An annual energy projection of £9,487.73 (over $12,000) left one United Kingdom customer staring at a supposed monthly bill of about £791 (around $1,000).
The unusual part, they said, is that their gas meter reportedly has not been checked because it sits inside a neighbor's garden.
Here's what to know
In a Reddit post where they facetiously wrote "Energy prices are getting cheaper every day!" the user shared that their estimated yearly energy cost was £9,487.73.
In the same post, they explained in an edit that they hadn't provided a gas reading for their converted maisonette because the meter is in the neighbor's garden, and the neighbors are often not home when they try to ask for access.
Instead of treating the number as a normal household estimate, commenters joked that it sounded more like heavy industry. One asked, "Are you running a steelworks?" and another wrote, "Congratulations on your data centre."
Another reply zeroed in on the gas side of the account, saying, "Are you really using that much gas? That's an insane quantity."
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More background
Because a gas reading was missing, the large estimate appears tied to incomplete meter information.
The fact that the home is a converted maisonette prompted questions about how the meters were set up when the property was divided. One commenter asked, "Are you sure the metering was split when your houses were, and that you're not just paying both yours and your neighbour's energy bill?"
The resident answered with a detail that pushes back on that theory: "There are two gas meters in the gardens, both labelled with the properties' numbers." That doesn't solve the problem of getting to the meter, but it does show the most obvious explanation has already been checked.
People kept the joking tone going. One asked whether the home was "heating up a volcano," while another said the amount was "more than my three swimming pools use." Even before any changes are made, most households would find an estimated £791 a month alarming.
What can be done?
When an energy supplier is estimating usage, getting a current reading on record can make a major difference.
A commenter also suggested checking for crossed meters in a split or converted property. The original poster said "both" gas meters were "labelled with the properties' numbers." Verifying that each meter matches the correct address can help eliminate the possibility of an expensive billing error.
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at similar utility bill shocks, possible meter mix-ups, and disputes over what households are actually being charged.
• In Vancouver, a tenant found that what the landlord was plugging in could be costing them a fortune.
• Utilities were accused of spending bill money on transmission projects that served shareholder interests.
• Crypto miners secured discounted electricity deals while households were left with higher power bills.
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