What a shock?
Just received a bill for the electricity at my warehouse. These monthly bills are usually £70 or less from Opus Energy. Nothing has changed regarding using new devices etc.
Today's bill is for £700. The bill actually states that we have used 10 times the usual amount of kilowats, Phoned them and they say we have to pay it. If we cancel the direct debit they will immediately send in a debt collection agency and they will also destroy our credit rating.
It seems Opus Energy is being taken over/sold to another provider.
Seems very high handed. Don't know how to deal with this.
Does anyone else have this problem? Can anyone offer advice regarding my options for action? Help would be appreciated.
What a shock?
Just received a bill for the electricity at my warehouse. These monthly bills are usually £70 or less from Opus Energy. Nothing has changed regarding using new devices etc.
Today's bill is for £700. The bill actually states that we have used 10 times the usual amount of kilowats, Phoned them and they say we have to pay it. If we cancel the direct debit they will immediately send in a debt collection agency and they will also destroy our credit rating.
It seems Opus Energy is being taken over/sold to another provider.
Seems very high handed. Don't know how to deal with this.
Does anyone else have this problem? Can anyone offer advice regarding my options for action? Help would be appreciated.
15 replies
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
I'd suggest looking at the info on citizens advice.
But in general have you checked if you were on a fixed rate term of any kind? Are you on a smart meter, or is it to an estimate?
Seller_d8YGbIjNqwFxn
Have you actually checked the meter reading, does it match what the bill says?
You can get faulty meters sometimes and if this is the case you can normally get them replaced and any overpayment refunded.
If you can prove the bill is wrong you should be able to get it corrected. You can raise a formal complaint with the energy company if they are unwilling to resolve it over the phone/email.
I would though say £70 a month for commercial premises does seem very cheap. Have you been on some kind of deal, or have they been estimating your meter readings wrong?
You may be better off posting on a forum such Money Saving Expert Forum. I have used that forum in the past for issues such as this and you do get some responses.
Seller_mS10UjVYuuGor
i) Check the bill, if there is an (E) after the meter reading it is an estimate and possibly wildly wrong, give them an accurate reading and ask for a new bill.
ii) If the reading is correct and your meter is clocking away check for power hungry items that may have been left on such as fan heaters etc. If nothing is obvious switch everything off and see if the meter is still clocking, if so call an electrician!
iii) If the reading is correct check old bills back to the last physical reading, were your estimates too low for too long and its now time to catch up?
iv) Check your meter number matches that on the bill, if the company has been/is being taken over mistakes can happen.
v) Check if you've just left a fixed term contract at a much lower rate, if so you'll have to pay this one if the reading is correct but find a new deal asap. Commercial bills are not capped in the way residential bills are so huge rises are possible (although 10 x does still sound excessive). Have a look at the price per kwh you were paying a few months ago compared to the new bill to see if that has changed.
vi) If you haven't already got a smart meter, get one, so ongoing your bills will be accurate.
Seller_PqRORvCSLAuUn
I was with Opus at one of my shops, they misread the meter. They kept promising to install a smart meter and a mini turbine (because it was a windy location) but they never got round to it. They sent some one to look in to the installation of the smart meter and mini turbine but when I chased it up they came up with excuses like they had new smart meters coming and wanted to get me one of the new ones but never did.
The problem for me was the electric meter was one of those old ones with dials and one of the dials looked like it was on 0 but it was actually on 9 so I had a bill of over £2000.
Seller_OFjSrssNgD9RS
Thank you all for help, we pay more like 100 a month. but it is just a warehouse with no heating. it is a smart meter but there is insufficent internet for it to work so they send a guy round to read the meter.
So I have looked again at the bill with a calmer mind. they have billed me incorrectly. infact presenting a bill for the last three months ( two of wich I have already paid. they also charged me 20% for vat when it is 5% for fule. so I will again speak to their rude call centre and look to change providers too.
cheers
Seller_51Trj4jpVFZCy
Maybe you were at fixed direct debit £70. Then they calculated total energy consumption and charged the rest? Just check begging of your contact till now and compare the meter.
Seller_MT8rt0A2OpbCx
It's only 5% for domestic use. Businesses are generally charged 20%, but some providers will only charge 5% if the consumption is low. If consumption goes over what they consider domestic use for a period, they then charge 20%. I have had this if a reading is sent shortly after an estimate or other read. The bill can then be for a few days and only charged at 5% VAT.
In your case, if the meter read is corrected, you should be send a credit for the wrong bill with 20% VAT, then a new smaller bill, which will probably have 5% VAT.
