave so many people's next bills around the €400 mark?!

dudara

The Cool wrote: »

Alright then - so if it is because my estimated bills were too low and now I have to pay for the electricity I just haven't paid for until now, what kind of muppet is doing the estimations, to leave so many people's next bills around the €400 mark?!

This winter was exceptionally cold, meaning that people used more electricity than normal. The usual estimation logic probably doesn't account for that. AFAIK it's based on historical patterns.

listermint

Get some readings and get out the calculator, best advice.

IngazZagni

dudara wrote: »

This winter was exceptionally cold, meaning that people used more electricity than normal. The usual estimation logic probably doesn't account for that. AFAIK it's based on historical patterns.

Exactly, estimates are based off previous historical readings so obviously the previous tenants used a lot less electricity than you. Also as has been said if you use electricity to heat the house then it'll be naturally higher for the winter months. I guess the lesson of the story here is to check the actual reading with the estimated so there's not too much of a difference. If there is you can call in the actual numbers so you won't have an exceptionally large bill for one month when the actual meter reading has been read.

Zab

The Cool wrote: »

Alright then - so if it is because my estimated bills were too low and now I have to pay for the electricity I just haven't paid for until now, what kind of muppet is doing the estimations, to leave so many people's next bills around the €400 mark?!

You have the option of phoning in a reading when you get an estimated bill. This is all explained on the bill itself. Of course, nobody reads this because they assume they know how to work something as simple as an electricity bill. This is human nature but it isn't ESB's fault, although it is possible that they could do a better job of the estimating (I'm sure people would complain about overestimates though).

The Cool

Unfortunately I have no access to my meter as I live in an apartment block and it's in a big metal cupboardy yoke, padlocked. Will definitely try to catch the caretaker tomorrow to see if he can open it for me.

I get what you're all saying about the last bill being underestimated and us having to make up for it in this one. However I don't get how our bills can reach 1325 day units and 1561 night units!! It's the night units in particular that baffle me - we don't leave on the heaters at night because they rattle, and we always make sure that laptops, tv, straighteners etc are always turned off at the plug.

JDxtra

The Cool wrote: »

However I don't get how our bills can reach 1325 day units and 1561 night units!! It's the night units in particular that baffle me - we don't leave on the heaters at night because they rattle, and we always make sure that laptops, tv, straighteners etc are always turned off at the plug.

Night units = storage heaters.

The Cool

We have 3 heaters in our house.
1 of them is a storage heater. However most of the time it is plugged off at the wall.
2 of them are not storage. They are not turned on at night because they rattle and keep us awake.

keithclancy

The Cool wrote: »

Unfortunately I have no access to my meter as I live in an apartment block and it's in a big metal cupboardy yoke, padlocked. Will definitely try to catch the caretaker tomorrow to see if he can open it for me.

I get what you're all saying about the last bill being underestimated and us having to make up for it in this one. However I don't get how our bills can reach 1325 day units and 1561 night units!! It's the night units in particular that baffle me - we don't leave on the heaters at night because they rattle, and we always make sure that laptops, tv, straighteners etc are always turned off at the plug.

Its not padlocked, you need a triangle key to open it.
Otherwise the ESB would never be able to read it.

Ste.phen

keithclancy wrote: »

Its not padlocked, you need a triangle key to open it.
Otherwise the ESB would never be able to read it.

In a lot of apartment complexes the esb meters are in a small room or cupboard which is locked with an actual lock, and opened periodically so the ESB can read all the meters at once - otherwise locked

AnnyHallsal

keithclancy wrote: »

Its not padlocked, you need a triangle key to open it.
Otherwise the ESB would never be able to read it.

Is it possible to get one of these triangle keys? My landlady lives in Cork, so it's very difficult for me to check how far the ESB's estimates are off.

Oryx

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Is it possible to get one of these triangle keys? My landlady lives in Cork, so it's very difficult for me to check how far the ESB's estimates are off.

The esb reader will give you one of those keys, ours gave us one as he was having trouble getting in to read the meter.

You can phone in a reading to the ESB at any time, and they will send you a corrected bill. You dont have to wait for them to ask you to, or when something seems wrong, as here.

Mr. Presentable

The Cool wrote: »

Alright then - so if it is because my estimated bills were too low and now I have to pay for the electricity I just haven't paid for until now, what kind of muppet is doing the estimations, to leave so many people's next bills around the €400 mark?!

You are, because the estimated bill should be compared with your meter reading. Don't you get a card in the door with details of how to submit a correct reading? I always text mine if I get the estimate card.

Edit: If you have no access to read your own meter how do they expect you to?

user1842

The Cool wrote: »

We have 3 heaters in our house.
1 of them is a storage heater. However most of the time it is plugged off at the wall.
2 of them are not storage. They are not turned on at night because they rattle and keep us awake.

Never use a storage heater during the day. There is a reason you have night units, they cost a lot less. Storage heaters should only be used at night and they let their heat out during the day when they are off.

The amount of people who get stung by this.

bungler

The Cool wrote: »

Unfortunately I have no access to my meter as I live in an apartment block and it's in a big metal cupboardy yoke, padlocked. Will definitely try to catch the caretaker tomorrow to see if he can open it for me.

I get what you're all saying about the last bill being underestimated and us having to make up for it in this one. However I don't get how our bills can reach 1325 day units and 1561 night units!! It's the night units in particular that baffle me - we don't leave on the heaters at night because they rattle, and we always make sure that laptops, tv, straighteners etc are always turned off at the plug.

If you cant get to the meter how are ESB supposed to get to it? I could be wrong but as far as i know the customer also has to notify ESB Networks about readings if they have no access. Its not all ESB's fault as they are not going to hang around to find caretakers to open up locks etc and i think it is in their terms and conditions.

Best bit of advice for anyone with a meter is look at your bill and see what your billing period is, so say it is January 1st until March 1st. Then this means your period ends of the 1st of every second month. so your next billing period will end May 1st. if you ring in a meter reading about 5 days before the end of your period ESB will take this as an actual read. This means you will always get an actual bill with no nasty suprises like yours. BUT if they feel your readings are way off or you are trying to give false readings they will not use your readings.

ESB aim to read your meter 3 times a year so i would not rely on them to have actual bills every 2 months

Zab

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Is it possible to get one of these triangle keys? My landlady lives in Cork, so it's very difficult for me to check how far the ESB's estimates are off.

You can use a lot of things to open them, a chubb type key will usually work for instance.

bungler

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Is it possible to get one of these triangle keys? My landlady lives in Cork, so it's very difficult for me to check how far the ESB's estimates are off.

If you ring Networks they will send you one out

AnnyHallsal

Zab wrote: »

You can use a lot of things to open them, a chubb type key will usually work for instance.

Thanks, though I don't think I have one of those. I contacted the ESB to ask for a triangle key.

LavaLamp

dmclean1842 wrote: »

Never use a storage heater during the day. There is a reason you have night units, they cost a lot less. Storage heaters should only be used at night and they let their heat out during the day when they are off.

The amount of people who get stung by this.

I tell you what, having used storage heaters for the first time over this winter I would say never use them - EVER! It might just be that ours is ****e, but by 7pm it was so cold we had to turn it on as a "normal" heater. We got €300 bill which thankfully was an estimate as when I checked the readings thinking it must be wrong it was nearer €500 worth:eek::eek::eek: have just got another €300 bill which brings us kind of up to date, as after the first bill we stopped using the heaters at night and the units have dropped dramatically.

Our meters are all in a padlocked area along with the bins, so ESB will probably never get in there to do readings. Will be sure to send them one soon once these nightmare winter bills are dealt with!

kmick

A pliers will do the same job as a triangle key.
I would check the meter and ring in the reading every month. Also gives you an idea of what your bill will be.

TrialVersion

I would never use storage heaters again after we got a bill of nearly €400 for winter 2009 in a 1-bedroom apartment!

Like many people already said, the meter was behind a locked gate but the management company gave me the combination and I regularly register the correct meter reading on the ESB "your account" website rather than pay the estimated charge.

Zab

You people with storage heaters do have night meters right? If you're not only running your storage heater at night and have a night meter then it's just a really inefficient and expensive heater.