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...

13»

Comments

  • #62
    delw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭delw


    Panline wrote: »
    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.
    Im the same,storage heating etc...& you have every right to access the meter reading.If you have a management company looking after the area ask them for access,if they refuse then i call shenanigans


  • #63
    Andrew_Doran
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 227 ✭✭Andrew_Doran


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    absolute rubbish

    Thank you for your reasoned opinion but for the moment I will defer to the experiences of people I know very well, one in ROI and one in NI, both of whom have observed the same behavior.


  • #64
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,119 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    delw wrote: »
    Im the same,storage heating etc...& you have every right to access the meter reading.If you have a management company looking after the area ask them for access,if they refuse then i call shenanigans

    I don't have storage heaters yet the electricit was setting a day/night pricing by default afaik and still is


  • #65
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    Andrew_Doran wrote: »
    Thank you for your reasoned opinion but for the moment I will defer to the experiences of people I know very well, one in ROI and one in NI, both of whom have observed the same behavior.

    trust me, your friends are wrong... are at least ill informed.


  • #66
    Heroditas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,353 ✭✭✭✭Heroditas


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    trust me, your friends are wrong... are at least ill informed.

    Completely agree with you.


  • Advertisement
  • #67
    I Heart Internet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,678 ✭✭✭I Heart Internet


    GenieOz wrote: »
    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?

    This happens (and has happened to me). You get a few (summertime/autumn) bills that are very low...possibly based simply on estimates.

    Then in Jan comes a huge bill because your meter has actually been read and turns out the previous bills were on the low side PLUS it is now winter so you're using more.

    So, for the example you quoted, if your meter was read (every day say) the REAL/ACCURATE bills might be for E500, E273 and E270.

    Estimating bills can lead to inaccuracies in individual bills.

    OP - I assume you get a paper/electronic Airtricity bill into you hand? You're not just taking the landlord's word for it??

    There should really be no problem allowing you access to see the meter!!

    Finally - it's very unlikely (illegal and dangerous) but it would not be enitrely unkown for someone to be powering more than one property from a single meter.....but the estimation errors are the more likely issue.


  • #68
    I Heart Internet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,678 ✭✭✭I Heart Internet


    Andrew_Doran wrote: »
    Thank you for your reasoned opinion but for the moment I will defer to the experiences of people I know very well, one in ROI and one in NI, both of whom have observed the same behavior.

    What behaviour??

    It is entirely true that, in the absence of actual meter readings (which for domestic customers is almost always a physical meter read) from ESB Networks, any electricity supplier (Electric Ireland, Energia, Airtricity, Bord Gais) can only estimate the number of kWh you have used.

    This estimation can bring in errors (which eventually get fixed with an actual reading).

    People should also bear in mind the very basic distiction between the amount of electricty you use (kWh) and the rate(s) that you are paying for that electricity.


  • #69
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    I Heart Internet wrote: »
    This happens (and has happened to me). You get a few (summertime/autumn) bills that are very low...possibly based simply on estimates.

    Then in Jan comes a huge bill because your meter has actually been read and turns out the previous bills were on the low side PLUS it is now winter so you're using more.

    So, for the example you quoted, if your meter was read (every day say) the REAL/ACCURATE bills might be for E500, E273 and E270.

    Estimating bills can lead to inaccuracies in individual bills.

    OP - I assume you get a paper/electronic Airtricity bill into you hand? You're not just taking the landlord's word for it??

    There should really be no problem allowing you access to see the meter!!

    Finally - it's very unlikely (illegal and dangerous) but it would not be enitrely unkown for someone to be powering more than one property from a single meter.....but the estimation errors are the more likely issue.

    The bills before were correct, the reading was over estimated by an incredible amount. It was reduced to the 140s in the end.
    Absolutely no reason for it and not te first instance it's happened to me or that I've heard it happening to other people either. They pull numbers out of thin air.


  • #70
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    trust me, your friends are wrong... are at least ill informed.

    So you're just going to deny real life experience then, good man yourself. Solid argument.


  • #71
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    GenieOz wrote: »
    So you're just going to deny real life experience then, good man yourself. Solid argument.

    ok well i can give you facts, go onto the suppliers sites and look at how they bill, that is my arguement, theres hard evidence to support this. you however are going by second hand hearsay from people you know. If you could perhaps show me some evidence to support your tales? A ruling in favour of the customer from the CER? Usually if the supplier messed up like you are implying, there would be compensation?

    I imagine you wont bother or realise you might be ill informed.


  • Advertisement
  • #72
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    ok well i can give you facts, go onto the suppliers sites and look at how they bill, that is my arguement, theres hard evidence to support this. you however are going by second hand hearsay from people you know. If you could perhaps show me some evidence to support your tales? A ruling in favour of the customer from the CER? Usually if the supplier messed up like you are implying, there would be compensation?

    I imagine you wont bother or realise you might be ill informed.

    Why would I need a ruling in favour of the customer from the CER?
    Fact is they send out mad numbers and expect payment, when pulled up on it they always back down as they realise they don't have a leg to stand on.

    Chancing their arm and that's their style.


    Would you like my scanned bills and stamped pictures of the meter or something?


  • #73
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    GenieOz wrote: »
    Why would I need a ruling in favour of the customer from the CER?
    Fact is they send out mad numbers and expect payment, when pulled up on it they always back down as they realise they don't have a leg to stand on.

    Chancing their arm and that's their style.


    Would you like my scanned bills and stamped pictures of the meter or something?

    Not sure what use any of that would be. Your posts might be better suited to http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=576 :pac:
    Personal responsibility goes a long way. Even if a reading is taken half way through a billing period the actual bill could be off easily by a few hundred units depending on the variance in your normal bills. e.g if you were to change the amount of heating used in your apartment because of colder or warmer weather.


  • #74
    bodhrandude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,321 ✭✭✭✭bodhrandude


    OP you can read your meter or usage by getting a plug-in power and energy monitor, I presume you could show that reading to Airtricity too.
    http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ukeqj%2B11L._SL1417_.jpg

    If you want to get into it, you got to get out of it. (Hawkwind 1982)



  • #75
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    GenieOz wrote: »
    Why would I need a ruling in favour of the customer from the CER?
    Fact is they send out mad numbers and expect payment, when pulled up on it they always back down as they realise they don't have a leg to stand on.

    Chancing their arm and that's their style.


    Would you like my scanned bills and stamped pictures of the meter or something?

    are you implying the companies do not adhere to their set agreed forumulas for estimating bills?

    'mad numbers'
    'back down'

    do you understand an estimate isnt a actual real figure, of course they will accept a read taken by a person? I dont know why you think thats a sign of them 'chancing their arm'?

    you seem to like buzz words alot


  • #76
    sweetsugar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 79 ✭✭sweetsugar


    OP, buy an energy monitor, check the reading, should be less than 700 watts roughly,(depending on what you're using) then turn off all your electricty gadgets in your apartment, the reading should go down a good bit to around 100 watt or way less but if the reading is still way too high, then you have a problem, (faulty wiring, someone else using your electricty etc).If it is you should contact Airtricity.


  • #77
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    are you implying the companies do not adhere to their set agreed forumulas for estimating bills?

    'mad numbers'
    'back down'

    do you understand an estimate isnt a actual real figure, of course they will accept a read taken by a person? I dont know why you think thats a sign of them 'chancing their arm'?

    you seem to like buzz words alot

    You're trying to say that they estimate a reading based on the previous two.
    On my experience this is not true. The previous two readings before our massive bill were accurate and they knew this, where did the massive bill estimate come from?

    Are you getting it now? Or would you like to try patronise a bit more whilst evading the point?


    A business should operate by giving accurate estimates, not having the payment disputed nearly every single time.


  • #78
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    GenieOz wrote: »


    A business should operate by giving accurate estimates, not having the payment disputed nearly every single time.

    not really, the person who is paying should ensure that they are paying the correct amount, if you arent that bothered to give your own readings, the company estimates as best they can until a point readings are submitted to rectify the inaccuracy. Its pretty clear the responsibility is not on the company


  • #79
    Degag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,158 ✭✭✭✭Degag


    GenieOz wrote: »
    You're trying to say that they estimate a reading based on the previous two.
    On my experience this is not true. The previous two readings before our massive bill were accurate and they knew this, where did the massive bill estimate come from?

    Are you getting it now? Or would you like to try patronise a bit more whilst evading the point?


    A business should operate by giving accurate estimates, not having the payment disputed nearly every single time.
    How does that work exactly?:pac:

    Estimates don't go just on previous usage. They go on historical usage in the property, weather, usage in your area and other factors.

    Fact of the matter is, if you are not happy receiving estimated bills, enter your own reads. You have nothing to complain about.


  • #80
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Nah I don't understand how Airtricity can issue estimated bills that are wildly out of sync. I get that it's the customer's responsibility to monitor their meter etc and I know the scheduled readings are carried out by ESB Networks and not the supplier, but estimated bills of 6/700 euro when the bills are normally 120/150... where is that coming from?

    I am with Electric Ireland years (used to be with Bord Gáis for years too) and quite a lot of my bills are estimated because of limited access to the meters, and they have never been that out of wack with the actual bills.
    I know you can just send in a reading to cancel the estimated bill, but Airtricity is the only provider I've ever heard of that sends out these wildly over-estimated bills (by hundreds); my bills have never been over-estimated by anything more than 10/20 euro.


  • #81
    nullzero
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,166 ✭✭✭✭nullzero
    °°°°°


    You are entitled to read your meter. Your landlord should be aware of this, and if they are not then you need to make them aware of it.


  • Advertisement
  • #82
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    not really, the person who is paying should ensure that they are paying the correct amount, if you arent that bothered to give your own readings, the company estimates as best they can until a point readings are submitted to rectify the inaccuracy. Its pretty clear the responsibility is not on the company

    Ok, so payment being disputed nearly every time is a proper way of running a business to you. Fair enough.
    Degag wrote: »
    How does that work exactly?:pac:

    Estimates don't go just on previous usage. They go on historical usage in the property, weather, usage in your area and other factors.

    Fact of the matter is, if you are not happy receiving estimated bills, enter your own reads. You have nothing to complain about.

    Er, it works by basing it on the previous readings, is that not obvious?
    Oh right, so it's not based on previous readings then at all really is it? Probably shouldn't state that like has been so.


    btw, for what it's worth, that bill came after the two warmest months of the year. So nothing makes sense about it other than whoever is responsible for it being incredibly incompetent.


  • #83
    Degag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,158 ✭✭✭✭Degag


    GenieOz wrote: »
    Ok, so payment being disputed nearly every time is a proper way of running a business to you. Fair enough.

    Every customer gets estimated bills. You have the option of sending in correct readings to get correct bills any time you want. If you don't take this option you are liable to get said estimated bills. You have no argument.


    Er, it works by basing it on the previous readings, is that not obvious?

    You want "accurate estimates"

    A rather contradictory phrase?


  • #84
    Panline
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 74 ✭✭Panline


    Is it all worth fighting for?


    Thanks to everyone in the thread with their advice. I have contacted my landlord to ask again to access the meter. We'll see how that goes...


  • #85
    delw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭delw


    Panline wrote: »
    Is it all worth fighting for?


    Thanks to everyone in the thread with their advice. I have contacted my landlord to ask again to access the meter. We'll see how that goes...
    May be asking the landlord to look into getting the pre paid meter installed so you can keep a closer eye on electricity been used


  • #86
    GenieOz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 892 ✭✭✭GenieOz


    Degag wrote: »
    Every customer gets estimated bills. You have the option of sending in correct readings to get correct bills any time you want. If you don't take this option you are liable to get said estimated bills. You have no argument.





    You want "accurate estimates"

    A rather contradictory phrase?


    An accurate estimate would be within a certain percentage. Not 300%.


  • #87
    Colser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,572 ✭✭✭Colser


    OP,,Does your bill state that it an estimated bill? Are there any letters beside the present and/or previous readings on your bill eg an e for estimate?


Advertisement
Advertisement