Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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So, I've been living in my apartment about 2 and a half years now I submit a meter read every month and the difference is usually 10 or 15 units out which makes no sense as I have the hot water on for 4 hours a week
The bill amount is ussually around £40 a month in the summer months (Meaning gas is costing me £2.30 an hour that it is on).
I've called them and asked them to explain how they can charge so much seeing as how my account isn't in debit OR credit and they mumble back with stupid answers and tell me to look at my bill. When I try and look at my bill online their website crashes when trying to load the PDF. Now I have never been convinced that the meter with my flat number on (I live in an old house thats been converted) is actually my meter but their reference number on the meter matches my flat and therefore they say it must be mine. However could there not have been a cock up when the meters were installed and registered ?
Question for gas engineers if you can't be arsed to read the rest - The only reason I say this is because I checked the meter last night and it's hardly budged since last month, and coincidentaly the people in the flat below me have been away since the beginning of the month. Is there anyway I can find out whether or not "my meter" is infact "my meter" and not just registered wrongly etc. British gas aren't willing to accept this is a possibility.
I'm really hoping this is the case, otherwise am I fuck going to be using the boiler this winter if it costs £2.30 an hour  ! 8 hours of heating a day for a month is nearly £600 at that rate
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Conway563
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Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
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It's definitely a possibility. Saw something on watchdog a while ago where people were getting the wrong bill
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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I'm definately getting the "right" bill, it always states the reading that I give etc..however I think £40 for 16/18 hours a month is bonkers
Can you remember what they did to get it sorted out ?
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Conway563
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Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
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Contacted watchdog I think
British Gas were refusing to admit they was an issue, threatening court etc
I'm positive one of the cases was where a flat had the wrong meter set up. Another where there were 2 flats, 1 had both meter's set to it so were getting both flats usage on the bill and the other who weren't paying anything
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Conway563
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Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
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I've found an article about water companies - http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/02/mixup_with_water_bills.html
Might be able to able to find something similar on there for gas
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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Cheers Joe 
The problem is when I take it up with BG, they simply say that it can't be an issue and either my boilers efficiency is poor or I'm using it more than i'm telling them (Basically saying i'm lying and My boiler is rated an A and I had them service it a few weeks ago where the guy even said it was a damn efficient boiler)
Furthermore, the people that live downstair are a rich old couple, the type I imagine have their hot water on almost all day so it would kinda fit.
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Twiggy
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Registered: 15th Oct 04
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I am also in this position. Old house into flats.
Our bills are fucking mental!
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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Out of interest twiggy
How many hours a month do you have it on
How much is you bill
Who are you with
I know its not very scientific, but it'd give an idea
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Twiggy
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Registered: 15th Oct 04
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Not long, had to clam down on it.
With British gas, not sure on the bills as the mrs deals with it and just moans haha!
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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I think i'm just going to start writing down the reading daily, once in the morning once at night. As mine is on a timer I know exactly when its on and when its not, if it's changed on a day when its not come on then I can obviously take it further, however reckon it will be like smacking my head against a wall
[Edited on 30-08-2011 by Neo]
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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follow the main feed out of the meter and see where it goes?
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Neo
Member
Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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Tried that Rich. All the pipes clump together and then go into the wall. The meters are all kept in a little room outside the house next to the lift motor room, once they enter the house thats it, can't see where they go.
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Twiggy
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Registered: 15th Oct 04
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He is our meters and pipe work Ours is labled as number one but we are the ground floor which should be box G??
Will ask about the bill tonight.
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Twiggy
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Registered: 15th Oct 04
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Looking at that ours goes in at our "roof high" yet come in yo the boiler from the floor board level. This is the only thing that is gas.
WTF!??
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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Yeah i'd probably assume yours is wrong twiggy if its going in at the roof level and appearing from the floor. Where goes the box labeled G go ?
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mattk
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Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
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do you have a combi boiler? if so then look at all the meters and have a look at how fast the numbers are roling round, look at the one that you beleive to be yours. get someone in your flat to turn a hot water tap on full blast, see which meter starts to go mental and if it is infact yours
combi boilers use all of their gas rate on hot water mode so they will use the most then and that will get the dials flying round
in the case of the picture above where its 3 seperate boxes with 3 seperate shut off valves Id be tempted to just turn off the one I thought was mine and then light the cooker and see if it will light or not
Twiggy if you are the ground floor and your boiler is fed from underneath it looks to me like your box is number 2
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Twiggy
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Registered: 15th Oct 04
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I think ours might be number 2, as that seems to go around the side of the house to the back and thats where the boiler is
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by mattk
do you have a combi boiler? if so then look at all the meters and have a look at how fast the numbers are roling round, look at the one that you beleive to be yours. get someone in your flat to turn a hot water tap on full blast, see which meter starts to go mental and if it is infact yours
combi boilers use all of their gas rate on hot water mode so they will use the most then and that will get the dials flying round
Yeah it is a combi boiler Matt. I guess you mean to turn the boiler on and then turn the hot tap on ?
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mattk
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Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
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just go to your bath or kitchen sink and open a hot water tap fully, probably best if you can get someone in the flat and someone at the meters so you dont have it running for too long
if one flat has hot water running it will be apparant which meter it is comming from
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
User status: Offline
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Would that not only show on the water meter ? Why would that make the gas meter change ? Surely the boiler needs to be on ?
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mattk
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Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
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yeah the boiler needs to be on
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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Ta Will give it a try tonight
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Twiggy
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Registered: 15th Oct 04
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FUCKING HELL OUR GAS BILL IS £393 FOR THE LAST 1/4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 bed ground floor flat!
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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£132 a month  How long do you have it on ? That's chicken oriental ! Now how quick you gonna start checking whether thats actually yours lol
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mattk
Member
Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Twiggy
FUCKING HELL OUR GAS BILL IS £393 FOR THE LAST 1/4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 bed ground floor flat!
you deffo have the wrong meter! do what Ive mentioned above with the hot water and see which meter speeds up, I bet the fuckers that have your meter have swapped the meter box doors opent, the doors are really easy to change
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