Query Relating To Airtricity Final Bill

[Cervelo]

I have recently changed energy providers and I have a issue with my final bill for Airtricity
I signed up with my new supplier Electric Ireland 5 days after my contract ended and gave them my gas meter reading as is normal
Airtricity sent me a final bill for 31 days of gas usage of 1870 units which averages out at 60.32 per day, no issues there
Airtricity broke the billing down into contract days at 26 and 5 days out of contract which I presume is billed at standard rate, no issues here either

For the 26 days they averaged my usage as 56.37 per day totalling 1465.75 units, which is just below the 60.32 daily average
And for the last 5 days they averaged my usage at 80.85 totalling 404.25 units which way above the 60.32 daily average

My question is should I question this increase in usage on a more expensive rate
And ask them to reissue a bill with the daily average of 60.32 on both the 26 and 5 day time frame
It's small money in the greater scheme of things but to me it's the principle of the matter, as I feel I'm been overcharged for my actual usage

 

[ClubMan]

The last 5 days were presumably deeper into winter so maybe your usage was naturally higher during that period?

Or, if they don't have access to daily actual readings and are averaging things then maybe it's based on your usage patterns last year?

 

[Cervelo]

if they don't have access to daily actual readings and are averaging things then maybe it's based on your usage patterns last year

They don't have access to my daily usage as it's a gas meter and not a smart meter so the have no idea what my daily usage is
Comparing the usage of those 5 days to the same period last year is pointless as to many variables, I could have not had the heating on at all
The simple fact is they don't know my daily usage so upping my usage while on an out of contract price is unfair to me a consumer
The simple and fairest way is use a daily average over the billing period and charge me that average for the 5 days

 

[Cervelo]

Finally after many phone calls and speaking to what I can only describe as "idiots" I got this resolved
But it took me to ask for their final written response before they actually admitted that the bill was incorrect
And even then they couldn't work out the correct amount that I'd been over charged and just gave me a credit

To give an example of what I had to deal with,
A person from billing rang me about payment, informing me that the bill was "absolutely" correct
but when I queried the 26 day usage period from the 02/11 to 27/11 as stated on the bill
I was told that that was not 26 days of usage
But 25 as 27 minus 2 gives 25
And that the bill is incorrect