Huge bill

sham69

Hi,
I received a huge bill in the post yesterday for 528 euro
Unfortunately most of our bills in the past 18 months have been estimated which is our own fault but this months one was an actual reading.
The last actual reading was for around 1000 units and the bills was around the 250 mark which is always around the cost of our bill through all the rented houses we have lived in.
The usage this month was 2238 units but we can't figure out what is causing the increase.
We have a dishwasher and the missus got some gym equipment, a vibroplate in particular but it has only been used for around 10 minutes a day for maybe 10 days this bill?
we have gone through all other stuff in the house and can't for the life of us figure out why the bills are so high.
I have used the appliance calculator and this gives me 240- 280 per bill max.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Regards
Sham.

EI: Aoife O

Hi Simone,

Thank you for getting in contact with us. I’ve sent a similar message to you directly also

As your last bill is the first bill based on an actual reading in over 10 months, an underestimation may have contributed to the increase in usage for this period.

ESB Networks plan to read the meters four times a year and estimate twice. Two bills will definitely be estimated. Reading the meters four times year keeps meter reading costs down and is in line with international meter reading practice. If you get a lot of estimates, read your meter from time to time and submit your reading. This in your best interest as your future estimates will be more accurate based your actual consumption history. If you do receive your bill and the reading has been estimated, we can send you a revised bill if you can provide a correct meter reading.

For customers who feel they may not be able to pay to our credit terms, we can set up an installment plan set over a number of weeks to  help you manage your bill if you wish. We can arrange a weekly payment which would clear the balance before your next bill issues.

The biggest users of electricity in any household are washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, immersion heater, cooker and plug in heaters. Wait until you have a full load before using these appliances, and try to use these appliances on economy cycles and lower heat settings when possible. Buying A Rated kitchen appliances will cost less to run and over time will give considerable savings. More info about saving energy can be found on our website.

If you feel you are already being energy conscious, there might be a problem with an appliance or the internal wiring of your property. A useful check to do is to switch off all appliances. The rotating disk on the meter should come to a stop. If it doesn't, there may be a fault with your installation and you should ask an electrical contractor to investigate.

If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Regards,
Aoife