Electric meter billing mistake

redstar1

Dear all,

Can anyone please help...

I am in a one-room rented flat in a block of ten flats. Recently an electric guy came round to do some kind of test. He asked me to switch my kettle on and off a few times while he relayed this to his colleague downstairs on his mobile, saying 'now it's on... now it's off'. I know he did the same in my neighbour's flat and probably all ten flats. So I presume there is some kind of central supply to the block of ten flats which then splits off into each individual flat.

I then got a letter from my supplier saying 'Following a visit to your property by an an engineer it was found that the electricity meter we have been billing you for XXXXXXXX is not the meter that supplies your property. The correct meter is YYYYYYYY. It is the responsibility of the property owner to correctly mark up each meter with the property number it supplies.'

In a separate letter they then sent me a massive bill going back many years.

Each flat has its own meter ie inside the flat but the test on this day was not based on this meter but (I presume) on the central hub downstairs for the ten flats. It seems to me they are saying that the labelling error is not between my inside meter and my bill but between my inside meter and the hub downstairs. Ie they might be saying that my inside meter has displayed the correct usage but for the wrong flat.

I have no idea where this hub is or even what it looks like but I vaguely recall hearing ages ago that it is behind a locked door and I don't know who has the key. I think that the residents are generally not allowed access to this hub, otherwise they could perhaps turn off each other's power.

If my interpretation is correct am I liable for a massive bill? Is this mistake my responsibility? I can see that I am responsible for the meter inside my flat but am I also responsible for what I am calling the hub?

Thank you for any help

redstar1

I have seen this re the 'Billing Code':

The Code includes a requirement for consumers to be protected from debt where the supplier is at fault for not billing energy supply. Where the supplier is at fault, consumers cannot be back-billed beyond 12 months from the date on any subsequent bill.


So how is it decided whether the 'supplier is at fault'??

Premier_2

redstar1 wrote: »

...So how is it decided whether the 'supplier is at fault'??

redstar1 wrote: »

...It is the responsibility of the property owner to correctly mark up each meter with the property number it supplies.'

Did you do that? If not, in what way is the supplier at fault?

redstar1

...It is the responsibility of the property owner to correctly mark up each meter with the property number it supplies.'

Premier wrote: »

Did you do that? If not, in what way is the supplier at fault?

Well first of all this is just an assertion by the supplier in their letter to me. Secondly I don't see how I could check the labelling at the hub if I have no access to it. Is it my job to do the kettle test when I moved in? Presumably this test involves some kind of observation of the hub ie which was done by the two engineers on the day. I am not an engineer and I don't see how I could have done this kind of test if I have no idea what the hub looks like or what I am supposed to observe at the hub during the test. This seems to be a test that should be done by the supplier not by a domestic customer.

spiro

I suspect that the supply meter is the one downstairsand the one upstairs is not the one used for billing. What has probably happened is the meters downstairs are labelled flats 1 to 10 but one or more has the wrong label. It may be that someone has complain about a bill and this has come to light. The situation will be complicated if different suppliers supply differment flats. If its one supplier what should happen is the reverse all the bills you have paid (giving you a credit) and then recalculate the bills using the correct meter (giving you a debit). If the credit and debit match fine, if not either you owe money or they owe you.

piratefairy

In your first post you said that the letter states it is the responsibility of the property owenr to check this? If so, could you speak to your landlord, they may be able to sort it out with the energy company; you could ask when they had the meter placed in the flat you currently rent, if they did that whilst they owned it.

Premier_2

redstar1 wrote: »

...This seems to be a test that should be done by the supplier not by a domestic customer.

Do you seriously expect every supplier to go around every one of their customers premises to check that the meter they are reading is recording the consumption at that property before taking a reading?

According to the billing code which you selectedly quoted from, here's another part:

It is important that customers are not informed that they will be eligible for any write off without the supplier completing an investigation first. Each and every case will be assessed on an individual basis.

and

scenarios where back billing clause may apply include:
...
o Where meter details are crossed and the supplier had opportunity to recognise but did not investigate further.

and one final part:

Customers should pay for energy used and the Code is not intended as a means for avoiding payments.

DVardysShadow

redstar1 wrote: »

...It is the responsibility of the property owner to correctly mark up each meter with the property number it supplies.'


Well first of all this is just an assertion by the supplier in their letter to me. Secondly I don't see how I could check the labelling at the hub if I have no access to it. Is it my job to do the kettle test when I moved in? Presumably this test involves some kind of observation of the hub ie which was done by the two engineers on the day. I am not an engineer and I don't see how I could have done this kind of test if I have no idea what the hub looks like or what I am supposed to observe at the hub during the test. This seems to be a test that should be done by the supplier not by a domestic customer.

If you have any sense and there is more than one meter which could be yours, then yes, you should do a kettle test. You should move heaven and earth to gain access to the 'hub' too.

The consequences of not getting yourself involved are just what you are experiencing now. ie huge unexplained bills and no idea of how to get to the bottom of it.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

why have you a meter in the flat and a meter in 'the hub', which one are you billed on?

dunloadin

Each flat has its own meter ie inside the flat but the test on this day was not based on this meter but (I presume) on the central hub downstairs for the ten flats.

Not sure about engineers doing a 'kettle check', there's no such thing. Sounds to me like they were putting a load on each flat to check and label up the fuses in the communal cupboard...though why they never used a plug-in fuse finder is baffling.

It seems to me they are saying that the labelling error is not between my inside meter and my bill but between my inside meter and the hub downstairs. Ie they might be saying that my inside meter has displayed the correct usage but for the wrong flat.

A couple of questions....

Do you pay by DD or pre-pay, (do you have a credit or key meter)?

Does the meter in your flat have a serial number on it?

If it does have one is it the same as the serial number on your bill?

I have no idea where this hub is or even what it looks like but I vaguely recall hearing ages ago that it is behind a locked door and I don't know who has the key. I think that the residents are generally not allowed access to this hub, otherwise they could perhaps turn off each other's power.

The 'hub' will be a communal cupboard or small switchroom, where the incoming mains is split to each of the flats, probably in the stairwell or basement. They tend to be secured to prevent anyone using it as a handy store or rubbish dump; they usually have the switchgear and supply for the stair/security lights in there as well.

If you and the other residents have meters in the flats it will be unlikley that there are any additional meters in the communal cupboard that belong to you....unless the meters in the flats have no serial numbers and are private meters (unlikley but possible).

I then got a letter from my supplier saying 'Following a visit to your property by an an engineer it was found that the electricity meter we have been billing you for XXXXXXXX is not the meter that supplies your property. The correct meter is YYYYYYYY. It is the responsibility of the property owner to correctly mark up each meter with the property number it supplies.'

If my interpretation is correct am I liable for a massive bill? Is this mistake my responsibility? I can see that I am responsible for the meter inside my flat but am I also responsible for what I am calling the hub?

Have the other residents had similar letters, it could be that the meters have been mixed up, or your meter has been replaced at some point and the change has not been recognised on the system.

If the meters have been mixed up it will be a nightmare for the suppliers to sort out, and take months; unless everyone is with the same company.

Hope you have all your bills and the meter read when you moved in handy, this should help you to confirm how much electricity you have used, if you dont have it ring up the supplier ASAP and get it.

spiro

dunloadin wrote: »

Not sure about engineers doing a 'kettle check', there's no such thing. Sounds to me like they were putting a load on each flat to check and label up the fuses in the communal cupboard...though why they never used a plug-in fuse finder is baffling.

Does the meter in your flat have a serial number on it?

The 'kettle test' allow them to put a reasonable load on the supply and they can then check on an older style meter that the disc speeds up and slows down in line with the kettle being switched on and off.

All meters will have a serial number it is just a case of whose meter it is. If there are meters in a 'intake room' then these will be the meters used by the supplier to bill customers. The purpose of the meters in the flats is unclear if they are credit meter, if they were ppm then this would be were the supply is in the landlords name and the tenant pays via the ppm mter in the flat.