Airtricity overbilling?

thedude71

I'm trying to understand my airtricity bill, and I believe I've been overcharged. Here are the details:

On the 16/06/2014, I received an electricity bill for 302.17 Euros.

From: 14/05/2014
To: 16/06/2014
Usage: 1486 units

So today I went online to enter a new reading. While there, I noticed that most recent reading is listed as 'Actual' (presume this means their people came out and checked it), and tells me:

Meter Type: 24hr
Date: 12 May 2014
Reading Type: Actual
Reading: 85085 kWh

My own meter reading from today is:

Date: 07 Aug 2014
Reading: 85977

Total Usage 12/05/2014 - 07/08/2014: 892 units

Subtracting their last reading in May from my current reading, I've used 892 units from 12th of May to 7th of August. But in June, I paid for 1486 units. This means (if my thinking is correct) that in June I paid for 594 units more than what I've actually used through the beginning of August.

Then I called Airtricity to present them with my findings and ask for a re-calculated bill. My thinking is that my August bill (to be issued in a few days) should include a significant refund. After some hold time where they go off to calculate the bill, they estimate that my August bill will be approximately 140 Euros. Obviously they've done a bit of math and determined that 892 units at current rates works out to something around 140. In fairness, they also told me that it was a very rough estimate and that I'd need to wait for the billing dept to come up with an exact measure.

What I'm wondering here is if my calculations make sense, or is there some special vodoo magic used to determin charges at Airtricity that I can't work out from the invoice. Has anyone else had a similar experience with them?

PeteK*

Is it not just because it's estimated? You can submit readings.
Long story as to why I've changed to them but I'm going back to electric Ireland, when I get my first bill!

Victor

Would you like to sleep on this/

thedude71 wrote: »

Subtracting their last reading in May from my current reading, I've used 892 units from 12th of May to 7th of August. But in June, I paid for 1486 units. This means (if my thinking is correct) that in June I paid for 594 units more than what I've actually used through the beginning of August.

You used 1486 units up to 12 May and paid for it in June.

You used 892 units up to 7 of August (in warmer weather, we use less electricity) and will pay for it soon.

Unless you have misstated something, I don't see the problem.

PeteK* wrote: »

Long story as to why I've changed to them but I'm going back to electric Ireland, when I get my first bill!

You do realise that all the electricity comes via ESB Networks, who take the meter readings. Airtricity have no control over your electricity and can't (unless they falsify the information sent tot hem by ESB Networks) overcharge you? And if they overcharge you in one period, there will be an equivalent under charge in the next period.

thedude71

Victor wrote: »

Would you like to sleep on this/

You used 1486 units up to 12 May and paid for it in June.

.

Why then does it state the billing period from may to June? It explicitly says the usage From/To period:

From: 14/05/2014
To: 16/06/2014
Usage: 1486 units

Am I somehow misreading this? How could this possibly indicate usage up to May?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

thedude71 wrote: »

Why then does it state the billing period from may to June? It explicitly says the usage From/To period:

From: 14/05/2014
To: 16/06/2014
Usage: 1486 units

Am I somehow misreading this? How could this possibly indicate usage up to May?

Do you have monthly rather than the usual domestic 2 monthly bills????

PeteK*

Victor wrote: »

You do realise that all the electricity comes via ESB Networks, who take the meter readings. Airtricity have no control over your electricity and can't (unless they falsify the information sent tot hem by ESB Networks) overcharge you? And if they overcharge you in one period, there will be an equivalent under charge in the next period.

Yeah of course, but they both charge different prices.
I'm not sure yet what my bill will be with them.

Xantia

Get a budget plan from them, you pay the same amount every month for 3 or 4 months then they issue a new figure.
Submit meter readings every month.
Ring them and ensure you are getting all the percentages taken off for paying via Direct Debit and so on.

thedude71

I called them back. So the usage stated is for the period stated, not the previous period. Unfortunately, the confusion got even worse with that though, as they re-estimated my bill to be 220 euro this time. When I check my payment history, they have a 300 euro 'refund' listed on my account, though I have no record of it in my bank history. They also show that my last payment (for the bill above) didn't happen, though I have record of the direct debit. Seems to me they have NO idea what they're doing. They suggested sending me a full account history from their payments department so that I can sort it all out myself. If the transaction history is as confused as their website, I might get an accountant and a solicitor to check through it. Really it isn't that hard. Wondering if a case could be made that they intentionally confuse their billings in order bilk customers.