Faulty Meter a year! Inaccurate billing?!

dnf999

Hi there,

I really need some advice regarding Thamesway energy billing...

I moved into a new build flat last year (shared ownership) and my electricty (non-gas residency) is being billed through Thamesway energy.

Now, until now I have been on a fixed price tariff of £60 per month, after a year at the property (6 months of which I had been working abroad) I changed the fixed bill to a lower amount of £45. Now when I did this, they informed me that there was a problem with my meter. When somebody came to check it they informed me that the flow meter was broken, had never been working and no meter readings were being produced.

Now this would mean that Thamesway were charging me £60 month for a year (with no credit payment per year incase I had used less than that), even though there was no reading and I was in fact working abroad for 6 months (therefore using no electricity).

My questions are:
- Can I claim back any money (seeing as I didn't use any electricity for 6 months in the first year!)
- How can Thamesway Energy charge me a fixed amount every month without an accurate meter reading?
- Who is responsible for ensuring my meter works (I am on a shared ownership scheme, so the property developer owns the other half at present)

Fire_Fox

I would say whoever fitted the meter is responsible for ensuring it is working correctly, given that it was a new meter. Under 'guarantee' same as any appliance! Do you have an NHBC certificate? They can charge you a fixed amount because you agreed to it, meters must be read annually by the supplier I believe.

What sort of tariff were you on - standing charge or no standing charge? Was everything switched off at the circuit breaker? Otherwise there will be various clocks or timers using modest amounts of electricity (e.g. immersion/ oven).

spiro

Dont want to sound rude but have you never check the meter reading on your bill again the meter? The supplier only has to read every 2 years so the onus is on you to advise your supplier of anything that occurs in the intervening period.

filmnoir

Okay you need to find out who is your electricty supplier. I don't personally recognise Thameway as an registered electrcity supplier. I cant find them on the net or an supplier license with OFGEM. Are they a energy management company purchasing electric from supplier at a main meter and dividing it around the propertie on the development or through sub meters?

Is the faulty meter you refer to a landlord check meter? If so its the landlord or developers reponsibility and should be in you part ownership agreement and it will be between them on the fault and reconcillation.

If Thamesway are an actual electricty supplier and the meter is not a check meter, then the registered supplier is liable for the fault.
And in answer to your questions:
Yes - but what is between you and your supplier on how much.
Yes - All suppliers charge at some point on estimates - domestic meters are read on a usual six month cycle. Its you reponsibility to provide reads if your monthly invoiced. The fixed ammount will be their T&C's. If you've signed no T&C's you will be on a deemed contract or their standard rate. Its no different than a fixed direct debit.

In terms of reading the meter every two years spiro is correct. However not check meters as thats a landlords property.

- You need to work out if it is a registered electricity suppliers meter or actually a landlords owned check meter.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Hi,

If your meter has been faulty, your supplier may make an appointment to have this replaced.

They can then use the information from the new meter (usage) to re-calculate your bill from when the first meter went wrong.

I ‘d make sure your supplier knows that you were away for 6 months and that your current usage will be more than previous usage, make sure this is relfected in the new bill.

Premier_2

filmnoir wrote: »

Okay you need to find out who is your electricty supplier. I don't personally recognise Thameway as an registered electrcity supplier. I cant find them on the net or an supplier license with OFGEM. Are they a energy management company purchasing electric from supplier at a main meter and dividing it around the propertie on the development or through sub meters?...

Thameswey is not an energy supplier but an energy services provider.

http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/thameswey_energy/5,1,847,58.html

Thameswey Energy Ltd., is a public/private joint venture Energy Services Company or ESCO between Thameswey Ltd., and ESCO International A/S owned by Miljo-Sam Holding APS.
Miljo-Sam Holding APS is owned by Pen-Sam (a Danish pension fund) and Hedeselskab who also own Hedeselskabet Miljo og Energi A/S, a Danish green energy company.

http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/thameswey_energy/5,1,847,59.html

Thameswey Ltd., is an Energy and Environmental Services Company or EESCO wholly owned by Woking Borough Council

http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/thameswey_energy/1,1,847.html

Thier own website:
http://www.thamesweyenergy.co.uk/

Currently only customers living in properties that are connected to our private wire and heating network can buy their energy through Thameswey Energy.

http://www.thamesweyenergy.co.uk/pages/domestic.php

Thameswey Energy conforms to all regulations on energy suppliers set down by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM).

http://www.thamesweyenergy.co.uk/pages/domestic.php?id=5

Fire_Fox

Premier, you are upgraded to student status with immediate effect! Excellent demonstration of the use of cut and paste, and full references provided to boot. B+