single rate electricity on a two rate meter

standingupforthepeople

So, in this age of carbon footprints and economic crisis, EDF energy will come and change my two rate digital electric meter for a single rate meter free of charge, but they will not add rate1 and rate2 together to give them a single meter reading (even though the meter gives a total reading as well!) resulting in the same thing... a single rate bill.

Errr...am I missing something?

At my last house (starting some 6 years ago now) Scottish power, british gas, and eon refused to give me a Eco7 tarrif, even though I had two rate dial meter, storage heaters, and immersion. How did they get aroudn the 2 rate meter..... add rate1 to rate2...and voila! Worked out bl00dy expensive, so has gas heating installed.

Tempting though it is to have the meter changed at their expense, just on principle, whilst a single rate will suit our lifestyle for the time being, it could be that this changes in the future.... and i wonder how "easy" it would be to have it changed again?

Does anyone know which providers will add rates together to give single readings these days?

It's tempting to investigate changing the clock on the meter! :rotfl:

dogshome

Hi standingupforthe people - Where an ECO7 property with Storage radiators has had Gas CH installed, the supplier when they are informed do one of two things: Add the ECO7 readings together and charge as a Standard Meter, or change the meter - Some suppliers do it one way and others do the other.

However, the 'Add the Readings' method is done by a note on the account and as two recent posts have shown these 'notes' tend to go astray, particularly at the time of meter replacement, a change of Supplier or a new account holder - All of which result in the customer getting massive ECO7 tariff Elec. Bills.
Whilst you knowing the history could do battle to get back onto a Standard tariff, have a thought for the next occupier who's unwittingly paying a lot of money on an ECO7 tariff - and believe me, there are 100's of them out there

Cardew

BG and EON will add the two meter readings together and charge the total as a 'normal' 24/7 tariff. e.g 1,000kWh on daytime meter and 200kWh on nightime meter is treated as 1,200kWh.

I assume the reason some companies cannot do this is because their billing computer cannot handle 2 readings.

Premier_2

standingupforthepeople wrote: »

...At my last house (starting some 6 years ago now) Scottish power, british gas, and eon refused to give me a Eco7 tarrif, even though I had two rate dial meter, storage heaters, and immersion. How did they get aroudn the 2 rate meter..... add rate1 to rate2...and voila! ...

All three companies you quote (in line with all but perhaps the odd small supplier) offer E7 tariffs.

Scottish Power are one of the companies that won't allow a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter, so I'm not sure how they achieved that with you.

In some cases, E7 from Scottish Power can result in cheaper prices than the equivilent single rate tariff, no matter how little low rate consumption you have.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1207887

Terrylw1

The Supplier gets charged based on 2 reads as you do.

The "add the readings together" thing is a poor way to do it and the Supplier should change the meter. They add them together to say them changing the meter and tell you it's easy and better for you. It frequently goes wrong.

Not all Supplier operate that way...since it's a flakey and to be honest, a non compliant method.

Some meters out there support 1 rate charge on 2 rate billing. Your Supplier can check this. If your meter will do this, they just change your tariff so they bill the same unit charge but keep 2 readings on your bill. They also update your supply number so any new Supplier would understand this is happening so as not to revert you back.

If, your Supplier is adding readings together, they are incorrectly reflecting your pattern of usage and when you change Supplier, your new one will just start charging you at E7 again and then you have all this headache.

It's not non compliant with what a Supplier is supposed to do. BGAS know that you will get stung when you change Supplier!