Stormy Weather II

[BBMmk2]

We try not to have estimates. We always do ours online.

[oddoneout]

I don’t think, having worked in the Industry for 40 years, they do “routinely overestimate “ they have to use the customers previous consumption to estimate and if they were found to be doing as you suggest then Ofgem should come down on them like a ton of bricks. Don’t get me wrong - I am not defending the current suppliers ... S_A’s experience is only too typical .... the whole industry is a shambles ....

What should happen and what does happen aren't always aligned....My comments are based on what I was told when I called - on several different occasions - to correct the estimate. My argument was that after several years worth of data showing what my general usage pattern was there should be no excuse for overestimating by the kind of margins I was seeing (double or triple actual usage). On more than one of those occasions I was given the 'building credit during summer excuse' and told that there was no way of reducing the amount of overestimate to something more aligned with reality. It is possible that the situation has altered in the past 4 or so years - perhaps they've discovered algorithms - certainly the summer overestimate is not as great these days, but the number of estimated bills has gone down slightly as well so not as obvious. When the bill comes in the first thing I check is whether it's an estimate and if so a correct reading is sent - the easy online option from my supplier seems to be working finally which helps.

[Serial_Apologist]

What should happen and what does happen aren't always aligned....My comments are based on what I was told when I called - on several different occasions - to correct the estimate. My argument was that after several years worth of data showing what my general usage pattern was there should be no excuse for overestimating by the kind of margins I was seeing (double or triple actual usage). On more than one of those occasions I was given the 'building credit during summer excuse' and told that there was no way of reducing the amount of overestimate to something more aligned with reality. It is possible that the situation has altered in the past 4 or so years - perhaps they've discovered algorithms - certainly the summer overestimate is not as great these days, but the number of estimated bills has gone down slightly as well so not as obvious. When the bill comes in the first thing I check is whether it's an estimate and if so a correct reading is sent - the easy online option from my supplier seems to be working finally which helps.

As shall I. My estimated bill for July was 25% higher than the previous year's on-site reading for the same quarter last year, but I paid it in the assumption that they'd be sending an employee along this time and all would balance out.

[Serial_Apologist]

On the weather forecast front, all seems to be returning to patterns that would once have been thought the norms for this time of year, with a strong west to east jetstream mainly to the north of Scotland, and frontal systems whizzing across the UK from deeper lows resulting from injections of colder arctic air crossing Canada passing to our northwest. This is what is known as a "zonal" weather pattern, and contrasts welcomingly with the "meridional" patterns of zig-zagging jetstreams and blocking systems that have become almost the norm since the Millennium. So, we can expect our usual alternations of fresh shower-bringing blustery westerlies, damp drizzly warm sectors, lots of orographic rainfall for N Ireland, Scotland, the Lakes and Snowdonia, temperatures pretty much averaging out, and the odd stormy blast from the last of the season's Atlantic hurricanes hooking up with the polar front and stoking up the energy levels. Once we've got the last vestiges of blocking out of the way on Thursday - a day of heavy rain and light winds - the first of the deep depressions is expected to swing in from the Atlantic and wind itself into a huge dart board somewhere between the Orkneys and Iceland on Friday, making for a very windy day and for Saturday, before hitting the north of Norway on Sunday.

[Nick Armstrong]

Good to see the usual measured, scientific and utterly reliable approach to forecasting from the Daily Express today

[Serial_Apologist]

Good to see the usual measured, scientific and utterly reliable approach to forecasting from the Daily Express today

If only it were true, the Daily Depress along with all the other erstwhile Fleet Street propaganda toiletries would be washed away in one great Providential gesture of merciful rectification!

[oddoneout]

Good to see the usual measured, scientific and utterly reliable approach to forecasting from the Daily Express today

Is it a Cyclops or is there another bleary bruised red-eye somewhere over our Nordic friends?

[Serial_Apologist]

Is it a Cyclops or is there another bleary bruised red-eye somewhere over our Nordic friends?

Cyclops - very good, oddone; if there were a "pun of the day" I'd definitely nominate yours.

[BBMmk2]

If only it were true, the Daily Depress along with all the other erstwhile Fleet Street propaganda toiletries would be washed away in one great Providential gesture of merciful rectification!

The end is nigh.........

[oddoneout]

A real contrast today, waking to clear blue sky and sun and frost, -2 degrees by the back door, so a bit tiresome for Petroc to be wittering on about it not being as cold as the previous two days. Better for the volunteer Wednesday gardening than the wind and persistent rain, although it will be mighty soggy underfoot.

Cyclops - very good, oddone; if there were a "pun of the day" I'd definitely nominate yours.

Very kind of you SA, although it was unintentional......

[Joseph K]

Very fine, sunny day here, or at least it was earlier while out on a walk - no need for a coat.

[Serial_Apologist]

Should be fine until late evening here in the south, for pesky trick or treaters. I see that Italy has been clobbered by intense thunderstorms, which was just as I'd been predicting last weekend, once the cold air got through to cut into the last vestiges of their very hot summer. Twice, in fact - and I predict a repeat tomorrow, poor dears!

[antongould]

What should happen and what does happen aren't always aligned....My comments are based on what I was told when I called - on several different occasions - to correct the estimate. My argument was that after several years worth of data showing what my general usage pattern was there should be no excuse for overestimating by the kind of margins I was seeing (double or triple actual usage). On more than one of those occasions I was given the 'building credit during summer excuse' and told that there was no way of reducing the amount of overestimate to something more aligned with reality. It is possible that the situation has altered in the past 4 or so years - perhaps they've discovered algorithms - certainly the summer overestimate is not as great these days, but the number of estimated bills has gone down slightly as well so not as obvious. When the bill comes in the first thing I check is whether it's an estimate and if so a correct reading is sent - the easy online option from my supplier seems to be working finally which helps.

Sorry OOO missed this ...... Can I be clear are you talking about the estimated charges in the bill i.e. the number of kwh estimated to have been used or the monthly payment the supplier has estimated/calculated ...... ????

[BBMmk2]

Rain rain go away........

[antongould]

Rain rain go away........

The reservoirs and duck ponds up here need it bbm ....