Swalec Meter Mayhem

[noexcuses]

Having just moved out of a property I have had nothing but errors and incompetency from Swalec from the start. I moved into a small 2 bedroom flat on 25th January 2013 until 25th July 2013.

 

In July 2013 I informed Swalec that I was moving out of the property and they emailed me a bill which I immediately queried as they were saying I owed £286.56 for electric and £194.52, following my query, Swalec have sent me a rather confusing letter telling me that the Meter Serial Numbers I have sent to them don't match the numbers they have registered to the property, yet on checking they are the same as the numbers stated on my accounts.

 

I know I have not used this amount of fuel and the actual gas bill for the winter January 25th - April 4th was only £17.83 so how can they justify charging me £194.52 for summer months April 5th - July 25th. Please can anyone help ? I feel they are ripping me off ...It doesn't make sense !!

[Surfer01]

Go to your meter and make sure it is the meter for your flat and no one else's flat. Read the meter number and check if it corresponds with the meter serial number on the paperwork. I would think that over a 6 month period your electric bill would be about £180 -£200 and gas about £150. I have made this assumption on our consumption in a 1 bedroom flat.

[noexcuses]

Hi Surfer 01,

 

thanks for the reply. The serial number tallies with theserial number on the bills I have received and I checked the serial number twice, what I don't understand is

a) Why did they only give me an Actual gas bill in April and an Estimated electric bill when both meters are in the same location

b) Why is my Actual Gas bill £17.83 in April then suddenly goes up to £194 when I my consumption would have decreased in April and May ?

c) Why have they contradicted themselves in saying the serial numbers are incorrect when they are the same as the serial numbers they have stated on the bills ?

None of it makes sense.

 

I emailed them previously to query the final bill and they contradicted themselves yet again by telling me that both the meter reads in April were Estimates when the Gas bill clearly states it is an Actual bill.

[Surfer01]

The gas meter and the electric meter are read by two different organisations. If you have an opening read from when you moved into the flat and a closing read when you left, it is relatively easy to work out the cost of consumption for the period that you occupied the flat. Deduct what you have already paid and what is left is what you owe them.

[noexcuses]

Hi ,

Yes you would think it's that simple. But it just doesn't make sense that I am getting so much contradictory information.

I used £17 worth of gas from January to April then £194 for April and May when the heating was switched off .

I have been overcharged by this unscrupulous company in the past and was wary when I was told they were the suppliers to the property .

I will wait to see what their response to my email is.

[Surfer01]

Hi ,

Yes you would think it's that simple. But it just doesn't make sense that I am getting so much contradictory information.

I used £17 worth of gas from January to April then £194 for April and May when the heating was switched off .

I have been overcharged by this unscrupulous company in the past and was wary when I was told they were the suppliers to the property .

I will wait to see what their response to my email is.

 

Do you have opening and closing reads for electric and gas?

[noexcuses]

Yes I have readings, but the first gas bill I had in April (an actual bill said 0 units used).Clearly there is an issue with the meter as I explained earlier, the last correspondence from swalec stated that there was a contradiction with the Meter Serial Numbers.I am trying to get to the bottom of why I have an ACTUAL gas bill from January 25th 2013- April 4th 2013 that reads 0 units used.

[Surfer01]

If you have no units used, the only charge would be the standing charge at about £10 per month. Once you have worked out your consumption, write to them rather than getting stressed on the phone and point out the errors of their ways. State that if they do not agree with your calculations, they need to explain why and give a breakdown.