Menu
Expat.com

Need advice on electricity bill

Last activity 20 April 2023 by tacochina

Post new topic

tacochina

Hi All,

I am in Barcelona. My electricity supplier is Factor Energia. My bills have risen so much over the past year. I recently sent them my meter readings for the first time and was expecting to see a massive adjustment i.e. deduction as I am sure I have overpaid on estimated usage. They tell me there is no deduction. My last bill supposedly based on actual usage is the same- about 130 euros for one month, one person, not using heating. Can this be right? shouldn't there be an adjustment for the whole 3 years I have been here once they have the actual reading? If so, where in spain do I go for help?

SimCityAT

Hi All,
I am in Barcelona. My electricity supplier is Factor Energia. My bills have risen so much over the past year. I recently sent them my meter readings for the first time and was expecting to see a massive adjustment i.e. deduction as I am sure I have overpaid on estimated usage. They tell me there is no deduction. My last bill supposedly based on actual usage is the same- about 130 euros for one month, one person, not using heating. Can this be right? shouldn't there be an adjustment for the whole 3 years I have been here once they have the actual reading? If so, where in spain do I go for help?
-@tacochina


Energy bills have increased across Europe at a shocking rate, so it is most properly right. My Gas bill in Austria was €1100 for the last quarter and it was a mild winter.


I do expect a rebate.

kenneth130572

Hi Tacochina,


Factor Energia is a small company and they may well be charging you a lot per kilowatt depending on your plan. I had similar problems and I changed to Enedesa one luz - this is a fixed kilowatt rate 24 hours a day, it saved me a lot of money.


I would suggest you phone up Endesa and have a bill handy, they can tell you how much they would charge you for the electricity you consumed.


My experience with Endesa has been excellent, highly professional and transparent - no BS.

tacochina

@kenneth130572 thanks for the advice. I will suggest this to my landlady. I am concerned that the current supplier has not replied to my request for a rebate, it seem so impossible to get any customer service in Spain.

gwynj

Our apartment in Elche is with Endesa. Our typical bill is around 50-60 euros. But this is for general usage, and we're quite careful. Heating/cooling (this is in an older building, typical Spanish construction with little or no insulation) is a whole separate issue and can run up a very large bill on its own!

tacochina

@gwynj  that’s very reasonable. I live alone and don’t use the heating/AC so I’m obviously paying far too much. Would you happen to know if having given a meter reading, I should expect them to now calculate actual minus estimated usage as in uk?

gwynj

You should be able to check your most recent bill for the kWh used, and the meter reading to calculate it. Either they used your supplied reading, or it's still estimated.


You should also be able to see the tariff charged per kWh, in case you have some ridiculously high contract/tariff (hopefully not, but I suppose it's a possibility).

tacochina

@gwynj thanks. It turns out they do use the actual reading, cannot believe the prices right now! Now switched to Repsol the rates are much better.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Barcelona

  • Accommodation in Barcelona
    Accommodation in Barcelona

    Barcelona sits on the coast of north-eastern Spain, the capital and largest city in the autonomous community of ...

  • Study in Barcelona
    Study in Barcelona

    Barcelona is Catalonia's cosmopolitan capital and an ideal place for university education. The city has a ...

  • Working in Barcelona
    Working in Barcelona

    Are you an expat looking for work in Barcelona? Spain's second-largest city is Catalonia's ...

  • Student life in Barcelona
    Student life in Barcelona

    Barcelona attracts thousands of international students to its universities and colleges. In addition to receiving ...

  • The work culture in Barcelona
    The work culture in Barcelona

    If you've made up your mind to live and work in Barcelona, you're probably curious about the local labor ...

  • The labor market in Barcelona
    The labor market in Barcelona

    Barcelona is the economic, cultural and administrative heart of Catalonia, a creative, cosmopolitan and innovative ...

  • Developing your professional network in Barcelona
    Developing your professional network in Barcelona

    Networking refers to the process of developing and cultivating professional relationships with individuals and ...

  • Getting around Barcelona
    Getting around Barcelona

    When planning a visit or considering settling in Barcelona, an important aspect to bear in mind is how to get ...

All of Barcelona's guide articles