Powergen Review

Overall Rating

They managed to provide a gas and electricity supply on a regular basis.

The company that Powergen has contracted to read the meters in my area (Croydon, Surrey) have not been taking gas readings over the past two years, only electricity! This means that while my electricity bill has been relatively accurate, a financial time-bomb has developed in relation to my gas bill.

A word of advice to anyone reading this review - please take the time to compare any estimated readings on your Powergen gas and electric bill with actual readings on your meter. Even though someone has been reading my meter on behalf of Powergen over the past two years, they have only bothered to read it for one of the services that they have been providing me with (like most customers, I don't spend time scrutinising my utility bills unless they look unreasonable - I just hope I have enough money to pay). Hence, I am now in the position of having pay an £800 quarterly bill (my last one for Powergen). An expensive lesson.

Members' Comments oncourtneyreview's Review

• rchris on 17th Mar 2007

  I am in the same position - I have been paying my quarterly bills assuming that they were based on the readings supplied by the meter reader who I watched entering the figures from both my gas and my electricity meter whereas in fact the past four readings for the gas have been estimated. I have woken up to a £545 gas bill for this quarter today.
  
  Is there anything we can do about this? (I mean anything that doesnt involve lengthy conversations with a call centre in Mumbai???)

• gvi on 13th May 2007

  chris,
  all powergen's call centres are in the uk. if the estimated readings are very out these can be disputed and the process is usually quite simple. The best thing to do is either register online and every month enter a meter reading (therefore the estimated readings are 'accurate'-if that makes sense) or phone up every month. it will only take two minutes on this number 0800 479 0226. I've been phoning that number ever since i joined powergen a year ago, I give them meter readings every month, it takes no more than five minutes from the point of dialling to getting off the phone. They have always been very helpful and most people take a minute to go through your account with you to make sure you are happy with everything.
  
  hope that helps!

• ProfH on 9th Jun 2009

  I had the same problem with Powergen i.e. Quarterly bills far greater than actual meter read bills... Trying to get through on the phone will raise your phone bill waiting on hold.. The call centre I got through after probably 15 times was in India.. not the UK!
  
  I was told point blank on the phone that I had not being overcharged, contrary to the proof obtained by actual meter readings by a Powergen worker!
  
  Guidance towards the website in a comment above was never offered.
  
  My further written complaints were simply ignored.
  
  Avoid being powerlessly overcharged.