OT: How trustworthy is Ebico/SE?

[wasaol]

I am suspicious! My electric and gas bills are printed on Southern Electric stock paper and have a small ebico logo added, in view of the fact that I chose Ebico to supply my domestic electricity.

Here's what just doesn't seem to add up: Last summer, I changed three of my house's windows from single-glazed to double-glazed. On top of that, this last winter was much milder than the one before.

Nevertheless, SE/Ebico tells me I used about 30% more electricity than I di d during the previous colder winter when I had less double-glazing! I live alone, so no extra people have been using electricity. My house has a pay-a s-you-go token meter (because I have plans to rent the house to tenants in the future).

Ebico also says I used about 30% more gas this year too. Is it possible tha t I'm being defrauded and cheated by this company?

TIA JD

[Andy Burns]

Mistakes perhaps, deliberate fraud I wouldn't think so.

Have you got copies of your last two years bills? Do they show any estimated or corrected readings?

[Mike Barnes]

Fraud seems highly unlikely, especially if the readings on the bills correspond with those on the meters themselves. Have you checked?

If you think the meters are faulty, get them checked.

[wasaol]

tric stock paper and have a small ebico logo added, in view of the fact tha t I chose Ebico to supply my domestic electricity.

f my house's windows from single-glazed to double-glazed. On top of that, t his last winter was much milder than the one before.

I did during the previous colder winter when I had less double-glazing! I l ive alone, so no extra people have been using electricity. My house has a p ay-as-you-go token meter (because I have plans to rent the house to tenants in the future).

that I'm being defrauded and cheated by this company?

Thanks, Yes, I guess that is the only way I'll find out. I have not does th is so far because it's a real pain to see the digits and one needs to be fa irly young and supple to assume the necessary contortionist pose to even ge t your eyes close to the thing! (Which I ain't!)

[tim...]

No you didn't you chose Ebico to "bill you", they then use their local subbie to supply you

don't you read your own meter and check the readings are correct?

tim

[Broadback]

You would also need to delve in how the weather has varied, where you live, between this year and last.

[Clive George]

Try taking a photo - should be a lot easier to get a camera in the right place than your head.

[Andy Burns]

Cameraphone or digital camera?

[Dave Liquorice]

Not quite. You choose Ebico to be the company that sets your tariff, sends you bills that you pay. Ebico are tied up with SE to issue/collect those bills. Your electricity supply physically arrives over the distribution network run by another company that is the modern incarnation of the old monopoly local electricity board. They are paid by SE/Ebico.

Just to be clear 30% more actual energy as in kWHr's or 30% more in cost as in £'s? Ebico could easily be 30% more than the cheapest. Where Ebico score is for low users as there is no standing charge, you only pay for what you use but at a rate above the cheapest available.

As others have said check your bills for correct readings and any estimated readings. Using a spreadsheet to crunch the numbers makes it less of a chore.

[Adam Aglionby]

On Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 4:04:14 PM UTC+1, [e-mail] wrote: My house has a pay-as-you-go token meter (because I have plans to rent the house to tenants in the future).

Token meters are susceptible to all sorts of, er, `errors`.

They run a standing weekly charge , that may include any `start up` credit set on meter at installation.

Using the `emergency credit ` button will also get added to the weekly charge.

The supply co will then `forget` to reset the weekly charge at reading after these have been paid back.

They will then argue black is white about the billing.

As long as supply co are informed of incoming tenant and start meter reading the tenant is responsible for the bill, not the landlord.

Dont curse your tenants with token accepting meters, they offer the landlord no advantage.

Source: 4 1/2 year argument with Scottish Power about Powercard meters with several tenants receiving substantial refunds following threat of court action.

Any doubt about the meter, have it tested, testing is a very thorough process involving putting the meter in an enviromental test chamber,it costs the supply co a small fortune.

After meter test 2 they tend to start becoming more keen to help....