Energia high bills

irlien

Hi everyone.

I switched electricity provider last Autumn. My contract with Electric Ireland was up so I decided to shop around. One of those price comparison sites specialised in energy supply (u switch or something like that) indicated Energia had the best offer for my electricity-only supply. In fact, Energia were even doing a savings promotion. It looked really tempting, they proposed I would save hundreds per annum. This was significant for me living in the same three bedroom apartment for the previous two and a half years with storage heating and electric immersion on a timer. So I signed up. Energia sent me a welcome pack indicating the unit cost and discount I would receive on each bill (19%). It looked good...

However, each bill has been SIGNIFICANTLY higher than those from Electric Ireland for the previous 27 months. My consumption has been curtailed by my own efforts: I haven't used the tumble dryer in two years as it uses a lot of electricity, I heat less and have shortened the timer duration on the immersion. I've learned about my consumption over the three years I've lived in that apartment.

Curiosity made me print out and analyse my bill from Energia. I'm not a forensic accountant but I run my own business and know my way around invoices. Basic arithmetic shows I am simply not getting my 19% discount. I've added the three different costs of the usage categories and applied a discount of 19%. My result, I.e. the 'discount applied' comes out at twice what Energia is applying to my bill. That means I'm getting approximately a 9-10% discount by my reckoning.

That's just not on! The highest bill I ever had from Electric Ireland was for €230. My current Energia bill is for €340. I haven't yet analysed the actual units consumed but wtf?

Tomorrow I will phone customer enquiries for their spoof treatment and write a formal letter requesting clarification over the weekend.

What I would like from anyone reading this is advice on how to proceed and also to share similar experience. I phoned the energy regulator, they seemed only partially surprised this was happening. I don't really want this handled by them, I'm quite fed up with being given the run-around by large companies over the last few years and am considering the small claims court to shake them up. I understand legal advice can't be given here, I'd like to hear of your experience in this type of affair.

Thanks for reading!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Compare the bill by usage first. Then look at discounts etc. But you have to start with your consumption in KwHs.

irlien

Thanks! Maybe I was too long-winded, but to summarise: I'm not getting a 19% discount on any consumption at all. Not even by a long shot.

L1011

The 19% is off their standard rates; not necessarily the rate you had. They may also have different standing charges.

VincePP

Discount is on the units used only. No discount on the standing charge.

At the end of the day esb networks supply your electricity. just the billing company is different.

Only way to compare is unit useage. And then compare unit price.

aido76

You only egt the discount on the units you use, not the standing charges or VAT. Do you have a night rate meter OP? If you have, Energia has a set amount of units you can use at the discounted rate for both day and night rates. I was getting screwed with this so I moved to Airtricity and paid the €50 penalty to Energia to switch. Working out much "cheaper" (pun intended) now.

irlien

Thanks everyone.

I am aware the discount only applies to units consumed. I'm still confused though!

And yes, I have a night rate meter.

Mountjoy Mugger

aido76 wrote: »

Energia has a set amount of units you can use at the discounted rate for both day and night rates.

Can you show evidence of this?

aido76

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

Can you show evidence of this?

I can't access my Energia online bill as I am no longer a customer. The day limit was a round 800 units and the night was a round 600 units bi-monthly. I just checked Bonkers and the limits are way higher now. 3000 units day and 2000 units night bi-monthly. I wouldn't have switched if they were this high for me.
http://www.bonkers.ie/compare-gas-electricity-prices/energia/7M3QCA/energia-saveme190-electricity/
Scroll half way down under Electricity Charges

This must have just come in lately as I switched in Feb.

OP, can you give us an idea of the units you have used, day and night, and if there is a second charge for either at a different rate?

irlien

As a new member, I can't post photos etc.

In essence, my Energia plan tariffs are:

Day Standard rate per unit Ex VAT 0.1826 Year 1 Discount 19% Year 1 Discounted Unit Rate Ex VAT 0.1479
Nightsaver night price per unit Ex VAT 0.0875 Year 1 Discount 19% Year 1 Discounted Unit Rate Ex VAT 0.0709

My latest bill is as follows:

Standing charge €29.07
Day 379 units at €0.1826 per unit €69.21
Night 633 units at €0.0875 per unit €55.39
Night 1,477 units at €0.0985 per unit high usage €145.48
Your discount for this period €29.70CR

My consumption is therefore (in Euros) 69.21 + 55.39 + 145.48 = 270.08
A 19% discount comes to 270.08 - 19% = 51.3152

Consumption without the night high usage units is 69.21 + 55.39 = 124.60
A 19% discount on that comes to 124.60 - 19% = 23.674

Please note my credited discount on my bill is for €29.70. I have absolutely no idea how that is calculated, the figures just don't compute for me.

I have reread all the information packs and welcome letters. There is no mention of High Usage night units anywhere. What do you think I should do?

Many thanks.

VincePP

irlien wrote: »

What do you think I should do?

Many thanks.

Contact them?

Yes it sounds obvious, but at the end of the day its energia that will have the answer.

btw - very high night time usage! My guess its either cannabis cultivation or cakes

irlien

Ahahahha! Yes, I'm going for the blabla later this morning. I just want a clearer picture of what might be going on. I have two giant storage heaters going for 6 months of the year. However, I got a cheaper bills from Electric Ireland (with higher unit rates) for the same consumption. I'm beginning to think I'm getting screwed by the high usage night unit rate...

aido76

It looks like you are getting screwed by the high usage rate. Did you ring Energia to see how they calculate the discount like VincePP said?
Did you sign up to Energia online or over the phone?
If it was over the phone you might be able to get out of your current contract if they didn't disclose the high usage rate to you. Argue that this high usage rate was not mentioned during the sign up process. The high usage rate limits have now increased to 3000 day units and 2000 night units per bimonthly bill. They might swap you over to the newer limits. Doubt it but no harm in asking.
If you signed up online then I think they will do nothing. Just tell them your moving supplier. Check Bonkers.ie for comparisons.

halpide

Re Energia, I change providers each year in order to avail of the annual discounts but I would like to advise likewise minded people to be careful about the date of changing providers as I have been charged a cancellation fee of €50 by Energia (my old provider) because I moved my account after 363 days instead of 365 days. Technically correct, but petty in my view.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

halpide wrote: »

Re Energia, I change providers each year in order to avail of the annual discounts but I would like to advise likewise minded people to be careful about the date of changing providers as I have been charged a cancellation fee of €50 by Energia (my old provider) because I moved my account after 363 days instead of 365 days. Technically correct, but petty in my view.

In fairness, you are playing the system so why shouldn't they?

boarduser01

Hi

I am aware this is an old thread, but I too have just been caught out by Engeria having high night rate usage penalty.

I changed provider and in the last bill they suddenly hit me with the high night rate extra cost......

I had no idea there were limits to the rate, and now worried my new provider also had limits that I don't know about, I have just messaged them to ask.

It was winter night heating rates (underfloor heating), charging electric car and using washing machines at night etc, that I thought was a good plan, but now maybe not so good!!!!

Does anyone know what the night rate usage limits for the different electricity supplies are?

zell12

boarduser01 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the night rate usage limits for the different electricity supplies are?

You'll have to check each supplier's website.

firemansam4

I just recently applied to switch online to Energia thinking I would get a good discount rate, but just at the end before I submitted the application I noticed it was not showing me getting the discounted rate.

So I checked this with them and it seems I had missed putting in the promo code at the start. A very easy thing to do, sure enough I went through the application again with the promo code and it showed the discount rate I was getting at the end.

I would advise anyone applying online to double check the rates you are getting before you complete the application.

TheValeyard

Also id point out, that once you're out of contract Energia will move you from the dual saver discount to another pricing system without notification.

Xterminator

id like to add that its not just Energia - its industry standard practise.

Electric ireland recently ran an ad on the radio making a big deal of them moving their customers to a discounted rate after contract expires, which is welcome but even those discounts are a fraction of the best deals out there is you shop around.

whelan2

I was going to move to energia through bonkers.ie last year. I didnt realise they have a cap on units used at the discounted rate as a dairy farmer I use alot of electricity. I went with bge instead

zell12

Everyone should change suppliers every year to take advantage of new customer discounts. Compare:
www.confido.ie
www.switcher.ie
www.bonkers.ie