Airtricity bill over €1000

Johngoose

What's going on,got a call today saying my gas and electricity was Over €1200.My normal bill is under €300 for gas and electricity.Is this their way of saying happy Christmas?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Estimated bills previously??

Menas

You would need to look back at your old bills and see what was estimated and what not. If you have had lots of estimated bills in a row and then they did a reading you could get this nasty suprise.
Or they have estimated something nuts this time around.
Or there is something caputt in your house that is burning electricity. Have a look at the meter with most of your appliances turned off and see if it is spinning madly.
Ultimately the meter never lies.

Johngoose

The gas made up most of the bill €900.Seems insane. Anbody else get a mad bill from Airtricity.Are they chancing their arm?Friends are saying id be mad to pay it!

Johngoose

The electricity side of the bill is low,so no broken appliance.Mad gas bill.

kirving

Is there a gas leak? I'd be getting that checked ASAP. Like now. Unless it's estimated?

HeidiHeidi

Check if it's an estimated reading on the bill.

If it's an actual reading, then go and check the meter to see it's in the same ballpark. If it's substantially different then call in a corrected reading.

Sounds like you might have had estimated bills for ages and the bill and the meter readings have just gone miles out of kilter.

Is your gas meter accessible to the reader without entering the house?

Bambaata

Have you checked this and previous bills to see if they have been estimated readings or actuals?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Is it an estimated or actual reading? Is the reading correct? Were previous bills all estimated?

No advise can be given without this information.

Johngoose

Don't think there is any gas leak.Think the bill must be wrong or they are trying it on?

HeidiHeidi

Johngoose wrote: »

Don't think there is any gas leak.Think the bill must be wrong or they are trying it on?

Have you checked this and previous bills to see if they were estimated?

ted1

Johngoose wrote: »

The gas made up most of the bill €900.Seems insane. Anbody else get a mad bill from Airtricity.Are they chancing their arm?Friends are saying id be mad to pay it!

Your gas is metered, check your bill off the Meter.

Perhaps you have been estimated for the past while.

I always recommend people to avoid SSE Airtricity

Bambaata

Johngoose wrote: »

Don't think there is any gas leak.Think the bill must be wrong or they are trying it on?

Have you read what everyone above has said about estimated/actual readings?

dudara

Johngoose wrote: »

Don't think there is any gas leak.Think the bill must be wrong or they are trying it on?

I think you can safely rule out Airtricity "trying it on". Large companies don't do that. They may make mistakes but that's about it.

Let's start with some simple questions to try to get to the root of the issue.

Have you checked previous bills to see if they were estimated?
Does the actual meter reading match the bill meter reading?

haveringchick

Johngoose wrote: »

The gas made up most of the bill €900.Seems insane. Anbody else get a mad bill from Airtricity.Are they chancing their arm?Friends are saying id be mad to pay it!

When they rang you did you not question them about it?

Johngoose

I know there was a guy who checked the electricity meter over a month ago.I can't say about the gas?

Johngoose

I think I was just shell shocked when I got the call.It really took the wind out of my sails with the expense of Christmas

dudara

You need to check it yourself. Go find the meter and read it yourself. Compare it to the reading on the bill. They should be reasonably close.

haveringchick

Johngoose wrote: »

Don't think there is any gas leak.Think the bill must be wrong or they are trying it on?

You think someone in Bord Gais just decided to send johngoose a 1000 euro bill to try and con you?

Johngoose

It's Airtricity that are screwing me not Bord Gais.

Johngoose

dudara wrote: »

You need to check it yourself. Go find the meter and read it yourself. Compare it to the reading on the bill. They should be reasonably close.

Thanks Dudara will have to check tomorrow

HeidiHeidi

Seriously OP.

Quit with the conspiracy theories.

Check. The. Bill.

Or are you just looking to vent?

haveringchick

I'd imagine you've had estimated bills possibly in excess of 12 months
That's when your meter isn't read so they send you a estimate
Then someone actually reads the meter and your real usage turns out to be much higher
So you owe them loads of money for the electricity and gas you used but didn't pay for
You will have to work out a payment plan with them and stick to it
Also cut down drastically on your usage

Kristopherus

Johngoose wrote: »

It's Airtricity that are screwing me not Bord Gais.

Any chance you would do as other posters have asked and check the meter? Instead of having a go at Airtricity:(.

dudara

Johngoose wrote: »

Thanks Dudara will have to check tomorrow

It's the best thing to do. It's always a good idea to check your bill against the meter. It gives you the reassurance that the billing is correct.

You should be also,able to contact Airtricity to ask about paying the bill in instalments. It will help take the sting out of the bill, if it turns out to be correct.

haveringchick

Johngoose wrote: »

It's Airtricity that are screwing me not Bord Gais.

They're not screwing you
You used the power you have to pay for it

dudara

haveringchick wrote: »

They're not screwing you
You used the power you have to pay for it

In fairness, the OP hasn't established yet if the bill is correct. Let's not jump to assumptions until he has read the meter.

irishgeo

they been asked/told the same thing, they dont seem to want to answer just vent.

ted1

haveringchick wrote: »

They're not screwing you
You used the power you have to pay for it

That's not proving yet. He needs to check the Meter.
Airtricity have a bad rep for a reason

brianomc

You should be able to log in to your airtricity account now and see if the last few bills are using estimated or actual readings. And to see if this bill is using estimated or actual.

Johngoose

Kristopherus wrote: »

Any chance you would do as other posters have asked and check the meter? Instead of having a go at Airtricity:(.

I just think for Airtricity to ring me with that news on December 23rd is kind of killing Christmas.Anybody have good experience of other energy provider?

brianomc

ted1 wrote: »

That's not proving yet. He needs to check the Meter.
Airtricity have a bad rep for a reason

Airtricity emailed me a few days before every bill was due to ask me to submit a reading myself. I did. I was never overcharged.

I don't work for them and am no longer a customer but only because I got cheaper rates elsewhere. The previous year they offered me a lower rate than anywhere else to renew and I wasn't locked into a new contract. If someone else had a better offer I could leave at any time. I wish I stayed, My current provider are cheaper but have no web login to your account to see bills/submit readings etc

HeidiHeidi

Johngoose wrote: »

I just think for Airtricity to ring me with that news on December 23rd is kind of killing Christmas.Anybody have good experience of other energy provider?

I get my visa bill around the 22nd of December every year - **** happens.

Do you not get your bill around the same time every month (or two months)?

whiskeyman

ted1 wrote: »

That's not proving yet. He needs to check the Meter.
Airtricity have a bad rep for a reason

Tbf, airtricity, and the rest of the utility co.s have a bad rep by people who don't fully understand how their services are billed.
I'm always amazed at the amount of threads started like this. If you sign up and pay for a service, be aware of it!

Kristopherus

Johngoose wrote: »

I just think for Airtricity to ring me with that news on December 23rd is kind of killing Christmas.Anybody have good experience of other energy provider?

They are mostly all the same when there is a big meter reading. Do Airtricity do Level Pay Direct Debit. I'm with Bord Gais and they do it. And will tell you if they see you are not paying enough. Its a good way to avoid the nasty surprise you got.

Johngoose

Kristopherus wrote: »

They are mostly all the same when there is a big meter reading. Do Airtricity do Level Pay Direct Debit. I'm with Bord Gais and they do it. And will tell you if they see you are not paying enough. Its a good way to avoid the nasty surprise you got.

It was a nasty surprise a few days before Christmas,seriously thinking of moving provider.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Johngoose wrote: »

It was a nasty surprise a few days before Christmas,seriously thinking of moving provider.

Why change supplier when you haven't confirmed if you owe that amount or not?. The date they contacted you is immaterial.

Johngoose

Byron Scarce Spectacle wrote: »

Why change supplier when you haven't confirmed if you owe that amount or not?. The date they contacted you is immaterial.

I'm not tempted to go checking a meter in the dark and wet.Tomorrow when there is daylight I'll go out.I have heard of people getting the wrong energy bills with Airtricity. As regards the people who have said the date they rang me is immaterial,the bill isn't due till mid January and they felt the need to ring today.

RentDayBlues

OP you seem to be out to "place blame" here rather than actually checking why this has happened. You need to check if this is an estimate or a reading and proceed from there. As to your posts on not paying, if this is an accurate bill you owe the money.

Every time I get my bill I read the meter. Then I don't get nasty surprises like this. It's not your providers fault.

afkasurfjunkie

Four pages in, and op still hasn't checked the meter. If I recieved a large bill like that I'd be straight out. Plus I'd be trawling through my old bills to check for estimated ones and for comparison.

HeidiHeidi

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

Four pages in, and op still hasn't checked the meter. If I recieved a large bill like that I'd be straight out. Plus I'd be trawling through my old bills to check for estimated ones and for comparison.

Thats about the tenth time both of those things have been suggested (about five times by me!). He doesn't seem inclined to find out the facts, just vent and bash Airtricity.

As you say, with a bill like that I'd be out with a torch, sharpish.

Johngoose

Are people saying that a big corporation can't make a mistake and that people should never question a bill for anything?That let's say for example a taxi company charges you €50 to go from one end of a street to another, you should simply pay up and not say a word?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You don't need to even read the meter right now, OP. Is the current bill based on actual readings? Have previous bills been estimates? Simple questions, asked repeatedly, but no answers forthcoming.


That said, I'd be outside with a torch myself.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Johngoose wrote: »

Are people saying that a big corporation can't make a mistake and that people should never question a bill for anything?That let's say for example a taxi company charges you €50 to go from one end of a street to another, you should simply pay up and not say a word?

Oh come on! You haven't done a thing to prove or disprove an error.

Do the simple stuff first before jumping to conclusions.

HeidiHeidi

Johngoose wrote: »

Are people saying that a big corporation can't make a mistake and that people should never question a bill for anything?That let's say for example a taxi company charges you €50 to go from one end of a street to another, you should simply pay up and not say a word?

No, we're saying that if you're as worried as you profess to be about the HUGE bill that's on its way to you, you'd be out checking the meter, or at least going through previous bills to see what might have happened, instead of badmouthing a company on an internet forum for no apparently good reason.

Chances are fairly high you used that gas, and legitimately owe the money (I'm not completely discounting a mistake on the energy provider's part).

(ETA - assuming you're not trolling, of course.....)

uck51js9zml2yt

Byron Scarce Spectacle wrote: »

Oh come on! You haven't done a thing to prove or disprove an error.

Do the simple stuff first before jumping to conclusions.

Its much easier to jump to conclusions than it is to log into your account and look for the letter "E"* beside the meter reading:rolleyes:



* For the benefit of the OP, "E" refers to an estimated reading.

dudara

OK posters - that's enough. Let's give the OP a chance to check out his meter.

dudara

topmanamillion

OP, When they rang you why didn't you ask any of the questions that have been mentioned here?
Chiefly why am I been charged 4 times my usual bill?
If I got a phone call like that it would last at least a half an hour until I got to the root of it and I'd have all the facts at the end of it.

Johngoose

topmanamillion wrote: »

OP, When they rang you why didn't you ask any of the questions that have been mentioned here?
Chiefly why am I been charged 4 times my usual bill?
If I got a phone call like that it would last at least a half an hour until I got to the root of it and I'd have all the facts at the end of it.

I take your point on the phone I think I was caught off guard,but I do intend on ringing tomorrow to clarify a few details.At present I do think a certain amount were estimated,but not all.i will keep people posted updated.I'll admit I don't have all the facts right now,but I'm sure most will admit that €1200 euro of a bill is on the extreme side.Would the heating have to be on 24/7?

HeidiHeidi

Johngoose wrote: »

I take your point on the phone I think I was caught off guard,but I do intend on ringing tomorrow to clarify a few details.At present I do think a certain amount were estimated,but not all.i will keep people posted updated.I'll admit I don't have all the facts right now,but I'm sure most will admit that €1200 euro of a bill is on the extreme side.Would the heating have to be on 24/7?

If your (monthly) bills for the last year were estimated (and that's not beyond the bounds, I've gone very long periods without an actual reading despite the meter being in the front garden) and were for, say, €100 but you actually used €200-worth of gas, then that's your €1200 right there.

Plus, you said that the €1200 was for gas and electricity, didn't you? So it doesn't even have to be that extreme - a few months on the trot with incorrectly estimated bills and bang, you have a big lump sum to pay all of a sudden.

You can speculate and theorise about skulduggery on Airtricity's part all you like, but until you check the bills and the meter it's all just wasted breath tbh.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Johngoose wrote: »

I take your point on the phone I think I was caught off guard,but I do intend on ringing tomorrow to clarify a few details.At present I do think a certain amount were estimated,but not all.i will keep people posted updated.I'll admit I don't have all the facts right now,but I'm sure most will admit that €1200 euro of a bill is on the extreme side.Would the heating have to be on 24/7?

It you had 3 estimates up to this then the total of 2100 in total is not excessive.