No meter reading for 3 years

preacherboy

Hi everyone, I'm after some advice regarding my npower electricity supply.

I have recently received a bill which shows I am £170 in credit, upon contacting them for the refund, I was advised they would not do this as the bill was an estimate. When I asked the date of the last reading I was advised it has never been read since I made the purchase in September 2007!!

I live in a small apartment block with 6 homes and have never received a notice for access to read the meter.

I checked the meter myself and discovered the metre reading for the night rate is still show at the same rate as it was in 2007 and the day rate was three times the value of my neighbours. Npower have agreed the meter is faulty, and so will change it, however they have not yet said what they intend to do about my payment since 2007.

What options do I have?

CharlieBilly

You could give them an up to date meter reading, but you may run the risk of accruing a huge debt

They may try and calculate you usage over a given time if meter is faulty and bill you based on what they assume to be your usage

preacherboy

Hi, I can't use the readings from the current meter as it is faulty. I did forget to add they have a policy that all meters must be read at least once every two years, which they have clearly been broken.

I guess what I'm try to gauge is that as I've been paying the estimated bills for 3 years, and now there is no way a reading can be taken due to their faulty equipment, can they attempt to withhold the £170 albeit estimated overpayment. There is no way of attaining a correct ready!!

cifpower

Why did you never provide a meter reading yourself?

spiro

Given that you are saying the night reading has not moved and the day reading is three times the neighbours is only helpful if both meters started with the same readings. If you have you move in read how much has been recorded on the day register and do you have gas?
It is possible that all your consumption has been recorded on the day rate and the meter has never switched to the night rate in which case they will just split the figure over the 2 rates using the industry average percentages.

dogshome

Hi preacherboy - When meters go wrong, the usual thing is for the supplier to issue an 'Estimated' bill which is based on the customers useage prior to the meter fault.

However as your meter was duff prior to you moving in this is not an option, so the only way to judge what your consumption would have been over 3 years with a working meter, is from a full years figures produced by the new meter from the day it's installed.

Unfortunately, n'power are not known for being reasonable and you might have a battle on your hands if their attitude is "Here is a Bill - Giveusthemoney". So be prepared to stand your ground and take it to Consumer Focus if n'power won't play ball.

On your side is the fact that you have been paying the bills they sent, which would have been made up of estimates of both Day & Night rate use, BUT, will these payments actually clear what you used over the 3 years ?

If you post the size of your flat, how much you have been paying, it's type of heating and if it's ECO7 metered how many storage radiators you have, someone here will be able to give you a ball park figure as to the annual Electric cost

JasX

They may come up with a number, once you get a working meter you'll be able to accurately monitor your useage for a month or so and may have grounds to challenge their original 'estimate (or quietly accept it if you are in fact using more).

Regardless of company policy that you should read your meter more often than every two years its basic common sense.

After all the company only comes round to read the meter themselves periodically to
1-Check you're not telling them fibs
2-In case you're old/infirm and incapable of understanding whats going on with your meter anyway.