The ESB

oscarBravo

ravenhead wrote:

The Esb & Eircom are worse than them by a long shot

What's wrong with the ESB?

Ruhan

lol

oscarBravo

Ruhan wrote:

lol

Why?

Jumpy

oscarBravo wrote:

What's wrong with the ESB?

Prices are phenomenal, and they are reknowned for never checking the meter, giving 6 months of estimates then dumping a 500 euro catchup bill on people.
The ESB are the single worst company I have ever had to deal with. Eircom come only very slightly behind.

oscarBravo

Jumpy wrote:

Prices are phenomenal, and they are reknowned for never checking the meter, giving 6 months of estimates then dumping a 500 euro catchup bill on people.

Is 12.2c/unit expensive? I'd be curious to see how it compares by international standards. As for estimated readings, you can phone in readings, or enter them online, and they'll send you an amended bill.

Jumpy wrote:

The ESB are the single worst company I have ever had to deal with. Eircom come only very slightly behind.

Not in my experience.

bk

Jumpy wrote:

Prices are phenomenal, and they are reknowned for never checking the meter, giving 6 months of estimates then dumping a 500 euro catchup bill on people.
The ESB are the single worst company I have ever had to deal with. Eircom come only very slightly behind.

Actually the ESB prices are one of the lowest in Europe. In fact their competitiors have been complaining about this and want the prices increased so that they can compete!!!!

Also you can enter meter readings over the phone or by Internet. I must say in my experience they are a great company, I've never had any problems with them, it just works, like all utilites should.

Jumpy

Its their job to take meter readings.
If you are in an apartment block the meters are as often as not in a secured room.
They are allowed two estimates per year. If they cannot read your meter for any reason they are to leave cards in the mailbox.
An entire apartment block here got bills of 600 euros plus..additional to their bill after 1 year of mis-estimated readings.
Did the ESB offer re-compensation - no
Did they plan to start reading the meters - not until I put up a massive fight and started to bring the regulators into it.
The excuse they finally came out with after 3 weeks of calls to various areas of ESB Networks blames Retail and vice-versa. They didnt have a key.

Off topic I know, but If a competitor comes along I will switch immediately.

bk

Jumpy wrote:

Off topic I know, but If a competitor comes along I will switch immediately.

Competitors will only be for Electricity generation, not supply.

oscarBravo

Jumpy wrote:

If you are in an apartment block the meters are as often as not in a secured room.

If you can't get at your meter, how do you expect the ESB to do so?

Jumpy wrote:

They are allowed two estimates per year.

Got a source for that?

Jumpy wrote:

An entire apartment block here got bills of 600 euros plus..additional to their bill after 1 year of mis-estimated readings.
Did the ESB offer re-compensation - no

You want to be compensated for being billed for the electricity you used?

medO

bk wrote:

Actually the ESB prices are one of the lowest in Europe. In fact their competitiors have been complaining about this and want the prices increased so that they can compete!!!!

Where is in Europe is electricity more expensive than IRL please (aside from Britain)?

State owned ESB domestic charge per kW 13.85c
State owned El de France charge per kW 10.57c

Both incl VAT.

French domestic consumers can get lower prices from EdF competitors by shopping around.

Consumers in rip-off Ireland can't.

medO

bk

While being completely out of date, at least up until 2000, we were lower then the European average according to this chart:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/elecprih.html

I can't seem to find any more up to date comparisons, but I've been told that we are still below the EU average, I don't know if that is true or not. I'd be interested to see more up to date figures.

Moriarty

Posts split out of this thread on broadband.

Jumpy

oscarBravo wrote:

If you can't get at your meter, how do you expect the ESB to do so? Got a source for that? You want to be compensated for being billed for the electricity you used?

The ESB are given keys, according to building security. And no, before you ask, security would not give me keys.

Source was from ESB themselves. Call them, they will tell you this.

As far as recompensation goes, unless you are one of the few very highly paid people in Ireland, you could not afford a single bill of your usage + 600 for mis-estimation. On average the people I spoke to received bills of 800 euro.

Bear in mind that ELCOM the complaints arbitrator takes this on board.
http://www.electricitycomplaints.ie/Case_files/case_files.htm#estimated%20bills

Jumpy

Moriarty wrote:

Posts split out of this thread on broadband.

Cheers, was sort of off topic.

snappieT

Two reasons they are so bad...
They are still a state body.
They have (virtually) no competition

oscarBravo

Jumpy wrote:

The ESB are given keys, according to building security. And no, before you ask, security would not give me keys.

I think if I was in your situation I would be at least as pissed off with security as with ESB. I'd be deeply unhappy if I couldn't read my own meter.

Jumpy wrote:

As far as recompensation goes, unless you are one of the few very highly paid people in Ireland, you could not afford a single bill of your usage + 600 for mis-estimation. On average the people I spoke to received bills of 800 euro.

Do you even read your bill? Didn't you notice all the estimated readings?

dahamsta

I agree completely on the estimated readings, they make zero effort to effect entry to the premises -- they knock on the door as quietly as they can and turn around immediately. I've seen them do it. Plus the facilities to enter your own readings, both on the phone and on the web, simply don't work for rented properties.

adam

Blackjack

As regards meter readings and Bills, I know from personal experience that if you get your electricity from Scottish Power and pay by a specified Direct Debit amount (say 20 a month), you only get 1 Bill a year (I kid you not) unless you specifically call, wait about 20 minutes to speak to a human and specifically request they send you a bill, after you give them the reading yourself.
ESB are a top class service provider in comparison.