GAs Meter Change - anyone had MASSIVE increases after the change?

bongoali

Hello

We have lived in the same 3 bed mid-terrace for the past 6 years.
We have an imperial meter.

Our average 12 month usage for the first 5 years in this address has been between 9,600 and 11,200 KWh. (300 to 350 x 32)

Our meter was changed in June 2010 by NPower - still an imperial meter but they had to change it "due to some legislation to keep meter's reasonably up to date or somethng".

From July 2010 to Dec 2010 we've used 16,000 KWh - when you add in Jan 2011 to June 2011 at the same rate we're looking at another 16,000 KWh which will would mean 32,000 KWh for the 12 months since the meter was changed.

For info - no change to our boiler, central heating system or cooker. Only change is meter (and usage obviously). And no -we can't smell gas ;-)

I telephoned Npower today to advise them something is wrong! We can't go from average of 10,000KWh to 32,000KWh - it's too bizarre.

To send someone to check the meter will cost me £90 although I was advised to take daily checks for the next 7 days as there's a chance they could send someone for free if usage stays high.

Not really sure what to do other than take the readings for the next 7 days and possibly write to Npower to explain something appears to be not quite right!

Any suggestions please ?

Thanks

macman

Are you sure the new meter is imperial? I haven't had mine changed for about 10 years, but I assumed that all replacements would be metric?
What conversion basis are you now being billed on?
Can you verify that the correct opening and closing readings were applied for the billing period covering the meter change date?
Are the bills you refer to for your year-on-year comparison actual or estimated?

bongoali

Hi Macman,

Will try and answer the questions:

Npower told me today over the telephone that the replacement meter was imperial.

I don't know what conversion basis I am now being billed on.
Not sure I understand what this means - I was just taking the units on the reading and multiplying by 32 to get to KWh


Yes the opening balance on the new meter was correct (I recorded it at the time the engineer left after fitting the replacement). It read 9279 on 16th June 2010. Today it says 9749. So a little over 6months it says we've consumed 470 units!!!!

The usage I am using for year to year comparisons are actual readings. I have taken readings for several years.


So I don't understand how usage can treble and I'm struggling to know what I can do about it. I can't help but think had we not had the meter changed, we wouldn't be having this problem as none of our gas using appliances have changed and our usage habits have not changed (except maybe for some marginal extra usage for Dec this year)

Inner_Zone

bongoali wrote: »

Npower told me today over the telephone that the replacement meter was imperial.

I'd be very surprised if it is. Why don't you just look at it it will be marked with imperial or metric units?

victor2

Sounds like you (and nPower) have got imperial and metric meters mixed up.
1 unit (hundred cubic feet) on an imperial meter is 2.83 units (cubic meters) on a metric meter. Divide your calculated average of 32,000 by 2.83 and you get 11,307kWh, which is in the ball park for what you are expecting. Assuming it is a metric meter, you need to make sure nPower are aware.

dogshome

Hi bongoalie - Don't take n'powers word for it that your replacement meter is an IMPERIAL model.
Time after time suppliers recognise that a meter has been changed, but then fail to pick-up the change in meter type

Look at your meter, on the front it will be marked either ft3 for Imperial, or m3 for Metric

Look at your bills and on the line which lists the units used, divide this number into into the Kwh charged - If the answer is appx. 31 you are being charged for an Imperial meter, if it's appx. 11 you are being charged for a Metric meter

If there is a mismatch between the type listed on the meter and the chargeing method COMPLAIN in writing as you are being over charged by nearly 200%

macman

The OP doesn't say that their billing has increased-just that they are still calculating their kWh usage as being 32 x the meter units shown-which is I suspect now a metric meter.

bongoali

To everyone that replied -thank you - the information you provided was helpful to us. Sorry if I came across as thick but "they're only easy if you know the answer"!

The meter says 'm3' on it so I will be phoning Npower now to advise them to reconsider what meter they think I have.
The lady on the phone earlier today put me on hold while she went away to confirm what meter went in during the replacement. So when she came back and said it's imperial I took her word for it.

Victor2 - thanks for the conversion data you provided - I made a note of that and I can use that going forward now to convert my metric units into KWh.

Macman -yes well spotted I was just talking about meter readings ,not bills, as I like to keep a record of what I'm using so I can plan my £.
Had a bit of a sweat on earlier though when on the phone npower said that my DD were not even paying half of what my bill will be (cos of this metric /imperial mix up)

Btw, my experiences with Npower are pretty good on the whole.. just wish the lady said "it's metric and to covert you need to do ...."

I feel a lot better having had the replies on here so thanks everyone for bothering to reply :T

macman

As we thought. But if you look on your last bill it will show what meter unit is being used in the gas unit to kWh conversion.
Imperial unit conversions will show a 'metric conversion factor' of x 2.83. Metric ones won't.
If you are still being billed on imperial units. then your billing will have almost tripled.

utility_csa

It will be a metric meter installed.

imperial meters are not allowed to be installed after 1992.