Electric Meter with British Gas

cariad123

We had a new electric meter installed last year. My husband queried with British Gas that the night rate seems too high considering we use nothing except the dishwasher (for about an hour). They said that it might be registering too fast. If we wanted it tested it would cost us £70. If it did show that it was registering too fast the £70 would not be charged, but if vice versa, it would be charged. Has anyone come across this, and is it a fact that this amount (even if you are Senior Citizens) must be paid?

KimYeovil

Of course you should have to pay. Just think of the number of people who every time they had a bill they did not like would call up to get a free (ie paid for by other customers) check. How much more expensive do you think your bills would be?

It's relatively straightforward to test the electricity meter yourself. If you check it and still think it is faulty then pay for the supplier's test.

maxmycardagain

it isnt easy to check if a meter is registering an accurate amount per unit, you will get close by putting a 1kw fire on for 2 hours (with nothing else on) maybe, but 10% over a 1/4 is not easy to check

obviously being a fraudulent user of leccy id know all this....

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2101717

id like to ask kimyeovil if she has any craft/technical training to be able to give so much technical advice?

the checks should be free every 5 years, equipment can fail (like my time switch kim)

penrhyn

OP if you are using little electricity over night then you should not be on a cheap night rate tariff ( like economy 7).
If you are you will be paying a premium for your day rate.
Its possible that the readings for night and day rates have been transposed.

maxmycardagain

penrhyn wrote: »

OP if you are using little electricity over night then you should not be on a cheap night rate tariff ( like economy 7).
If you are you will be paying a premium for your day rate.
Its possible that the readings for night and day rates have been transposed.

indeed, researching this i did find reports that the 2 rates were bach to front, as it were

dunloadin

We had a new electric meter installed last year. My husband queried with British Gas that the night rate seems too high considering we use nothing except the dishwasher (for about an hour). They said that it might be registering too fast. If we wanted it tested it would cost us £70. If it did show that it was registering too fast the £70 would not be charged, but if vice versa, it would be charged. Has anyone come across this, and is it a fact that this amount (even if you are Senior Citizens) must be paid?

I've seen it happen a few times where new digital meters have been fitted and the billing has been incorrect, either by the reads being reversed or by incorrect reads being given.

There will be three reads on the meter, to correctly read them you will need to press the button on the front to cycle the display. The display will give the time and date, and a test screen (looks like a read of 88888.8) then the reads will appear, on the left side of the display there will be a small t,r1,r2;

t = the total of the day and night added together - do not give this as a read!

r1 = the Normal/Day rate

r2 = the Low/Night rate

Check you bill against the reads:

If the day rate is close to the total (t) and the night rate is close to the r1 then the meter has been read incorrectly.

If the day rate (r1) is close to the night (r2) and vice versa then the reads have been reversed, and probably have been on your bills from day one of the new meter fit.

Be_Happy

We had a new digital electric meter installed last year. It is slightly different from above to read in that readings 1, 2 and T circulate continuously on screen, you don't have anything to press. There is a red light beside the screen which flashes when the reading (1 or 2) is the one in use at present.

Complications rise when I go to enter these readings on line with Scottish Power each month, as their form says "reading 1 - night rate", "reading 2 - day rate". I have to ignore the reading numbers and enter the figures against the wording of "day" and "night". Bills are all correct so far, but I'm concerned as to what will happen if a meter reader comes and enters the readings against the reading number. We haven't had a reader visit since new meter was installed.