High Electric Ireland bill

gtrizy

So we're four 4th year students living in Galway and have been living with each other for the past 4 years in 4 different houses. Our electric bill is usually <20 euro each when it comes every 60 days but we just got an electric bill for the last 70 days and it's 200 quid. We don't have any electric heaters or any new high energy consuming appliances and we weren't even here for 35 of those days due to Christmas holidays. How is that possible?

One of the lads just rang them and they said the last bill (€79 over 60 days) used around 600 units and this one (€198 over 71 days minus the 35 we weren't even here) was 800 units. So somehow an extra third units used more than doubles the bill price? I don't understand this at all.

VincePP

Check the meter reading on the bill and the meter.

Its possible that either the current reading or previous one was estimated, - possibly more than one prevous one was estimated as €79 for 2 months seems extremly low, so my guess is it has just caught up with actual use.

Also, if you are paying more than 16c per unit, switch to a different provider - energia, Pandapower & bord Gais are three other options. Pandapower takes about 2 minutes to sign up online

Cabaal

Certainly sounds like previous bills were estimated and not actually readings or readings submitted by you,

In which case an actual reading likely finally took place and the bill was finally accurate.

While esb networks will do 2 or maybe 3 actual meter readings a year the rest of the time it's upto the customer to submit a meter reading, it's in your interest if you want accurate bills

stronglikebull

gtrizy wrote: »

One of the lads just rang them and they said the last bill (€79 over 60 days) used around 600 units and this one (€198 over 71 days minus the 35 we weren't even here) was 800 units. So somehow an extra third units used more than doubles the bill price? I don't understand this at all.

There's definitely something wrong with your numbers there. Electricity cost is about 16-18c per unit. For 600 units that's €96 at 16c each or €108 at 18c each. There's also the standing charge and levy that come to about €35 for 2 months, meaning your bill should have been about €140 for the months that used 600 units. For the 2nd bill, using 800 units, you should be about €180.

You need to read your bills again, check the reading against the actual meter reading, and make sure there's not estimates on them.

Michael D Not Higgins

The numbers don't add up. Assuming you're on the value plan with direct debit and online billing, your standing charge is ~40c a day and unit price 15.5c.

The first bill should be €117 and the second €152, which are close to your two bills just differently spread out.