Faulty Electric Prepayment Meter

sandra21_2

My meter had been working fine until 2 weeks ago. The usual charge I have had in the coldest time is about £5 per day. I have storage heaters and Economy 7.
Now we put £50 on 1 Feb, a Monday, and on the Saturday the electric went off. That makes £10 per day. And this is after I have turned down the heaters as the weather has warmed up.
So we put another £50 on, and that went down as fast. Contacted British Gas and they found that I had been put on the wrong tariff recently ( I am disabled so they put me on one of their essentials tariffs - not cheaper ) and they gave me £15 !! credit. I argued and said that is not enough, having put £100 in in 9 days. Got the answer that the meter is correct.
Wrote to complain. Got an answer back and they are basically saying that I should make sure my doors and windows are shut, curtains are closed, and turn the heating down. Are they thinking that I am an idiot, it was an insulting letter.
But, now what do I do. There must be a fault in the meter, why else would it double the rate at which it says I am using it. :mad:

Premier_2

What makes you believe the meter is faulty?

Has the actual consumption in kWh increased significantly (as opoosed to the cost)?

What you are suggesting is that you were put onto a more expensive tariff by error. That can easily be corrected and hopefully if done retrospectively, will mean your account will be in credit.
This you will get back (via one means or another).

sandra21_2

Consumption has actually decreased as bedroom heaters are now switched off, the storage heaters downstairs are only on halfway now. Its a lot milder now
And they credited my meter with all of £15, which doesn't make up for the extra I put in. £100 always in winter lasts at least 20 days. It was gone in under 10.

Premier_2

If you were put on the wrong tariff in error, what I would hope they would do is only charge you for what you used at the tariff you should have been on.

Forget about what the meter 'charges'; that only controls your spending.
What actually happens is that the meter records your consumption in kWh and that is reconciled with the amount of credit you purchase.

They should be able to show you this calculation in the form of a statement.

Any extra you spent buying credit due to the higher amounts being demanded by the meter for the short time you were on the incorrect tarrif should be returned - this may be via a credit adjustment whenever you top up.

sandra21_2

I will ask them for a statement, and compare with previous ones I have at home.

I still think £100 being used up in 10 days is way too much for the consumption actually used. But will see what the statement says