Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

Electricity charges are way too high...

2

Comments

  • #32
    Heroditas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,353 ✭✭✭✭Heroditas


    OP, were all your previous bills estimated?
    It's possible the bills have been estimated for a while and this current bill is a catch-up.


  • #33
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    I know it's a pain Op, but what can we expect when our national infrastructure was sold piecemeal to the Capitalists by government cronies?! They sold off the property of the people to profit-obsessed unscrupulous scoundrels who are free to milk every last penny from us or we freeze to death in the dark.


  • #34
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Or... bills were over-estimated due to the meter being inaccessible to the meter-reader. But hey, any opportunity to go on about "the capitalists".
    And then in the next thread, giving out about "the atheists".


  • #35
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Or... bills were over-estimated due to the meter being inaccessible to the meter-reader. But hey, any opportunity to go on about "the capitalists".
    And then in the next thread, giving out about "the atheists".

    Who, me? Why so? :) Nope, I'm on a permanent naughty seat for doing that. I've been chastised and chastened, thank you very much :)

    Anyways, it is the capitalists, this time.


  • #36
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,605 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Have you got electric heating,leaving that on could really cost s lot.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    Sarn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,180 ✭✭✭Sarn


    Panline wrote: »
    The bill is an estimate indeed but there is also an actual reading from mid February which is too high anyway, so the estimate isn't the issue here I'm afraid... It has been read by an electrician.

    I do not mean to sound mean but it is very difficult to trust that an electrician is just going to read our meters and not make a mistake. I have never seen my meter and I can't access it.

    In this case the electrician is one of the meter readers from the ESB. That's what they do, although it is possible that a mistake could have been made. I know that in a lot of apartment complexes tenants don't have access to the meters.


  • #38
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Firstly, are you seriously saying the meter is in the attic? Absolute nonsense. It has to be accessible for meter readings. Secondly, if the account is in your name then you have a right to access the meter to check readings. Thirdly, is this bill an estimated reading or were all the previous readings estimates and this is an actual reading at last? Have you storage heating? If not, what the hell are you doing with day and night rate electricity?
    I find the whole saga quite implausible, to be honest.


  • #39
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    Airtricity love doing this.
    Ring them up, say you didn't use that much and will not be paying that bill, they'll ask for your own reading and give you a bill based on that.


  • #40
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    GenieOz wrote: »
    Airtricity love doing this.
    Airtricity can't issue them with an accurate bill if the meter-reader can't access the meter.


  • #41
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Airtricity can't issue them with an accurate bill if the meter-reader can't access the meter.

    Sorry, didn't read the thread through.
    Just have had this done to me several times and other friends and family have had the issue.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    Degag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,158 ✭✭✭✭Degag


    Panline wrote: »
    They come about once every 2 months to check our meters. We have the opportunity to give them the reading ourselves, but we can't because we can't access the meter. I think they do check the meter themselves on a regular basis anyway to make sure that their customers are giving them the correct figures.

    OP, there must be access to the meter if the ESB Networks are getting in there to take a meter read?


  • #43
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,605 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Airtricity can't issue them with an accurate bill if the meter-reader can't access the meter.

    He said they read the meters.


  • #44
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    Panline wrote: »
    Thanks

    I have also checked the meter reading for the period 7/feb/13 to 7/feb/14 and in total they say we have used 11077 kWh. Do you think it's too high?

    Way too high. I only use a third of that, and I have washing machines going a lot, along with tv's and dishwashers. You need to get it sorted, you have a right to see your meter.


  • #45
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Merrion wrote: »
    That's approx. 4kw per hour every hour. Call the Gardaí - someone is running a cannabis growing operation off your electricity meter.
    You'd be surprised at the shenanigans some people pull; bypassing their meter and running their apartment off their neighbours (though if they're cute enough a small amount will go through their meter to avoid raising suspicions).
    Junkies are also very adept at squatting - when they get cut off, they find ways to get electricity, including punching holes in walls to access their neighbours' wiring, or taking a line off the hallway lighting outside their door.

    So it wouldn't be beyond possibility that the OP is getting shafted by someone.

    Though ESB networks anecdotally do tip off the Gardai when they notice an excessive draw coming from one or more buildings. This is why generators are the favoured choice of big growhouses, fuelled with diesel from the north, so it's practically untraceable.
    Sarn wrote: »
    In this case the electrician is one of the meter readers from the ESB. That's what they do, although it is possible that a mistake could have been made. I know that in a lot of apartment complexes tenants don't have access to the meters.
    I'm skeptical though that the ESB/utility would have access to meters in the attic of a block while landlords do not.

    My first port of call would be to knock around on neighbour's doors and find someone (preferably an owner/occupier) to ask if they know how to get access to their meter; play dumb.


  • #46
    Lenin Skynard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,970 ✭✭✭Lenin Skynard


    It should be "Electricity charges are too damn high" :(


  • #47
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Sarn wrote: »
    In this case the electrician is one of the meter readers from the ESB. That's what they do, although it is possible that a mistake could have been made. I know that in a lot of apartment complexes tenants don't have access to the meters.
    Aren't meter-readers just anyone? I thought it didn't require being an electrician.
    Obviously stand to be corrected though.

    Yeh I don't have access to the meter because the management company are afraid of meter tampering, so I have to send them a request to take a reading and send it on to me. They always do it very quickly though.


  • #48
    Sarn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,180 ✭✭✭Sarn


    seamus wrote: »
    I'm skeptical though that the ESB/utility would have access to meters in the attic of a block while landlords do not.

    My first port of call would be to knock around on neighbour's doors and find someone (preferably an owner/occupier) to ask if they know how to get access to their meter; play dumb.

    In this case it is located in the basement. Some places limit access to the meters (for whatever reason), while still fully accessible to ESB. I know I don't have access. In my case the management company will take a picture of the meter and send it to me on my request.


  • #49
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    The meter-reader could make a mistake OP of course - but how on earth can they enter the basement of a private residence, yet you can't access the meter...? :confused:

    Unless it's a communal basement for a block of flats?


  • #50
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Banjo String wrote: »
    My Airtricity bill was over 40% more expensive this month than last year's also.

    That's despite the fact my wife was on maternity leave this time last year, so heating would have been on more then than what it is this year. :mad:
    If the bills aren't over-estimates, all they have to go on is what it says on the meter, which is consumption, not extra units added on by them.
    Maybe get the wiring checked? E.g. as far as I know, a fridge consumes a huge amount of energy, especially one that's not sealing properly due to needing defrosting.
    Get one of them energy monitors maybe?


  • #51
    Degag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,158 ✭✭✭✭Degag


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Aren't meter-readers just anyone? I thought it didn't require being an electrician.
    Obviously stand to be corrected though.

    Yeh I don't have access to the meter because the management company are afraid of meter tampering, so I have to send them a request to take a reading and send it on to me. They always do it very quickly though.

    The meter readers are employed by ESB Networks who take the meter reads regardless of what company you are with


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Degag wrote: »
    The meter readers are employed by ESB Networks who take the meter reads regardless of what company you are with
    Yeh I know but they don't have to be electricians do they?


  • #53
    Degag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,158 ✭✭✭✭Degag


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Yeh I know but they don't have to be electricians do they?

    No. Quite the opposite I would imagine.


  • #54
    Freddie Dodge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 194 ✭✭Freddie Dodge


    Move in with your mother OP, its all those damm homeowners fault so it is....


  • #55
    Panline
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 74 ✭✭Panline


    My mom is dead Freddie.

    I will try to mail my landlord to find out what this is all about.

    Yes I have a storage heating and also my immersion is automated to run by night. That is why I think I have these night and day rates. I do not have much say on this as a tenant I believe.

    Yes I do live in a bloc of flat and I was just told that I couldn't access the basement where the meters are. I am not sure whether my neighbors can, I have never met them in a year

    Hypothetically of the ESB guy comes to check my meters would they know if someone is fraudulently using it? I am quite concerned that I am not able to check my meter yet I am supposed to pay what they say I'm using. That is weird.


  • #56
    Wulfie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 161 ✭✭Wulfie


    Panline wrote: »
    Hello

    I am a customer of Airtricity and this month they are charging us for using 2096 kWh by day between 15/jan/14 and 15/mar/14 and 3842 kWh by night on the same period.

    I cannot believe I have used so much electricity and I believe there must be a mistake. However I can't check my electricity meter myself, my landlord says it is on the attic and I cannot access it. But it is just not possible to use so much electricity in 2 months, we live in a 40 square meter and we don't do anything fancy. We're just a couple.

    Just as a comparison, last year for the period 7/feb/13-10/apr/13 we used 549 kWh by day and 728 kWh by night.

    What can I do?

    What bothers me most is the standing charge.My bill is usually c.€60. I don't have a telly or pooter .I do have Electric hob,oven and grill . The fridge and radio eat the most Lecky. This new phone might use a bit more.My bill used to be 45ish,might still be.


  • #57
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,605 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Wulfie wrote: »
    What bothers me most is the standing charge.My bill is usually c.€60. I don't have a telly or pooter .I do have Electric hob,oven and grill . The fridge and radio eat the most Lecky. This new phone might use a bit more.My bill used to be 45ish,might still be.

    Standing charge,VAT and service charges amounted to almost as much as actual electricity used the last time I received bills.


  • #58
    Andrew_Doran
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 227 ✭✭Andrew_Doran


    GenieOz wrote: »
    Sorry, didn't read the thread through.
    Just have had this done to me several times and other friends and family have had the issue.

    I have heard the very same thing from two other people.


  • #59
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    Andrew_Doran wrote: »
    I have heard the very same thing from two other people.

    absolute rubbish.

    airtricity get their readings from esd networks, in the absence of actual reads, estimates are made based of the consumption between last two actual reads. The responsibility is on the CUSTOMER to provide accurate reads if none are provided by networks.

    This comes up way too often on consumer issues and really is a joke the lack of understanding people have about their responsibilities with the electricity and gas.

    OP needs to find meter ( i dount its in attic) Open the door on it(a flathead screw driver in place of meter key works perfectly, read the dails on it and contact customer service in airtricity and bill be amended accordingly if consumption is less.

    have you looked to make sure there are no reversals on the bill that might mean the consumption is over a longer period and there is credit on your account?


  • #60
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Yeh, my bills are often estimated, so I just organise readings and send them in. No biggie. Some people go on as if they HAVE to pay an over-estimated bill and that it won't be refunded and they're just being over-charged for the craic. It's easily rectified.


  • Advertisement
  • #61
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    absolute rubbish.

    airtricity get their readings from esd networks, in the absence of actual reads, estimates are made based of the consumption between last two actual reads. The responsibility is on the CUSTOMER to provide accurate reads if none are provided by networks.

    The past two before we received a bill for E698 were E180 and E165.

    I know because I'm looking at the bills right now, care to explain how they came up with that number?


Advertisement
Advertisement