At the present time the utility companies are able to estimate the amount of fuel – gas or electricity – that you use and by law are not forced to read your meter/s for up to two years.
With the present price of fuel increasing by the month, this is a very bad practise that these companies hold to.
Example my gas meter was read in June 2008. The subsequent readings were all estimated.
Until the 3rd of December when the gas meter was read, bearing in mind the estimates were under-estimated and I was not charged the then price per unit for the gas that I actually used.
The meter reading on the 3rd of December was then charged at the current price of gas. Not the price that had been in place when the readings were estimated. The price now is actually double the price of the estimated readings.
So in effect I am paying double the money for gas, which should have been at the lower price, just because they estimate the reading instead of doing some work and read my meter or leave a card I could fill in with the readings and send to them.
The system is a rip off.
If you are in the same position then ring them and complain.
If you do get estimated readings then read the meters yourself and let them know.
E mail from a friend not circulated as a personal event
