Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Why is my gas bill / units so high? Gas leak?

Options
13

Comments

  • Options
    #62
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,223 Mod ✭✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    ...asked very clearly that she keep me updated as to when someone will be out...

    Ah, you gave her wiggle room here. You should have said there were severe safety concerns and you wanted someone this week to look at it or at least some kind of firm deadline.


  • Options
    #63
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    I tried!!!

    When you cant get a word in edgeways you take what you can get!!! ;)


  • Options
    #64
    BabySlam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 349 ✭✭BabySlam


    For the future perhaps you would consider reading the meter weekly - this would give a good basis for comparison month to month.


  • Options
    #65
    bmm
    Registered Users Posts: 912 ✭✭✭bmm


    If your landlord lives abroad then by law you must hold back 20% of rent for Revenue Commissioners. Tell her you must do this and wait for the reaction:D
    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/tax_relief_for_tenants.html


  • Options
    #66
    zagmund
    Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    I know you know this already, but something is clearly amiss. Your last two bills (€350 & €560) for a one bedroom flat come to more than my entire 4 person house (and it's not a small one if I may say so) for the entire year. In fact, they aren't far off 2 years bills. My last two years gas totals came to ~€550 & €750. We used just over 800m3 for all of last year. You used over 700 for one billing period . . . *if* your meter units are m3.

    You really need to confirm what unit your meter measures. It should be marked on the front of the meter. Modern meters measure in m3 (meters cubed). These m3 are converted to billing units (kWh) on the bill with a conversion factor of around 11m3=>1kWh. I think some older meters had units that weren't in m3, so the conversion factor is different. It's possible (speculation here) that your meter is measuring one unit and these are being converted to kWh incorrectly. Have you seen an actual bill from the utility company showing the conversion?

    We save a fair bit in the Summer because we have solar to heat the water, but we put a fair bit of gas into our underfloor heating (and baths & showers) in the winter. Still and all though, we could provide heat & hot water for the entire house for a year without solar for as much as you are paying for your one room.

    z


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #67
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    As mentioned above, old meters use cubic feet which can cause huge bills if entered as cubic metres. Get this checked first


  • Options
    #68
    vandriver
    Registered Users Posts: 3,460 ✭✭✭vandriver


    L1011 wrote: »
    As mentioned above, old meters use cubic feet which can cause huge bills if entered as cubic metres. Get this checked first

    A cubic metre is 35 cubic feet.Its hardly likely that the true bills are between 10 and 20 quid!


  • Options
    #69
    zagmund
    Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    Equally, it's hardly likely that this person is putting as much heat into their one bedroom in a couple of months as we put into our entire house in a year.

    Either the gas quantity is right and somewhere else is being heated, or the gas quantity is wrong.

    z


  • Options
    #70
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    why the increase this month and no other.

    We've had the coldest February in 5 years........?
    If upstairs and downstairs are unheated- and you're running your heating full pelt for 8 hours a day- and using the booster as well- its entirely plausible.

    If upstairs and downstairs were on a separate system and had their heating on too- your bill would probably have been a fraction of what it was.

    Essentially- though you are only heating your apartment- your heat is escaping to the rest of the (unheated) building.


  • Options
    #71
    K.Flyer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,565 ✭✭✭K.Flyer


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »


    From what Iv read and seen the past 24 hours Im well over double the units for my usage!

    Does anyone know what my rights would be re payment, so if there is a problem with the boiler can I claim back from landlord or the gas co?

    Thanks

    The safety and maintenance of the boiler is your landlords responsibility. Faults can occur with boilers resulting in gas loss, even on regularly maintained boilers, and may not really anyone's fault unless negligence can be proven.
    The gas companies responsibility stops at the meter. The pipework from the meter to all gas appliances and including the appliances is the responsibility of the owner of the property.

    You mentioned that you send a picture of the meter reading to the owner. Based on that, does she then tell you how much you have to pay?

    Would it be possible for you to post up the pictures of the front of the gas meter showing the last two readings. It may help to figure out what is going on.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #72
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    Hi Guys,

    I have thus far come to some kind of resolution, a rep for the LL called into the building and discovered that there were two rads left on upstairs for two months.

    The LL has offered to pay for 2/7 of the bill (as I have 5 rads and she has 2) - I still dont think this is right as I did not have my heat and water on constantly.

    I know I used less than the last bill period. so I am going to offer to pay the same amount and call it a day. I am also going to insist that she get a separate meter installed ASAP.


  • Options
    #73
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,437 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    I don't think the radiators being on upstairs would account for a bill being over-inflated by a factor of 6-10, is there a thermostat somewhere or is the heating either on or off according to how you set it? Stick to your guns here, sharing one bill for what is essentially two properties is very messy.


  • Options
    #74
    Rasmus
    Registered Users Posts: 2,075 ✭✭✭Rasmus


    2 rads does not inflate a bill though. She may have had a bit more going on up there than she is letting on.


  • Options
    #75
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,223 Mod ✭✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    TheChizler wrote: »
    I don't think the radiators being on upstairs would account for a bill being over-inflated by a factor of 6-10, is there a thermostat somewhere or is the heating either on or off according to how you set it? Stick to your guns here, sharing one bill for what is essentially two properties is very messy.

    I think the issue is that the heat was on all the time in the flat upstairs while the OP was using the gas as normal. Definitely shouldn't be split 2:5, the landlord should at least be paying half.


  • Options
    #76
    SteelyDanJalapeno
    Registered Users Posts: 14,243 ✭✭✭✭SteelyDanJalapeno


    2 rads on 24/7 would inflate it a bit


  • Options
    #77
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,437 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    I think the issue is that the heat was on all the time in the flat upstairs while the OP was using the gas as normal. Definitely shouldn't be split 2:5, the landlord should at least be paying half.
    TiltedBrain wrote: »
    2 rads on 24/7 would inflate it a bit
    If I remember correctly the OP said that the heating was only on for a couple of hours a day. I'm presuming there's a timer here.

    OP would you notice the boiler firing up outside of times you've set it to come on?


  • Options
    #78
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,223 Mod ✭✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    TheChizler wrote: »
    If I remember correctly the OP said that the heating was only on for a couple of hours a day. I'm presuming there's a timer here.

    OP would you notice the boiler firing up outside of times you've set it to come on?

    There could be a separate boiler for upstairs.


  • Options
    #79
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,437 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    There could be a separate boiler for upstairs.
    That would explain a lot actually!

    Edit:
    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    Its in my apartment, it runs the whole house (which is two apartments, one is empty upstairs which the landlord uses when home - she lives in spain) but she is very sure that no Gas (fro heating and water) was used upstairs.

    Im not sure how it can leak if its only the heating etc - from what I have read I think its possibly a boiler issue

    I'd look into that though!


  • Options
    #80
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    Hi Guys,

    I dont know if there is another boiler or not.

    I think I will have to talk to a Plumber or professional for advice as I do not think it fair that this has happened, how do I know they were not on all over Xmas and I paid for it? a new meter needs to be installed upstairs as a matter of Urgency.

    I have suffered a lot of stress over this so I dont think a 2/7 split is at all fair


  • Options
    #81
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,437 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    I have suffered a lot of stress over this so I dont think a 2/7 split is at all fair
    Not at all! I would be letting them know of the average figure for your size apartment in Spring which was given somewhere above for a start.

    How did you agree to split bills when you first moved in?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #82
    BabySlam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 349 ✭✭BabySlam


    OP, you are not responsible for finding the solution to this situation, the landlord is. As regards her proposal you pay 5/7, practice repeating "that is not acceptable" until she offers a better split. In fact she has behaved disgracefully, and looks dishonest to my eyes.


  • Options
    #83
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    Im really not happy with her suggestion of the solution, I am thinking of sourcing some advice on this as I am, to use the medical term
    Thoroughly pissed off!

    Im not happy with 5/7 I think 1/2 would be fair due to the stress this has caused me!


  • Options
    #84
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,437 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    Im really not happy with her suggestion of the solution, I am thinking of sourcing some advice on this as I am, to use the medical term
    Thoroughly pissed off!

    Im not happy with 5/7 I think 1/2 would be fair due to the stress this has caused me!
    Threshold's the way to go so, they'll be able to advise you.

    What was the agreement regarding shared bills when you moved in though?


  • Options
    #85
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    I was told

    1. Her daughter or the letting manager would be handling my tenancy
    2. The gas was stand alone and only for my apartment

    Neither of which has happened!!! I'll check my agreement later today


  • Options
    #86
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,437 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    I was told

    1. Her daughter or the letting manager would be handling my tenancy
    2. The gas was stand alone and only for my apartment

    Neither of which has happened!!! I'll check my agreement later today
    If you have that in writing then a gas bill will be the last of the landlord's worries! Seriously, have a chat with Threshold, they're lovely.


  • Options
    #87
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    I have just requested a callback from them!!

    Thanks again guys


  • Options
    #88
    vandriver
    Registered Users Posts: 3,460 ✭✭✭vandriver


    Please tell me that she is paying half the standing charge!


  • Options
    #89
    bored.ie.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭bored.ie.ie


    I think so yea, I think she should just take half the bill altogether due to all the stress etc she has caused. I have no way of knowing how long those Rads were on upstairs so as far as I know I am paying for them for two months too!!


  • Options
    #90
    housetypeb
    Registered Users Posts: 1,184 ✭✭✭housetypeb


    You're renting an apartment but heating a house.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #91
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,223 Mod ✭✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    bored.ie.ie wrote: »
    I think so yea, I think she should just take half the bill altogether due to all the stress etc she has caused. I have no way of knowing how long those Rads were on upstairs so as far as I know I am paying for them for two months too!!

    When it comes down to it, either arguing with her over email, through PRTB, etc. do not say you're owed for stress. Stick to the hard numbers. Your average use is X, apartments of similar size are Y, your bill was Z. Landlord owes you around Z-Y or Z-X or some other combination that works. This method of 2 rads out of 7 is complete horseshít and you shouldn't entertain it.


Advertisement