Electricity supplier has cocked up

MickKnipfler

I live in a very small detached bungalow and have been paying my electricity by DD. The company calculated my DD at £120/month which I have been merrily paying.

In April this year we had the meter changed. Now the company tell me that they had been underestimating the DD for 5 years (the last meter reading they reckon was 2005) and that I am £6000 in arrears! That means that they reckon I was using £220 worth of electricity a month. We have a very small 2 bed bungalow and have oil heating.

The company say that since the meter was changed, we have been averaging about £70/month

My partner says that when the meter was changed, they were all scratching their heads saying that the serial numbers didn't tally up. I gave the company the number of the meter that was taken out and guess what.....that's not the meter they've been estimating on.

They are obviously looking into this and have agreed to refund the £1300 they took by DD this week.

My question is, if they really have screwed up big time and really can't sort this out, where do I stand with what I've been paying over the last 5 years?

MickKnipfler

nobody?.......

dunloadin

Sounds like the supplier is looking into it, if you have the reads from the start of the account and the details of the meter change then you should get something sorted out...hopefully.

I'm not the best person to comment on billing though, you might get more joy if you mention who your supplier is, one of the regular posters who work the call centres or a rep may be able to help then.

MickKnipfler

It's EDF. I was just wondering where I would stand if they just hold their hands up and say 'we don't know'

spiro

What the engineer found was a 'found exchange' i.e. a meter exchange that had occured in the past but the industry records had not been updated.

The new meter should have a card attached that shows the final reading from the meter they installed, this is very important because it is an actual reading that can be used to help sort the mess out.

Is there an older card attached giving dates and readings when the old meter was installed? It will help resolve the issue very quickly if there is.

Your supplier will see what readings your meter reader has and they will try and reprocess these against the found meter.

If you have taken reading in the past and have kept a record these will also be helpful for your supplier.

MickKnipfler

Yes there is a card but EDF already have the readings when the meter was taken out. It also has the serial number of the old meter. EDF say that they did have some previous readings from this meter but somehow the serial number has been changed on their records.

Maybe all they have to do is compare the final readings with those they previously had and then work out how much I had used over that period.

The question remains though, if they just can't establish beyond readonable doubt how much I've used, where do I stand?

Premier_2

MickKnipfler wrote: »

...The question remains though, if they just can't establish beyond readonable doubt how much I've used, where do I stand?

They can establish what you've used. The meter measures what you you consumed (even if their records of its serial number don't tally), and they have the reading from that meter when it was removed.

The question is, what evidence have you got that you could use to dispute that consumption? e.g. do you remember the meter being changed previously? As spiro asked, do you have the card relating to such earlier replacement?

david39

I seem to remember from previous, similar threads that energy suppliers can only backdate unbilled sums that are their own fault for a maximum of one year.

If this is so, and I'm sure people on here will soon confirm or deny, then the maximum you are liable for is 12 months' shortfall in payments.

Premier_2

david39 wrote: »

I seem to remember from previous, similar threads that energy suppliers can only backdate unbilled sums that are their own fault for a maximum of one year.

If this is so, and I'm sure people on here will soon confirm or deny, then the maximum you are liable for is 12 months' shortfall in payments.

There is a 12 month back billing rule, but it won't apply in cases such as this where the customer has been charged based on estimated readings and not supplied their own accurate meter readings.

undaunted

Once again I see, it's all the customers fault for not reading their meter in the last 5 years - absolutely nothing to do with the supplier either failing to do so, or say picking up the phone & ask the customer to do so etc etc

Consumer Focus' take on such situations

http://cfe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5406/session/L3NpZC9lYUR2ZVk1aw%3D%3D


Note paragraph on "Doing all it can?" and "..........ensure bills relate to foreseeable consumption..... "

..... Hmmm

xbrenx

£120 a month seems a lot for a small bungalow