Who Supplies Plas Panteidal’s Electricity?
How are bills calculated?
As the site owner, PPEML obtains electricity from the supplier, pays the bill, and passes on the costs to the chalet owners according to their meter readings. This makes PPEML officially a ‘reseller’. PPEML’s supplier from May 2022 is British Gas.
What about VAT?
VAT is charged at 5% (not 20%).
Why can’t we switch to domestic rate?
PPEML is classed as commercial and there is no way round this. In theory an individual chalet owner could have a direct contract with an electricity supplier and would then be covered by the domestic price cap. In practice the local electricity grid network operator (the DNO, Scottish Power) would not use any of the existing infrastructure, cables etc at Plas Panteidal, and would instead insist on replacing everything. This is prohibitively expensive.
When will I get electricity bills?
The plan now is to send invoices every two months.
When should I provide a meter reading?
We ask that you provide a reading at the end of every month. We must have monthly readings to send out accurate bills. If a reading is missing, an estimate will be calculated – based on your recent use or on similar sized chalets – until you provide your next reading when the next bill will be adjusted accordingly.
Estimates may result in inflated bills.
We should add that regular meter readings from as many chalets as possible enable us to budget more accurately for the amount of electricity consumed by the site itself, as mentioned above.
How should I provide my reading?
Please send a reading by email at the end of each month to the accounts email address, and if possible attach a photo of the meter. The attachment should be a jpeg, not a link.
What if the chalet is not in use or only used occasionally?
If the chalet is not in use and the electricity is not connected or is off at the mains, there will be zero usage and you can simply send us the same reading at the end of every month. You will only be billed for the standing charge.
If the chalet is not in regular use but you have left appliances turned on (heater, dehumidifier, fridge) or on standby, or if you visit briefly to check on things, then there will be some usage. You must arrange for someone to read your meter at the end of each month.
PPEML does not intend to send anyone to enter empty properties to read meters. But in exceptional circumstances we may be able to arrange to do so for a small monthly fee if you provide a spare key / key code and indemnify us.
You will see a charge for electricity used, based on meter readings. And a daily standing charge, according to the number of days in the billing period. This is calculated by dividing the daily charges made by the supplier equally between all properties. The exception is the usage allocated purely to the site – the water and sewage systems etc – which is outside the remit of these bills and is paid by PPEML (and covered by the service charge).
In line with the law, you will be billed for electricity at the same rate that PPEML pays to the supplier. Our supply is categorised as ‘commercial’ rather than domestic: the supply comes to PPEML, which is a business, and not direct to a home, so the domestic price cap does not apply.
The current energy crisis has caused an increase in commercial prices which has affected the unit price.
How should I pay?
Please set up a direct debit if possible. There is a link in your invoice to do this via a system called GoCardless. Cheques are accepted but they cause additional admin and delays.
Why have some of my bills been high?
As notified to all owners previously, the unit price was high when PPEML took over the site due to Opus Energy placing us on an ‘out of contract’ rate. Your first bill reflected that. The unit price dropped lower on later bills as PPEML have been in a contract with British Gas at 37p per unit from May (plus standing charge).
If you have high usage in the cooler months then it is likely to be electric heating that is the cause. As an example, a 2kW fan heater over 12 hours will use 24 units.
Usage varies a lot between chalets. If you are away a lot then you may wish to turn off the electricity at the mains when the chalet is empty. Appliances left on, or on standby, will use a small amount of energy which will mount up.
Some chalet owners have insulated their properties to bring down their bills; others are cautious with high-energy appliances. You can start by checking if your heating is energy-efficient.
What if the chalet is let for holidays?
We encourage owners to be available for their guests in case they have questions about their holiday or property. However, if you are not able to be present at Plas Panteidal, we suggest you ask your guest or cleaner to read the meter at the end of the month and send to you to forward to PPEML.
Where can I find further information?
Electricity resale:
Saving energy:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/energy-saving-tips/
https://www.britishgas.co.uk/the-source/greener-living/energy-saving-habits.html