N-Power Overpricing

In late November 2008 I used uSwitch to see if I could get my energy supplied any more cheaply. My major concern was the vast changes that Scottish Power were making quarter to quarter based on my fuel bills despite what they called graduated charging to smooth out the curve and the pain. As I result I shifted to N-Power.

Now with the general election and other stuff since then the ability of me to be when the meter reader called round was non-existent. Also the little reminder card to ask me to send off my own readings got neglected amongst the plethora of junk mail. Thus the last two actual meter readings on my house were in December and March.

Anyone who recalls the weather we had during that period, ie the temperature barely rising above zero will understand that quarters bill to have been high. So it was that when I moved out I sent off the final readings, I got the final settlement when I was away over the weekend. My bill is in credit to the sum of £622.39. This actually equates to over three months of the current rate they were charging me at. This is from a provider I was only with from December 2008. Therefore I had been overcharged by some quite considerable margin for 21 months I was with them.

Many power companies are now offering you the opportunity to send in your own reading. In future I will be checking my own reading more regularly and comparing it to the bills I'm being sent or using the online reporting of my usage system more regularly.

It also brings to my mind a project that one of my former flatmates was working on down in London. It was to make gas meters readable without having to visit the site. This was in the early days of the Internet, but it does make me wonder why we still insist on analogue metering that has to be monitored on site, leading to estimates of usage, which invariably are proven to be off in either direction at some point in the future.

Blackadder Gases Cunning Plan

Last week I posted about how Scottish Gas were upping my standing order disproportionately to any logical usage I could work out. Well it seems I'm not alone, but I'm somewhat better off than Mr Quist.

I imagine it happening thus:

Edmund Blackadder enters the office of this boss George Prince.

Prince, George: Ah Blackadder. What news?

Blackadder: Not good sir. The price of gas is going down again.

Prince, George: But surely that is a good thing Blackadder? The customers have been complaining about the fuel prices all year.

Blackadder: While that is true sir, what about the shareholders? After all it is they who employ you, not the customers.

Prince, George: Oh balderdash. I'd forgotten about them.

Blackadder: And you'd promised them significant profits for the next fiscal year based on the increased fuel prices we thought were coming.

Enter Baldrick and office clerk, hands a file over to Blackadder.

Prince, George: What can we do to ensure we make enough money to please the shareholders.

Baldrick: I have a cunning plan.

Blackadder: Not now Baldrick, this is no concern of yours.

Baldrick: But Mr Blackadder sir, what if we make our pre-paying customers pay for 18 months gas over the next year?

Blackadder: Don't be so stupid. Get out of here.

Baldrick exits.

Blackadder: Sir I may have the solution you are looking for.

Prince, George: What oh Bladder?

Blackadder: Well Sir lets just say we make those who pay by direct debit pay for more gas than they'll actually use. To gear them up for next winter. Say 18 months worth over a financial year.

Prince, George: Squiffy, Blackadder. That is a genius idea. How did I ever come up with it?

Blackadder: I have no idea sir, it is one of your best.

Scottish Gas the Truth About Direct Debits

I heat my house through Scottish Gas, they also cover my electricity. Three months ago they reappraised my monthly gas direct debit downwards by 50%. However, yesterday I received a letter telling me they were increasing my direct debit upwards by 66% a month. So now I will be paying £5 more than I was two quarters ago. My account is also currently in credit.

Paying by direct debit, the little information leaflet enclosed with the bill, eases your worries over your fuel bills. "We reassess your bills to spread your payments evenly through the year" says a little graph. Oh no you don't Scottish Gas! For each of the last five quarters my direct debit has been going up and then down now up again. You give me less than three weeks notice that before I get paid again (as I get paid mid month) you will be looking for an extra £20 this month.

Scottish Gas are also currently running an ad saying they have cut prices twice in the last 12 months. Yet the only reason you could have for a 66% hike in my bill currently in credit is to cover increased costs. I do not use 66% more gas in the winter over the autumn. I even appear to have over half of one month already paid for. So you may be actually asking me for 75% more.

I will be looking for another service provider as this yo-yoing (when fuel prices are actually coming down at source) is not the way I'm prepared to make budgeting decisions any longer.