Faulty Appliance Has Made Electricity Bill Rocket - Will I Still Have To Pay It?

[joko]

Recently found out that my fridge freezer has 'possibly' got a fault and has caused my electricity bill to rocket upwards.
If this turns out to be the case, will the electricity company still expect that full amount to be paid?
Or are they understanding of faults and can adjust the totals accordingly?
Or is there something I can do about it?
Obviously I 'personally' have not used that electricity so i obviously i'd rather not have to pay it if I don't have to.
Even if I wanted to, i could never afford it
Thanks

[murraymints]

can you prove this is the issue ?

[Captain2]

But you have 'personally' used the electricity; it's your fridge freezer, your responsibility.

[murraymints]

perhaps trading standards can offer some advice

[Hopkirk]

How can a fridge freezer cause an electricity bill to rocket?

[Ryzen]

Who said the freezer may have a fault ...what tests did they carry out and how much has your bill increased?

[ummmm]

I very much doubt it. Although it might not be your fault it also isn't theirs.

[Tilly2]

What's wrong with the fridge freezer?

[fiction-factory]

If you have used the electricity I cannot see any way in which the energy company would be in the least bit interested in reducing your bill. But you have nothing to lose by asking except perhaps teh cost of astamp or phonecall. Are you able to quantify it? Is the fridge freezer newish and within a warranty period- how old is it? - a syou may be able to get some money back from the seller/manufacturer.

[Buenchico]

The only electrical fault that could occur on a fridge freezer, without simply blowing a fuse, causing a circuit breaker to trip out or setting the whole thing on fire, would be if the thermostat got stuck and the refrigeration unit was permanently running (instead of turning itself on and off every so often). Then a typical fridge freezer (rated at 250W) would use 6kWh per day, instead of perhaps 1kWh if it was running normally. So (based upon 14p per kWh) that would add 70p per day to a household electricity bill, or about £90 per quarter. Anything much more than that simply can't be associated with a fault in your fridge freezer.

Even so, it's unlikely that you'd ever get through a full quarter without noticing the fault, as the entire unit would probably be totally iced up within a week. So I reckon whoever told you that the cause of your high electricity bill must be a dodgy fridge freezer probably doesn't know what they're talking about!

Either way, it's your responsibility to ensure that any electrical appliances in your home aren't using excessive electricity, so they'll expect you to pay up. (However electricity suppliers are usually sympathetic to customers who experience problems in paying their bills, so they should let you spread the additional cost over the next few quarters if you contact them).

[EDDIE51]

How much has the bill gone up by? It just does not sound possible for a fridge freezer to cause a bill to 'rocket' . As said, at worst it could use 3 times what it normally uses. Are you sure that there is not a meter fault? that could be the fault of the electricity supplier as they own the meter ( or someone has connected the street lights to your meter)

[Old_Geezer]

Well...

I reckon they will understand faults and only ask for 100% of the bill.

You personally have used the electricity; not that I'm implying that you passed the current through yourself.

What you can do about it get a new fridge freezer.

That said I find it difficult to understand how a fridge fault can run up a bill you could never afford. If you are in financial difficulty ask to repay over a longer period. They may take pity and come to terms. If you don't ask then you don't get. They probably know it's in their interest to keep you as a customer; and who knows, there may be legal obligations regarding not cutting off vital services.

[Ryzen]

Could the proceeds from the sale of the 'plants' in the loft cover the leccy bill :-)

[Old_Geezer]

I think Eddie's suggestion has merit. Get them to test your meter. If it had an isolated blip you might be in the mire, but if it has a constant reading error they might notice.

[Captain2]

ha ha, I bit my tongue on that one Ryzen. :))

[Hopkirk]

Ryzen could be right, but if Joko doesn't have any then perhaps the neighbours have.

[Buenchico]

Ryzen's comment might be light-hearted but it's not been unknown for people to get a massive electricity bill after their next door neighbour has tapped into their electricity supply for a bit of 'plant propagation'. All possibilities need to be considered!

[Buenchico]

Snap, Hopkirk!

[Hopkirk]

For the second time, Chris.

[Ryzen]

We have had several calls over the years from LA's and police asking us to confirm systems to be safe after a bit of 'top floor propagation'.

[EDDIE51]

I know of a guy who wired his house into the street light electricity supply. He got away with it for years until there was a power failure.
The street lights were supplied from a different sub station to the houses. All the house lights in the street went out apart from his, which was lit up like a Christmas tree! It didn't take long for the repair team to realize what he was up to!