Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)

How outrageous is this?

I took possession of my new house on 1st December and moved in on 2nd December, when I submitted meter readings (electricity only, no gas).

When I got my first bill this week, I didn’t get the government subsidy for December … because I wasn’t in occupancy for the full calendar month! I didn’t get it at the old property either!

Probably my own fault, I know, but talk about bureaucratic red tape!

So if you move mid-month, you miss out!!
 
TimTom said:
How outrageous is this?

I took possession of my new house on 1st December and moved in on 2nd December, when I submitted meter readings (electricity only, no gas).

When I got my first bill this week, I didn’t get the government subsidy for December … because I wasn’t in occupancy for the full calendar month! I didn’t get it at the old property either!

Probably my own fault, I know, but talk about bureaucratic red tape!

So if you move mid-month, you miss out!!
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Surely you were? you had the house since 01/12, you owned it and therefore the billing for it as well since that date too.

It's not like they're not charging you the standing charge or the units for the 01/12 right? they may have no had the meter reading until the 02/12 but it's no different to if you put the 1st meter reading in on say 15/12, you'd still have to pay for usage since 01/12 if that's when you took possession.
 
HungryHippos said:
Surely you were? you had the house since 01/12, you owned it and therefore the billing for it as well since that date too.

It's not like they're not charging you the standing charge or the units for the 01/12 right? they may have no had the meter reading until the 02/12 but it's no different to if you put the 1st meter reading in on say 15/12, you'd still have to pay for usage since 01/12 if that's when you took possession.
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I’ll have to check the bill for the standing charge, but when I spoke to someone at SSE today and queried it, she said the reading was submitted on 2nd, and their records show that as the takeover date. It may be my fault as perhaps I didn’t make it clear enough when moving in, but as you’ll appreciate, contacting all the utilities companies in those first couple of days is a bit of a pain.

Its not the end of the world, but when you’re moving house, as they say “every penny counts”!!
 
TimTom said:
I’ll have to check the bill for the standing charge, but when I spoke to someone at SSE today and queried it, she said the reading was submitted on 2nd, and their records show that as the takeover date. It may be my fault as perhaps I didn’t make it clear enough when moving in, but as you’ll appreciate, contacting all the utilities companies in those first couple of days is a bit of a pain.

Its not the end of the world, but when you’re moving house, as they say “every penny counts”!!
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Well surely you've got legal completion date + you were physically in possession of the keys on 01/12.

Tell them you were resident on 01/12 and make up a meter reading that is slightly less than the ones you submitted for that date as well, and just say you took them on the 01/12 but forgot to submit them on the day, and took new ones on 02/12 instead (which were more up to date).

The seller of the house should have provided meter readings to close the account off in their name as well.
 
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I appreciate your replies. I suppose I posted because I was just feeling a bit irked! I could easily provide the paperwork, and might do so. Cheers.
 
TimTom said:
I appreciate your replies. I suppose I posted because I was just feeling a bit irked! I could easily provide the paperwork, and might do so. Cheers.
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Well it's the principal of the thing isn't it?

If they say you didn't provide them until 02/12 then follow up with the what if you only submitted the first reading a week later? or a month? It's not like you weren't actually there and in legal verifiable possession right? Where does this end and your billing start? To me it's the date you get the keys and assume ownership :)
 
bigmike20vt said:
i generally dont even consider myself left............. (or right) i swing both ways depending on the topic......

but despite that i think privatising essential services is an absolutely terrible decision, esp the privatisation we have, which to me seems like if things are profitable................. share holders make bank

if things go to crap........... then the government bail them out anyway (ultimately with our money)....

so its all stick for us with naff all carrot.

Then there is the water......... one of the great excuses for privatising that was that the infrastructure was crumbling and if privatised it would be modernised........... years later the infrastructure is still crumbling, and we are pumping record amounts of raw sewage into the wild. (and our bills are high as well)
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Not to mention you privatise a water company that the consumer has no choice over. Lol
 
A freedom of information request by The Telegraph has shown energy companies have managed to sit on, and profit from the interest on, 9 billion pounds worth of our money, by getting people to meekly go into credit with them, which is frankly outrageous. I pride myself they have never had a penny of my cash before it was due, and even then at the last minute :) This rip off needs sorting, and pronto.
 
Whatever the method, they are still paying. I wonder if people would feel the same if the supermarkets wanted customers to be in constant credit? I have watched the dramas here unfold as customers find the energy suppliers have grabbed significant amounts of pre payment for their supplies and they then have to go through hoops to reclaim it.
 
flea.rider said:
£140 for gas and electric last month .. i do love a wood burner :)
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Good, there are councils claiming they are overwhelmed with "stuff" and are unable to bring legislation on pollution, or local by laws to bear about smoke and fume emissions. I can't imagine that some local council departments allegedly not answering incoming calls, save to "secret ring formulae" for family and friends has anything at all to do with their struggle to maintain services ;) Wood burners are not without pre planning nor work, good luck to you!
 
£145 for my gas and electric last month. not bad seeing as heating was on for 2 hours per day (wife is always cold, even when wrapped up in blanket) most days. As the days get warmer gas usage will reduce as it will for all. But that don't matter when the EPG ends and price sky rocket. making most peoples electric bills as much as both gas and electric before.
 
Chris Wilson said:
Whatever the method, they are still paying. I wonder if people would feel the same if the supermarkets wanted customers to be in constant credit?
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Last time I checked my supermarket bill didn't swing from £400 to under £100 through the course of the year. Oh yeh, its actually pretty consistent week on week....

£300 average credit is about one months average payment in credit... nothing story.
 
jpaul said:
Indeed this is more interesting Octopus's magnanimous gesture,
LOL government gifts them a seat with the major players and they ditch profit, if you read about their lobbying, too

Octopus says it chose to ditch profit to keep energy bills down​

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Just as interesting, after the Bulb buyout they will be the 3rd largest operator in the UK. That's some serious growth considering where they started, and despite that still seem to get good review
 
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