Over Charged for TEN YEARS

barefoot69

For ten years I have been told by BG that my economy 7 meter measures cheaper rate electricity from Midnight to 7am. I have a dishwasher and washing machine that operate automatically at 1am. Recently I discovered (using CCTV to record the meter) that the meter does not switch over at midnight till 7 but infact is set to switch over at 10.30pm till 12.30am then switches again at 2.30am till 7am.
At first BG customer care said this was wrong and the meter must be faulty but after further investigation they explained that yes in Brighton some meters are set that way "sorry".
I feel cheated and asked for compenasation but realising this could be a huge claim BG immediately denied responsiblity and claimed I was responsible for finding out the time my meter switches (which I thought I had done when I first asked them)

I wonder how many other consumers are in the same situation but dont know it yet?

I would love your thoughts on this issue.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

How were you told that it was Midnight to 7am - verbally or in writing?

Do you have a mechanical clock? I would be pretty certain you do, as remote switching has not been in for 10 years in much of the country I believe.

I think you may have a case for a goodwill payment, but I doubt they will concede you have a legal claim as it will set a precedent.

Playing the Devil's Advocate!(or BG's defence lawyer!!)

There are plenty of cases where mechanical switching clocks are fast or slow. All the companies take the view it is up to you to check your timings(ignore if remotely switched)

Many people would gain by a 10:30pm switch to cheap rate as they are still up and consuming energy.

You would have to attempt to quantify how much you have lost, a washing machine and dishwasher don't use huge amounts of electricity. Now if it was a washer/dryer and you used an immersion heater!!

spiro

The only person who can tell you the times are the supplier especially as on some meters you dont have a mechanical switch.

What you have lost is 1.5hrs in the middle of the 2 hours you thought were cheap. I am guessing you elec heating came on at the correct time so the only thing you have lost is the lec for things like dishwasher/washing machine that you have set for 1am.

The most I think you could claim is machine useage * no of times per year * (day rate - night rate) * no of years. Using http://www.ukpower.co.uk/tools/running_costs_electricity/ it quotes a washing machine at 1.2kwh for a wash. If you take the BG E7 price of 4.2p night and 9.9p day that works out at 4.7p per kwh difference. So simply 1.2kwh per wash * 104 loads per year * 5p equals £6.24 per annum or £43.68 over 7 years (statue of limitaion).

barefoot69

Thanks for your replies.

First it is not a mechanical clock. It's just a plain box next to the meter. I think it is an atomic clock running of the time transmitted from Rugby. However there is no time displayed on it.

Secondly. My E7 tariff is 25p during the day and 4.7 at night. The day rate is 2 tier and drops to 10p after 600 units.

The dishwasher is on every night but the washing machine is only on at weekends (3 nights) in total 19 units a week (over charged by 15p)

roughly £150 a year.

By the way I do not have overnight electric heating but I do have an immersion heater but it's timer was always set to 4am.

Cardew

barefoot69 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies.

First it is not a mechanical clock. It's just a plain box next to the meter. I think it is an atomic clock running of the time transmitted from Rugby. However there is no time displayed on it.

Secondly. My E7 tariff is 25p during the day and 4.7 at night. The day rate is 2 tier and drops to 10p after 600 units.

The dishwasher is on every night but the washing machine is only on at weekends (3 nights) in total 19 units a week (over charged by 15p)

roughly £150 a year.

By the way I do not have overnight electric heating but I do have an immersion heater but it's timer was always set to 4am.

The tier 1(primary) 25p rate can be ignored as you use that in normal use(it is in effect a standing charge).

If you use 19 units a week(which is high) on those appliances you are paying(at today's rates) 19 x 5.3p x 52 = £52 a year.

They will be able to see what your overall cheap rate consumption has been for both periods. Have you got the annual figure.

Certainly worth chasing them for a goodwill payment.

Would help if you were told in writing of your E7 times.

spiro

barefoot69 wrote: »

By the way I do not have overnight electric heating but I do have an immersion heater but it's timer was always set to 4am.

In that case is it worth having E7?

barefoot69

Thanks again for the replies.

However, 670 units on tier 1 at 25p per unit £167. Hardly a standing charge. So far I have never made it into tier 2.

I am the only one living here (although the girlfriend stays often)

BG did a calculation and said I was still better off on the E7 tariff.

I wish I did get the time information in writing. Otherwise I'd be straight down the small claims court.

Anyway, we're kinda missing the point. For ten years I've been a bit of an eco worrier (always switching off lights and running stuff overnight) only to find I was wasting my time.

A good will payment would seem the right thing, but BG are saying "na"

spiro

barefoot69 wrote: »

However, 670 units on tier 1 at 25p per unit £167. Hardly a standing charge. So far I have never made it into tier 2.

The 'standing charge' is tier 1 price - tier 2 price * no of units i.e. 15p * 600 = £90.

barefoot69

And you think £90 is a reasonable standing charge? Thats massive!

barefoot69

espresso wrote: »

To be fair BG have done nothing wrong, as it was you who made the assumption about when your E7 hours are.

What is your annual usage?

I'm sure that you could save money by switching to a better/cheaper tariff.

I didnt assume !!! They told me the times (read the original post)
When they found out the actual times they initially said the meter is faulty. but after investigation they said the times are correct and that the information I received from BG was incorrect.

barefoot69

Sadly I only have this information verbally. However, everyone at british gas can't beleive the switching times. If I ring up now and ask for the E7 times I am still told midnight till 7. (incorrect) When I tell them the times my meter switches they nearly aslways say "no thats wrong"