Gas Bill OVER 1000e

XDenasdc

Hello all.
Just received my gas bill (from Electric Ireland) from the period of Feb16 to Apr16. And guess what? The bill is OVER 1000!!!!!!. Called to Electric Ireland talked to them, they send me to Gas Networks. Gas Networks walked me through on how to spot any gas leakage and we did so. No leakage whatsoever. I did my own little investigation.

Little about my investigation : Looked at my current bill and found " 21st April, Current reading : 8353a (a=actual reading, not estimated reading, means they checked themselves the gas reading)." Then I checked my actual reading today (4th May, hey It's StarWars), which is about 15 days (more or less) from the day they have checked, and the reading is 8810!!!!????!?!?!!!!. Let me explain this : 457m^3 (meters cubed) in 15 days. This means 30m^3 per day. I understand that this is still April/May, but even my boiler on relative max settings that I have ever used, turned on for 1 hour only takes around 1m^3 (did little test with it, taking readings before boiler turned on and after boiler turned off). This gives me an idea of how much I had to use gas to take 30m^3 every day for the past 15 days : boiler on "max" settings (24 hours = 24 m^3) and gas oven for like 3-4 hours.

Now wise people from internet, what the heck shall I do with it? Electric Ireland has suspended my account for next 6 weeks because I may have not funds in my bank account to pay that much. And I will not pay that much because I could never use as much as they are telling me I did. I need HELP, the faster the better. Don't want to pay a lawyer as I'm simple and poor guy.

Thank you in advance.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

There seems to be no basis for dispute apart from the very unlikely event of a faulty meter. Get a gas engineer to check the set up for you.

foggy_lad

Are you looking at the correct meter?

There must be some leak or some appliance using a lot of gas with that high usage in 15 days.


If you switched recently from bord gais to electric Ireland there may be a discrepancy due to the way they calculate their levelpay.

XDenasdc

Thank you all for your fast responses. Just send an email to electric Ireland about this with scanned bill.

foggy_lad wrote: »

Are you looking at the correct meter?

There must be some leak or some appliance using a lot of gas with that high usage in 15 days.


If you switched recently from bord gais to electric Ireland there may be a discrepancy due to the way they calculate their levelpay.

Have been with them for over 5 years now. I used to receive some high bills in around 400 euro area but not that much. Leaks not found. Have tested for leakage by measuring meter readings turning off any appliances that uses gas and waiting for around 4 hours and taking the readings again. Not a single decimal change in the readings. Have also measured heating gas usage. Turns out on max settings that I have ever used it it only takes around 0.8 gas for an hour.

About correct meter: on the meter I'm taking readings from there is a sticker about gas leakage and phone number associated with it. Also the meter number is the exact same as on my bills.

Will update info as soon as they reply to me

foggy_lad

The only other explanation is they have been underestimating bills for a long time and have only now corrected that with an actual reading?

You should have access to your previous readings and bills and see if any were estimated.

MOH

foggy_lad wrote: »

The only other explanation is they have been underestimating bills for a long time and have only now corrected that with an actual reading?

You should have access to your previous readings and bills and see if any were estimated.

That still wouldn't explain the large usage between the most recent actual reading and the OPs own reading two weeks later

XDenasdc

MOH wrote: »

That still wouldn't explain the large usage between the most recent actual reading and the OPs own reading two weeks later

Exactly. It's either them never checked it and just wrote an estimate number instead of actual reading or my meter is deff broken.

No reply from them whatsoever. Also strange thing : It is the first time I've used "Super Valu Electric Ireland voucher" and in my bill it is marked as 10 cr or 10 credits. Everything would make sense if that voucher thing messed up with their system but the meter is saying otherwise.

Little update : in last 20 hours I have turned heating on 4 times ( 4 hours total), used gas oven for around 1 hour total and the readings have only changed by 1.3 cubic meters. That's not even close to 450 cubic meters in 15 days

BeardySi

Have you got a previous actual reading on previous bill? Could it be the case that that first reading of 8353 might have been entered wrong by the meter reader or somewhere up the chain? Would the bill be more reflective of usage if the first reading had been 8533?

Just guessing here really....

XDenasdc

Treadhead wrote: »

Have you got a previous actual reading on previous bill? Could it be the case that that first reading of 8353 might have been entered wrong by the meter reader or somewhere up the chain? Would the bill be more reflective of usage if the first reading had been 8533?

Just guessing here really....

I'm sorry if I don't understand you 100% correctly ( having exams soon, also trying to figure this out, also not native english speaker)
What you are saying is : if instead of 8353-6821 the readings would have being 8533-8353? Defiantly closer to truth.

There were also some works going on just beside the house. And I mean ground works, they dug almost everything near the house. And if I remember it was Virgin Media getting their network cable there. I'm very concerned about this now as It was in that bill time region (Feb-Apr)

XDenasdc

Update :
Got the reply from Electric Ireland.
Here is the content of it :

---

Thank you for your email.

On review of your account and looking at your previous usage, it does appear that there is a problem with either your meter or installation.

Unfortunately as Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) are a separate entity to Electric Ireland you will need to address your query to them directly. They are responsible for the maintenance of gas to a property. You will need to arrange with them to have a technician come to the property in order to investigate.

You can contact them directly on 1850 200 694. Alternatively you can contact them by email at networksinfo(at)gasnetworks(dot.)ie.

---

I guess my next stop is at GNI. At least they are acknowledging the fact that the bill is way way way too big. Not sure what will happen with the bill as I'm still entitled to pay it so....

Thank you all again for helping.

Ben_Nevis

They will usually ask you to take your own reading at the same time every day for a week, and if this proves nothing they will take your meter away for investigation (of course they will replace the meter meanwhile).

Usually this is down to incorrect meter readings which can date back years.

I would take records of your own readings for the next week or so, and meanwhile request copies of all invoices going back as far as possible.

XDenasdc

Just rang both , Electric Ireland and Gas Network. They have send me back and forth to each other and eventually i had to set up a high consumption complaint with Electric.

Will update as soon as I get any news.

Joseph

Fair play, keep the persistence and good luck

cml387

GNI should be out double quick as there is the possibility of a leak somewhere which would be catastrophic.
To give you an example, I had a problem with low gas pressure one evening and phoned GNI. They had a technician out the same evening(!). They fitted a new meter which I strongly suspect is the problem in your case.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

cml387 wrote: »

GNI should be out double quick as there is the possibility of a leak somewhere which would be catastrophic.
To give you an example, I had a problem with low gas pressure one evening and phoned GNI. They had a technician out the same evening(!). They fitted a new meter which I strongly suspect is the problem in your case.

OP has said that all appliances were turned off and no usage recorded, hence no leak.

cml387

Kiara Sweet Throat wrote: »

OP has said that all appliances were turned off and no usage recorded, hence no leak.

True, but still the integrity of the meter reading and associated installation have now been thrown in doubt by the letter from EI.
Definitely one for Gas network.

XDenasdc

I'm actually worried now because the usage is 100% correctly read by meter, no unusual jump in usage or anything that would make me question things again. It almost seems like someone got a pipe between the meter and my house and being using my gas until I got my bill, after that everything normal again.

About the high consumption complaint : they said someone will contact me over this in 10 working days. 2-3 days have passed, will be waiting. But if they bail on me (hope I used it correctly) I'm screwed.

XDenasdc

Hey all.
Today got a technician from Gas Networks. He changed the meter to a new one (apparently mine was older version and they are putting new ones in, so this situation at least has some benefits). He as well did not find any leaks whatsoever. They investigate.