Electric Ireland Bill

Storm 10

With Electric Ireland all my life all of my electric bills are usually around the €200 mark had two a few years ago for €300 yesterday I was stunned to receive a bill for €610 nothing different in the house still use the same electrical items as in the past, solid fuel heating with the occasional electric heater plugged in when required does anyone have any idea how this happened or is it the price of electricity today, I emailed them but they said it will be some time to get back to me due to pressure with customer issues. Any help appreciated

ongarite

Forget the price for a moment. Review your bill and look at units used in that billing period. If it's the same as last billing period, then it's solely down to increase in cost per kw.

You were probably on a yearly deal like 30-40% off which has expired & now paying full price.

This time last year I was paying 16c per kWh, now paying 39c so 150% increase & also standing charges have increased.

walterking

surely the OP know that energy prices have jumped considerably?

You would have had to had lived under a rock not to have heard all the increases.

Considering the OP pays little heed to news, my guess is they do not avail of any discounts or move supplier (takes 2 minutes) - up to last you you could get average 30% off by switching.

Your unit rate has most likely gone up from 20c to about 45c and standing charges have gone up too. So even if your usage did not change, a €250 bill Jan/Feb 2022 would be about €600 this year if you did not change use (easy to cut down too)

You may also not have noticed or read that the government gave a total of 4 x €200 rebates (the 4th just landed) and these were applied automatically to your account.

Smee_Again

Is this the first you're hearing about the massive increase in electricity costs?

Your unit rate is probably double what it was last year, maybe more if you never switch. The standing charge has increased too.

Storm 10

Thanks guys I know prices have gone up did not expect that must check my units used V other bills

walterking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329433#Comment_120329433

up by about 130%

Easy to cut back - dishwasher on eco setting (or hand wash with remaining hot water in tank), washing machine on 30 min/ 45 min express wash - never a need for the full programme unless the clothes are utterly filthy. If you have power showers, cut the time used. Lights to LED (should be done already) and if using electric heating, close all the doors and only use in rooms you are using at the time.

30% usage saving is very easily attained

Viscount Aggro

Be wary of estimated bills. You will need to check against your meter reading, and advise EI.

Once they take the money by DD, you will not get it back.

I have been fighting with them for months now.

If you want stress, ring the customer care line, puts you on hold for 30 minutes, or they hang up on you.

endofrainbow

Not much help but my most recent bill reduced from 194 to 103. Are you sure it's not an estimated bill OP ?

namloc1980

Was it estimated or not? How many kWh did you use in the period? Compare that to the last few bills. Only then should you be looking at the cost per unit. When did that change? Were you on any discounts etc.

Storm 10

Not sure if it was estimated have to take another look at it thanks for the help I have emailed but believe or not it could take TEN DAYS to get back to me.

DataDude

Deleted post. Wrong thread

Caranica

I emailed last week after I spotted on Twitter that someone hadn't been charged the discounted rate they signed up to. Neither was I! Not a peep out of them since so don't hold your breath!

Smee_Again

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120330484#Comment_120330484

Check out their customer charter, if they don't meet their own deadlines on queries they should pay you €40 compensation.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120334214#Comment_120334214

I did that last year, but rejected it as it was not fair on them due to C-19 staffing pressures

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120334214#Comment_120334214

Thanks, they've another few days to go but I'll be watching like a hawk. Must say that that's a terrible turnaround time to start with, 10 working days, more time with the money they've overcharged me

MikeCairo78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329918#Comment_120329918

You can recall any direct debit up to 8 weeks after it has left your account.

Viscount Aggro

Yes, but they can represent the DD.

Another point to note, they will not refund you the Govt. credits, and the credits cant be used against previous bills.

SnowyMuckish

I was shocked to get our high bill through this week I thought we were supposed to get another credit?

walterking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120334778#Comment_120334778

The problem is thousands of people don't listen to news and do not know there's a war in Ukraine and do not know energy prices have jumped substantially.

They then get a bill about 2.5 times the equivalent last year and instead of knowing that the price has gone up 2.5 times they ring the supplier and argue for 30 minutes.

This holds up genuine calls.

whiterebel

They were that bad ever before the war in Ukraine.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343839#Comment_120343839

We were, and you likely did

trishabon

My EI app does not work. The operator told me that it's faulty anyway. That he'd give me the paperless discount and continue to send paper bills. That was last year. I have not received any bills and cannot access my account online because I don't have a password and any attempts to reset the one I never had are futile.

I'm terrified of waking up one day with a massive bill and not enough funds in my account. Trying to actually speak to someone is a nightmare. I'm on chronic pain meds and have dozed off while on hold twice.

SnowyMuckish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120353093#Comment_120353093

There was no sign of it written on the bill, whereas the previous credit was shown on the bill.

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120334778#Comment_120334778

Deadline has passed, claim gone in.

Spanish Eyes

My email has been with them for 7 weeks now. Just saying...

Estimated bill is my guess for OP, although even if accurate with a reading, the cost has risen substantially. But we were warned, and got a couple of very welcome credits.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120362938#Comment_120362938

Down to timing, check the balance online.

SnowyMuckish

Did that too no sign or mention of the credit.

Jaymacc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058287362/electric-ireland-bill

Did you get a new smart meter installed lately?

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343844#Comment_120343844

The war had been going on a long time. The bills have only shot up now. It's the lag of the wholesale price, expiring discounts and high estimated bills and just when the govt credit was applied. Mine is estimated twice the usage than the same time year.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364815#Comment_120364815

Can you not give an actual reading if it's estimated too high?

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364919#Comment_120364919

Yes? I send in a reading now and then. Seems to be read every 2nd bill. Usually estimated bills aren't that far away from actual usual usage. This is the first time I've even seen such a massive disparity between them. Its way off. Why would they estimate I'd use twice the amount of energy than the highest I've ever used. Wasn't even a particularly cold winter.