B Gas faulty meter valves?

Tamweenie

Our meter was changed a couple of years ago by United Utilities on BG's behalf.
A year later I questioned the massive increase in units used and asked BG if they would check the new meter as I thought maybe this was faulty and giving a false reading. They said they would, but would charge me £90 just for coming out, so I was put off and left it.
I have now received a call from United Utilities who want to come and change a faulty valve on the meter (although they say that this fault would cause the gas to cut off). If this could have caused falsely high readings would BG or Utd Utilities be obliged to inform customers, or could they simply change the valve and say no more to avoid repaying? Is there any way to find out?

dogshome

Hi Tamweenie - The chances are that when your meter was changed, they took out an 'Imperial' meter and installed a 'Metric' model

An Imperial meter is marked ft3 on the front and issues 100 cubic feet of gas for each unit recorded, whilst a Metric meter is marked m3 and issues One cubic metre of gas which is only appx. 1/3 of the 100 cubic feet from an Imperial meter
So for the same amount of gas a Metric meter it will clock units up 3 times faster than an Imperial model.

However though the number of units recorded went up, the cost of your bills should have remained about the same - But if your bills went up substantially there may be a problem with your billing
CHECK that the front of your meter is marked m3 which identifies it as a METRIC model
NEXT look at a bill and divide the number of Kwh charged by the meter units used - If the answer is appx. 11 you are being charged for a Metric meter.
BUT IF IT IS appx 31 and your meter is marked M3, you are being billed on the basis of an Imperial meter and being seriously overcharged - and should contact your supplier imediately

spiro

Also check that the meter serial number on the bill matches the MSN on the meter, they may not have been told about the previous exchange.