Massive Electircity Bill

xalot

Ok, here's the deal, am with airtricity about 6 months now and my most expensive bill (Oct - mid Dec) to date was €95.

I just received my bill (actual reading) for mid Dec - mid February and it is €350. I live in a two bed apartment, haven't changed any of my heat settings and was away for a week at Christmas with everything switched off. I dont understand how my units could have jumped from an average of 340 to 3500 in two months?

I know there was snow and it was very cold but we didn't change anything about out patterns. I have spoken to airtricity who said to check the meter daily to see if there are any unusual jumps. Does anyone have any advise or is anyone in a similar situation?

Freaking out!!!!:eek:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

1. Were previous bills to actual or estimated readings?

2. Is the current reading correct?

3. Take a reading last thing at night and first thing in the morning. Has it gone up more than a few Units to account for fridge etc during the night?

4. Hard to believe that heat settings were not changed in December, considering we went into a sharp and severe cold spell for weeks on end. You could not have the same heat setting in December as you had in October.

5. Check for faulty timers on Immersion Heaters.

6. Check daily usage now to see how it compares with the daily averaged on the bill.

Bottom line; if readings are correct and meter is not faulty (highly unlikely btw) then you used the juice and need to pay for it.

xalot

Thanks for the reply. I have no problem paying for the electricity if I used it.

1.All previous bills were actual.

2.The current reading is right.

4. We set all our heaters during the cold snap in November and didn't change them after that. Didn't put on boost or anything similar. Would have had an electic blanket on for maybe an extra 10mins a night but nothing excessive. Also in the previous bill we had a relative staying with us so that would have pushed up the previous bill (they had left before the recent billing period started). We're very energy conscious e.g only ever put on washing machine after midnight etc. and have never had an excessive bill which is why this is so strange.

5. How do I check for faulty timers? (am useless with that stuff, the husband does it!)

I live in a complex so it's difficult to get to the meter but will try get to it most days to see what the story is.

sorry for the long post....thanks for the input.

Dermo

have your rates changed?
Don't airtricity change rates after 6 months on the cheap rates?

testicle

xalot wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I have no problem paying for the electricity if I used it.

1.All previous bills were actual.

2.The current reading is right.

Then you used it.

YumDeiseMum

I've had a similar bill from Airtricity for €302 this month. I downloaded the bill and there were loads of reversals and credits dating 4 months.

I rang them to query all the transactions and they said that I had been on the wrong tariff all along and they had to re-calculate my usage costs and that the current bill was now correct.

I had been singing Airtricity's praises the last few months because my bills were so low but now with this bill and what I had paid to date I don't think I've saved anything at all :mad:

Zab

If all bills were read at the meter and you've used way more units this bill than last then you'll need to keep a regular eye on the meter to see if you're still using too much electricity and find the culprit if you are.

dudara

Look at it another way. You may not have changed your heater settings, but it sure as hell was a lot colder outside. This means that there was a great temperature differential and more energy was used to keep things at the constant temperature you are used to.

A significant portion of energy goes into heating water. As the outside water supply would be have been colder than normal then more electricity would have been used.

TBH a E95 bill for two months in winter seems too cheap. To me that's much more like summer usage.