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Frequently Asked Questions Print Page

Pricing

What are my current prices?
What is included in a price?
Do contracted prices change every day?
What drives prices?
Why are Summer and Winter prices different?
What should my VAT rate be?
Can my meter be read remotely?

Customer Reads & Estimates

How do I submit customer reads?
What do I do if I don't agree with the estimate I have been billed to?
What do I do if I am due a refund?

Reading My Meter

How do I read my Electricity meter?

Reading My Invoice

How do I read my Gas invoice?
How do I read my Electricity invoice? (Non-Half-Hourly and Half Hourly)
How do I pay my Gas and Electricity invoice?

Moving Premises

What do I need to do?

Siteworks

Who do I need to contact?

Complaints and Enquiries

Where can I find the appropriate contact information?

Pricing

What are my current prices?
Your current prices will be stated on your contract or if you have received one, on your latest invoice if you have a fixed rate contract, or will be reflected by market prices should you hold a variable contract.

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What is included in a price?
Your price will be a mixture of energy costs, transportation costs and the other costs we incur supplying you with energy. The costs involved differ depending on the type of meter(s) you have, transportation, geography, usage profile, among other factors.

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Do my contracted prices change every day?
This will depend on the type of contract that you have signed. If you have signed a contract stating a single Contract Price, that price will remain fixed until the contract end date.

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What drives prices?
The Energy Markets in both gas and electricity are complex and volatile. They are affected by factors that influence supply and demand. For example, changes in related commodities markets, weather, national events, disasters and politics. The volatility is caused by the change in the relationships between these factors on a daily basis. Gas prices have been heavily influenced by the factors involved in importing gas as the UK becomes a net importer. Electricity prices tend to follow the gas market as prices are heavily influenced by the cost of generating power and the commodities used as a basis for doing so.

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Why are Summer and Winter prices different?
Demand in both gas and electricity is seasonal. During the winter months, typical demand tends to increase whilst in the summer it decreases. As more gas and electricity is needed in winter the price tends to be higher, then declines as demand decreases throughout the summer.

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What should my VAT rate be?
5% VAT

  • You will be charged 5% VAT if your site is a non-profit making organisation (charity, hospital, etc).
  • You can also be charged 5% VAT if your site (at account level) consumes below 4397 kWh in any given month. This is automatically calculated on your bill.
  • A valid exemption certificate must be received by Total Gas & Power. To find out if you qualify, please contact HM Revenue & Customs.

17.5% VAT

  • This is the standard VAT rate that will be applied to the account if you are not exempt or at the lower rate.

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Can my meter be read remotely?
Yes. For information about this please telephone customer services on 08456 013754 (electricity), or 01737 275800 (gas).

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Customer Reads & Estimates

How do I submit customer reads?

Please see our Customer Meter Reads section in Customer Services.

Please note, in order for us to use electricity meter readings we require the reads from all of the registers showing on the meter. Please telephone from the 24th of each month to the 9th of the following month to ensure your reads are used, as your next bill will be sent out on the 10th of every month. Estimated gas readings should be submitted between the 25th of each month to the 4th of the following month.

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What do I do if I don't agree with the estimate I have been billed to?
In order for us to invoice you to actual reads we need to receive reads from either yourself or the data collector between the 24th and the 9th of each month. If we do not receive a read in this period your invoice will be estimated.

If you receive an estimated invoice with which you are unhappy please call our Customer Services team on 08456 013754 (electricity) or 01737 275800 (gas) send the reads in by fax or email (as before). We will then cancel the relevant invoice and send you a revised invoice based on the reads you have supplied.

If your revised invoice has produced a credit then this will be used to offset your future gas or electricity invoices.

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What do I do if I am due a refund?
We can only refund credit on your account if the latest invoice has been billed to an actual read taken by yourself or the data collector.

If this is the case we will need confirmation in writing that you are requesting the credit. This can be posted to:

Total Gas & Power
(Electricity) or (Gas) Customer Services - as appropriate
Bridge Gate
55-57 High Street
Redhill
Surrey RH1 1RX

Any credits under £15,000 will be refunded by cheque. Anything above will be paid by BACS or CHAPS.

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Reading My Meters

How do I read my Electricity Meter?

Electricity Digital
To read a single rate digital meter, simply write down the numbers shown from left to right. Make sure to write down any zeros, including any at the start of the reading. Ignore any red figures. To find out how many units you have used since your last reading, subtract the previous reading from the new one.

Electricity Digital (2-6 Rates)

An example of a meter with two rates.

You may have 2 readings if you pay different tariffs, for example day and night (the cheaper rate for electricity being night). For some businesses there can be even more readings.

Any meter that has over 6 readings or a 'STOD' meter (seasonal time of day) should call customer services with the reading rather than submitting it online.

The readings on all these meters are typically viewed by pressing a button moving through the reads cycle. Be sure to submit all the readings when you read this meter.

To find out the number of electricity units you have used, take away the previous top line reading (shown in your last bill) from the new top line reading. Then do the same for all the other lines.

Electricity Digital (Dial)
Dial Meters can vary in appearance. Using the tips in this section, however, reading your meter becomes very easy. Note the dials next to each other go round in opposite directions. Ignore any that are red.


Always write down the number which the pointer has just passed – this is not necessarily the nearest number to the pointer. If the pointer is anywhere between, say, 4 and 5, write down 4. If the pointer is directly over the number, like on dial 2 above, write that number down and underline it: 5.

The meter reading example above will initially read 4 5 9 2 8. But this reading now needs adjusting to remove small variations in the pointer positions. Look at the numbers you have underlined. If one of these numbers in the sequence is followed by a 9, reduce the underlined figure by 1 (as the dial has not passed the number yet.)

So the amended and correct meter reading of the dials shown above is 4 4 9 2 8 units.

Still have questions?
If you're still having difficulty reading your meter or are unsure about anything, please call our Customer Services team on 08456 013754. They will be delighted to help.

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Reading My Invoice
Gas invoice | Electricity invoice

How do I read my Gas invoice?

Gas Invoice image

To calculate the gas used, subtract the previous reading from the present reading for each meter.

  • Multiply the figure by the Correction Factor (CF).
  • To calculate the number of M3 used, multiply this figure by the Conversion Factor (shown in the table on the reverse of your invoice).
  • Multiply this figure by the Calorific Value (CV).
  • Divide this figure by 3.6 to convert to kWh’s.
  • Multiply the number of kWh’s by the unit price to calculate the cost per meter.
  • Add together the cost of each meter to calculate the total cost, excluding VAT.
  • Apply Climate Change Levy (CCL) unless any reductions apply.
  • VAT is added at 17.5% unless any exemptions apply.
  • The sum of these calculations amounts to the Total Gas Sales.

Invoice Definitions

"A" after a meter reading Indicates an actual reading taken by the data collector or agents working on its behalf.
"E" after a meter reading indicates an estimated reading.
"C" after a meter reading indicates a reading given by the customer.
"S" after a meter reading indicates a reading that has been agreed between two gas or electricity companies when the supply has transferred from one to the other.
Kilowatt Hours (kWh) This is the unit of measure for energy consumed.
MPR (gas) A unique number that identifies a specific gas supply
Supply Number (MPAN) The electricity supply number is also referred to as the Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) and is printed on each bill you receive.

The supply number starts with the letter S, followed by a 21 digit number which uniquely matches your metering point.

You will see your supply number on the left hand side of your bill - with non-half-hourly meters the first two digits will start with either 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 or 08.
Climate Change Levy (CCL) This is a government energy tax on industrial and commercial consumption, subject to VAT (reductions may be applicable). Your invoice is a CCL accounting document.
Fossil Fuel Levy Government tax on Industrial and Commercial electricity sales revenue (to fund renewable energy schemes).

To calculate FFL multiply the sum of Total Consumption and total other charges amounts by 0.3% for England & Wales or 0.8% for Scotland.
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How do I read my Electricity invoice?

Electricity Non-Half-Hourly
How to calculate your non-half-hourly invoice
  • To calculate the number of Billed Units (electricity consumed), deduct the previous meter reading from the present one.
  • Multiply the Billed Units by their respective price.
  • Non-half-hourly meters may have a number of different readings. The time periods and prices these refer to are stated in your contract. These meter readings may be actual, customer or estimated as indicated on your invoice.
  • The total (consumption) is the consumption for all readings for the period of use. The total cost associated with the Total Consumption is also stated.
  • Multiply the Billed Units of Standing Charge by the price (if applicable).
  • Multiply the Billed Units of Capacity Charge by price (if applicable).
  • Add together Capacity Charge and Standing charge to obtain the total of other charges.
  • Apply Climate Change Levy (CCL) unless any reductions apply.
  • VAT is applied at 17.5% unless exemptions apply.
  • The sum of these calculations amounts to the Total Electricity Sales.
Electricity Half-Hourly
How to calculate your half-hourly invoice
  • Billed units are calculated for the period of use and are measured in kWh’s.
  • These units are then multiplied by their respective prices.
  • Half-hourly meters may have up to 48 consumption periods. The time periods and their applicable prices are stated in your contract.
  • The total (consumption) is the consumption for all consumption periods for the period of use. The total cost associated with the total consumption is also stated.
  • Multiply the Billed Units of Standing Charge by Price (if applicable).
  • Multiply the Billed Units of Capacity Charge by Price (if applicable).
  • Add together Capacity Charge and Standing Charge to obtain the total of other charges (if applicable). Please note that there may be charges specific to your individual contract.
  • Apply Climate Change Levy (CCL) unless any reductions apply.
  • VAT is added at 17.5% unless any exemptions apply.
  • The sum of these calculations amounts to the Total Electricity Sales.
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How do I pay my Gas and Electricity Invoice?

  • Direct Debit Payment
    Save time and money by setting up a Direct Debit for your monthly payments. Take away the worry of making a payment each month AND save a further 0.3p/kWh of gas and £25 per electricity invoice. Please download the appropriate DDI below, complete the details and sign, then return it to the address shown on the form.


  • By Post
    Cheques should be made payable to Total Gas & Power. Please send cheques with the detachable Bank Giro Credit slip for the attention of the Treasury Department at Total Gas & Power, with your Account Number written on the back of the cheque. Cash should not be sent through the post.

  • At a Bank
    Payment can be made with cash or cheque by using the Bank Giro Credit slip, which is normally free of charge if you use a branch of your own bank.
  • BACS Payments
    For customers wishing to pay by BACS, our account details are:

    Bank Name: HSBC Bank plc
    Account Name: Total Gas & Power Limited
    Account No: 52400839
    Sort Code: 40-06-02
    Branch: London Regent Street W1

    Please ensure that the remittance advice clearly states the Invoice Number, the amount paid and the Account Number. This should be marked for the attention of the Treasury Department at Total Gas & Power.

  • Statements
    If you would like a statement of your account, please call the number specified on your bill.

  • Enquiries
    If you have any queries regarding your invoice please call the department number specified on your bill or submit your enquiry online.
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Moving Premises

What do I need to do?
Total Gas & Power always want to help our customers save time and money, which is why we have a team dedicated to helping you when you change premises.

Please note you'll need to provide the following:
  • A closing meter reading taken on the day that you vacate the property.
  • The date when you vacated/ceased to be responsible for the property.
  • Details of the new owners or occupiers of the property you are no longer responsible for.
  • The date you became responsible for the new property.
  • A meter reading taken on the day that you occupied/became responsible for the new property.
  • Name and contact details of previous owner of the new property.
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Siteworks

Who do I need to contact?
If you require a new gas service to be installed, work to be carried out on your meter(s) or to have your meter removed or updated, please email your requirements and contact details. You will then be contacted to discuss your requirements in further detail.

If you require a new electricity service to be installed, please call Customer Services on 08456 013754.

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Complaints and Enquiries

Where can I find the appropriate contact information?
Our Customer Services section houses forms and instructions for processes including submitting your meter reads, signing up for Direct Debit, accessing your Smart Meter data, checking your Half Hourly electricity consumption information, and amending your details when you are moving premises.

Please see our Customer Complaints Charter for more information on our complaints process.

For other enquiries you can find a list of telephone numbers and email links on our Contact Us page.

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