Wrong Tariff!

bloomingflower

Hi


Hope someone can advise...

This is going to sound incredibly unbelievable! I have just discovered to my horror that for the last 12 months I have been on the wrong tariff with my pay as you go meter with British Gas.

I have gas central heating and my meter is tariffed (right word?!) for storage heating.(The ones that cost an arm and a leg to run )

12 months ago I changed service provider from EON to BG,however,someone at EON obviously passed on the wrong information and told BG I had storage heaters.( BG have just told me this) I only rung BG yesterday to wonder why my electric consumption was so high the last few months. Now I know why!

I didn't think to enquire about this issue before because on the days I use my tumble dryer I guess I will use extra electric etc..However,I know it's my own stupid fault for not contacting BG much earlier.

My big question is... can I ask for a refund for the extra amount of money I have had to put on my key? and if so how do I do this?

many thanks

SwanJon

Just to get a bit more information before the next stesp (which is probably going to be calling/writing to British Gas).

Has the house ever had storage heaters? Do you have an immersion heater?
I'm assuming you have a white meter with a blue button (KBD) - does this have 4 or 5 wires coming out of the bottom?

It is possible that your property was recorded as E7 on the industry database, but E.ON had made internal arrangements to treat you as single rate. They won't pass on these details to your next supplier who will use the industry database.

If the house & meter are still wired for E7 this will happen next time you change supplier too. They have no way of knowing you want to be charged differently.

You can calculate how much it would have cost you on single compared to E7 to see how much you would have saved.

Once you have all your facts and figures get in touch with them and see if they are willing to rebill you, but there is no guarentee.

bloomingflower

Hi

Thank you so much for replying

My meter is a black prepayment key meter with a blue button with 4 wires coming out the bottom (red,black and two greys)

Just to confirm ( if I can remember that far back) that I moved into this property in 2001 (new build circa 2001)and this meter has always been here since that time. The boiler is a glow worm economy plus with gas central heating.
We also have an immersion heater which we occasionally use if or when the boiler is out of action.

Sorry to sound thick,(I've got the flu and it has gone to my head!)how do we calculate how much we have used over this year? Can we get it from the meter readings going that far back?

Incidentally,BG have now arranged for us to have another prepayment meter installed in December. Rather a long way off to wait considering that in the mean time we have to keep topping up the meter with an arm and a leg just to keep the electric going. It is just so expensive.I have tried to ask BG to move the date nearer but they don't have any suitable dates.

SwanJon

Sorry, made the assumption that it was the more recent model of meter.
I'd expect 5 wires for E7 with storage heaters, and from what else you say the house has never had them.
You should have recieved/be about to recieve an annual statement showing you how much you have used - if not you can call/email and ask about your consumption.

The other thing you can do is check the settings on the meter.
When you press the blue button the screen should change and you'll step through about 10 screens (13 with the key in). The newer meters use letters for these, while the older ones numbered them (and not neccesarily the same way).
Can you find screens
F/5 - Total Charge/wk (This will be a standing charge and if there was a bill standing charge + weekly payment to bill)
H/7/6 - Rate 1 kWh- Meter Reading 1 (Day, usually)
I/8/7 - Rate 1 p/kWh - price of units used at rate 1
J/9/8 - Rate 2 kWh- Meter Reading 2 (Night, usually)
K/10/9 - Rate 2 p/kWh - price of units used at rate 2

With your consumption & the prices you can see how it works out (at the current prices - more dredging required for previous prices)

If they are going to change the meter, try and get this resolved first, just in case the engineer turns up with an E7 meter.

I'd call, and maybe follow up with an email/letter, as it shouldget the ball rolling quicker (0800 048 0303, 0330 100 0303). Ask them to check the central database to see how the property shows (Single/two rate).

Good luck.

bloomingflower

Hi SwanJon


I just wanted to let you know that since your last post I rang BG again for probably about the 3rd time but this time I was allowed to speak to a lady manager. After explaining the whole saga to her she was quite helpful in regards to bringing my date forward to have my old meter replaced with a new prepayment meter. My new date is the 6th December which I am very pleased with! The 13th was too far away for reasons explained in my previous post.

She also gave me a code to use with my present key until the meter change over. I was told to take my key and the code to my usual pay point outlet so they can input the key and code into their leccy machine and it will change the wrong tariff to the right one.

However,this is only a temporary measure,the manager explained that my meter could revert back to the old tariff and this is why she had brought my changeover date forward. So overall I am pleased with that result.

In the meantime I have taken these meter readings before the engineer takes it away next week.

I was wondering if you would be kind enough to decipher these readings for me? You have been ever so helpful.

A £5.13
E total accepted £8121
F total charge £1.19 week

total
G 69973.75kwh
H 39075.63 kwh (rate 1)
I 1348 pence per kwh (rate 1)

No J or K

R emergency £5
S Debt 0
T Debt charge week 0


many thanks

SwanJon

Glad it's moving forward. Always nice to hear when something's getting done (but it should be done the first time!)

It looks like these were taken after using the code...

bloomingflower wrote: »

A £5.13 - credit on the meter
E total accepted £8121 - How much has been put on the meter since it was installed
F total charge £1.19 week - Standing Charge (too low to include a bill payment)

total
G 69973.75kwh - How much electricity has passed through the meter since it was installed.
H 39075.63 kwh (rate 1) Electricity used at day/single rate - so it looks to me as if the meter was on E7 at one point.
I 1348 pence per kwh (rate 1) - I'm hoping there was a . after the 13! This is what you are (now) paying for each unit (13.48p)

No J or K - Suggests no night rate anymore

R emergency £5 - how much emergency you get offered when you need it
S Debt 0 - No bill on the meter
T Debt charge week 0 - As no bill, no weekly payment towards one

Glad I can help. Do this again, at least on the morning of the exchange and keep a note of the readings!

bloomingflower

SwanJon wrote: »

Glad it's moving forward. Always nice to hear when something's getting done (but it should be done the first time!)

It looks like these were taken after using the code...


Glad I can help. Do this again, at least on the morning of the exchange and keep a note of the readings!

Hi SwanJon

Yes,you are right! these readings were taken after inputting the code. Just to edit quickly: (something tells me that I should have taken a reading before inputting the code??doh!)

Have I done it all wrong?? is there still a way for BG to work out it all out with regards to us being on the wrong tariff?

(yes,there should be a . between the 13 and 48!!

regards

SwanJon

I wouldn't worry too much as the key sends a reading back each time you top up, but it doesn't always get recorded to your account. It is stored though and agents can find it if needs be. (There are some customers who top up at least every day and there would be far too many readings otherwise!).
It just helps if you can see it for yourself.

Now that the meter is recording the correct way, the next step is to make sure that BG's system is too. If it has had you down as single rate all along it becomes a very easy fix - if not it takes a bit longer.

The agent you spoke to should have started this ball rolling, and if you are having the meter exchanged on Thursday it's probably worth waiting until after then to do anything more. Your new meter will have the same screens as your current one, so you can make the same checks when that goes in.

As long as your meter is charging you at one rate, updating the system becomes less urgent, so an email/letter may be easier if you do need to chase.

PS - did you get the annual statement? It shoudl show how many rates the system thought you were on.

bloomingflower

Thank you so much SwanJon for your last message and for helping me out with my questions.You have given me good advice on how my meter works which is something I was totally clueless about before!.

I know you must be really busy but do appreciate that you have taken the time to answer my queries. You're a credit to MSE!

You have been a real star!:beer:


All that's left to do now is wait for new meter and I have also requested an annual statement as mentioned in your posts.

thank you once again