Christmas has come early for an energy customer who has got what she always wanted – an accurate gas bill.

After months of estimates and meter mayhem Joyce Harris is coming in from the cold with usage figures both she and her new supplier Octopus can trust.

But it’s taken a deep dive into the technicalities and understandably that’s been beyond Joyce, an 82-year-old contending with several health problems.

++ If you’ve been affected by this issue or feel you’ve been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on maisha.frost@express.co.uk ++;

Her experience sums up the worries of many now about energy costs. But as she struggled in vain to read her gas meter tucked away in a dark cupboard, she was also sure there was a disconnect between her lifestyle and her charges.

“I’m afraid to turn on my central heating and now I’m seeing my payments increase from £143 to £337 a month,” she told Crusader. “I dread a really cold snap.”

She switched to Octopus in July and became worried about reading her gas meter. “Octopus said it didn’t matter as it could do it remotely. But I am getting estimated bills, the increase is based on my usage so I’m confused,” Joyce added.

Octopus has an excellent customer satisfaction record as a trustworthy supplier and it responded immediately when we asked about the discrepancies Joyce had noticed.

Investigations revealed that she was right and there was something amiss buried deep in the system. But it was also something hard to pinpoint which left Joyce in no man’s land as she faced bigger bills no matter what she did to cut back.

Crusader understands the root cause was the installation of the new meter which happened under Joyce’s previous supplier. The actual connecting up went ok, but a crucial part didn’t happen. This was the essential updating of the new meter’s details on to the national database.

When Joyce switched the incorrect information was the cause of her receiving higher estimated bills. After Crusader’s alert putting matters right has now happened with all the updates necessary so her account stands at £238 in credit.

And it gets even better for Joyce who is recommended to keep her direct debit at £143 or reduce it if she chooses. Octopus has also offered a £100 goodwill gesture for the stress she went through, something she has been most happy to accept. [Name has been changed]

How to avoid costly holiday car rental extras and have vehicle protection

If you are hiring a car at a rental desk over the holidays watch out for expensive extras. Costs can soar to more than four times the original quote with these add-ons, according to findings from icarhireinsurance.com, the leading provider of standalone car hire excess cover which includes damage, theft, tyres and windscreens. As well as the policy, bringing your own child seat or satnav can also help reduce costs.