Meter Readings Question

ecdub

Hi all,

When I moved into my flat, someone with a key to the room where all the meters was let me in, and read out my meter readings for me to write down.

I have just received my first bill from energy company, and it has the following info.

Electricity,

The meter reading I quoted in August
A meter reading which they apparently read (although I had no knowledge) from September.
And their estimated reading for December.

Now, I have gone down to check the actual reading, and as far as i can see - the actual meter reading is less, than what i first quoted, and therefore also less than their actual reading...

What I am assuming has happened, is that the dials were read incorrectly initially (it is one of the meters which has clock type dials - so there is the potential)----(or of course i am reading it wrong, in which cause this all becomes redundant!!)

If this is the case - once the meter gets above the reading which their guy took - can i call it in - and effectively get a bill that is very low!? Or will the energy company kick up a fuss saying it is not possible to not have used that little electric, and amend the original reading..?

Hope that all makes sense - any help would be appreciated! If the previous tenants paid up to my initial reading, i dont want the energy company to have charged them, and then me again!

Thanks for anyone's help!

t0rt0ise

I'd do the easy thing and call them and tell them what's happened and ask them what the final reading of the previous occupant was and ask them to use that.

dogshome

Hi ecdub - This problem may have been caused by a mis-read dial meter, but could also be down to the wrong meter being read.
CHECK that the meter number on your bill matches that on the meter you were told is yours - If it doesn't get onto your supplier

ecdub

Thanks for the replies all.

I will ring them and see what the previous tenants gave as a reading - the bill which has come through is approx what I would expect, however, if I was to give a reading now to actualise it, obviously the way I am reading it would bring it down, and at some point I can see it causing problems.

As i said, I just don't want them to have charged the previous people up to what I gave as an initial reading - and then say to me well your reading was wrong, it must have been this and we will bill you from there, hence being paid for 1000 units twice.

I may try get in touch with the previous couple as I know they had a credit account, and were going travelling, so it is possible, they were in credit up to my inflated reading and just paid it off.

As I now have an actual reading from the company - they can't amend that can they? I am thinking about getting them to come out again (once it goes above the previous reading) and have them read it when I am around.

LittleVoice

How different was the September reading from the one you wrote down in August?
Did it look as though you had used a lot of electricity between the two dates?
What happened to the bill which presumably was created after the September reading?