Meter Readings not making sense to me!!!!

MoneySavingMumToBe

Right since i moved into my flat 2 1/2 years ago i have always been with Scottish Power. Recently my friend suggested doing all my elecy online as it can save you some money. Great I thought. Now they have asked me for my meter readings and i have no idea how to read them!!!

On scottish power it asks me for (and in this order): (And beside it, it had previous estimate readings they had taken ?? where from):

Reading 2) Meter: Three Rate white meter Kwh: Day Kwh 23458
Reading 3) Meter: Three Rate white meter Kwh: Night Kwh 10481
Reading 1) Meter: Three Rate white meter Kwh: Off Peak Kwh 22388

I went to my reading box thing and i pressed the DISPLAY button and it came up with:

Rate 1 - 24405

I pressed DISPLAY again and it came up with:

Rate 2 - 10732

and i pressed display again for the third reading but it came up with:

Total 22501.

How do i put this in online in the boxes?? I am so confused. Plus my elecy (i only having elecy - storage heaters, no gas) is quite high at £82 per month. I live in a 2 bedroom flat but i never have the storage heaters on, i have a little Halogen heater in the living room only and that is the only heating I use. But this is only on a few hours at a time. Plus i work from 8am to 5:30 5 days per week and liuve my myself. Is this normal??

Sorry so many questions, only 22 a bit unsure about all this electricity stuff.

Thanks for any advice given.

MoneySavingMumToBe!

factoryworker

MoneySavingMumToBe wrote: »

Reading 2) Meter: Three Rate white meter Kwh: Day Kwh 23458
Reading 3) Meter: Three Rate white meter Kwh: Night Kwh 10481
Reading 1) Meter: Three Rate white meter Kwh: Off Peak Kwh 22388

I went to my reading box thing and i pressed the DISPLAY button and it came up with:

Rate 1 - 24405

I pressed DISPLAY again and it came up with:

Rate 2 - 10732

and i pressed display again for the third reading but it came up with:

Total 22501.

week and liuve my myself. Is this normal??

Sorry so many questions, only 22 a bit unsure about all this electricity stuff.

Thanks for any advice given.

MoneySavingMumToBe!

dont worry; just because you have an online a/c it doesn't mean you cant speak to someone; goto saynoto0870 to get Scottish Power freephone number and ring them up and explain; before you do that i would read the meters (during day) about 4 hours apart; note all three readins both times; note the times you read them - you will find that only one (maybe 2) have changed; have all this when you ring SP along with the Meter serial number or meter number (from a sticker/label on meter)and they will be able to work ou which is which; it is not uncommon for 'rates' to be allocated against wrong rate (ask SP if the reads are transposed);

the UK average is £105 approx, so bearing in mind elec is more expensive than gas, it doesn't seem excessive; however, do the obvious things, energy efficient lightbulbs (cheap as chips from morrisons/tesco), don't leave things on standby, and dont leave PC on (Energy savings Trust says a PC uses a Kwh every 3 hours or about 14p); use atoaster not a grill, a m/wave where possible; just for info rate 2 as youve read it has to be what they call 'Reading 3', so work out which reading is increasing at the moment and that will be there 'Reading 2'

hope this helps

gemstars

Hi OP,

Did you keep pressing display until you went right back round to the first rate? My meter sounds similar to yours but it doesn't display the readings in what I would say is the correct order. It displays the date and a rate that is 00000 in between the actual readings, you might find your third rate further on.

macman

If you don't use your night storage heaters, then you are on entirely the wrong tariff (assuming you are on Economy 7). This gives you cheap rate power for 7 hours overnight (which you aren't taking advantage, of since you have your storage heaters switched off), but you pay a higher rate for power during all the other hours. So all your heating is currently charged at peak rate.
So you either need to use your storage heaters overnight as they were intended on E7, or switch to a non E7 tariff.

Scottish_Power

Hi MoneySavingMumToBe

From the information you have provided I would conclude the following:

Rate 1 on your meter = Day Rate
Rate 2 = Night Rate
Rate 3 = Off Peak Rate

You can then match up the relevant readings with the rate being asked for online.

To double check that you are being billed correctly, you can follow the advise given by factoryworker. To confirm:

Checking the Day Rate = Record all meter readings early in the morning (say around 7/8 am). On the same day take the meter readings around tea time (5/6pm). You should notice that the Day reading on your meter (Rate 1) has advanced and that the Night reading (Rate 2 has not). If you have used your heating during this time you will notice that Rate 3 (Off Peak) has also advanced.

Checking the Night Rate = Record meter readings late at night (11pm - 12am approx). Then record the readings again in the morning (7/8am). You should this time see that the Night reading (Rate 2) has advanced and that the Day reading (Rate 1) has not. Rate 3 (Off Peak) will also have advanced due to your storage heaters being charged up over night.

I hope this information helps. Let me know if you need any further assistance.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Scottish_Power

Just to confirm, the above should read:

Rate 1
Rate 2
Total

DVardysShadow

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

Just to confirm, the above should read:

Rate 1
Rate 2
Total

But they don't add up? Any explanation?

pennystretcher

It sounds like your online account is assuming that you are on a three-rate meter. 1 rate for day, 1 for night and 1 for heating. (I have a three-rate meter...) If you check your meter without pressing any buttons, it should show the current rate in use and the number of units used.

E.g. in daytime, you would see day rate, and during the night the meter will show the night rate and consumed units. The third rate would not be shown on the display, but you would have to access it by pressing a button (it'll show 3: in front of the reading if you have third rate).

Get in touch with SP customer services - they can sort this out for you...

ps. if you have any of your previous paper invoices - have a look what rate you are on...and how the meter readings were on them...

rippedoffbyspark

re pennystretcher im on a 3 rate meter to ie eco 7 but where mines says rate 1 day rate rate 2 night etc i have it sayin for the 3rd rate rate 4 but i dont understand what it is ?? any suggestions im with spark energy but just transferring to british gas

Scottish_Power

Hi All

In response to DVarysShadow - The Total setting on the OP's meter is the total consumption recorded on the Off Peak setting (all heating used).

In response to rippedoffbyspark - The Economy 7 meter only charges you on 2 rates (Day and Night). Rate 4 may be the Total consumption (Day rate + Night rate) however if this is not the case I would speak to your current supplier to confirm the relevance of Rate 4.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

MoneySavingMumToBe

Thanks everyone for all your help. Phoning Scottish Power now, well they are ringing me back then i have peace of mind that everything is A ok. Still a bit unsure about how it all works. I know £82.00 a month doesn't seem that much but in our area it is a little high but someone who has previously lived in these flats in the same area has said they always noticed their prices were a little higher and now they have moved to another part of the town there prices are down. But i will see what scottish power say.

Many thanks for everyones help.

MSMTB x