Having nightmare changing incorrect meter reading. Can I do anything?

pcornall

In November I decided to move from npower to first utility for gas and electric. We had been in the house we rent since July and it has an old style dial electric meter. Not familiar with this style of meter I incorrectly read it, rounding up the numbers instead of down. As a result, the bill I received from npower was about £150 more than it should have been.

I immediately contacted npower when I realised my mistake in December. They said they'd look into the matter and they'd cancel the payment they were going to take. Unsurprisingly, they took the payment anyway. Several phone calls and contradictory information later, I got this back via my bank only for npower to send me the exact same bill again last month. I wrote to them asking what is going on and they emailed me saying I should phone. I will not do this as every time I have phoned I have been fobbed off and given incorrect info - I want to make sure that now I have evidence of anything they say. Thus, I've now written to them again making this clear.

Meanwhile, I also informed first utility of the situation. They have said they can't alter anything until my old supplier accepts my amended reading. Therefore, all my readings are being estimated by them based on my incorrect reading which looks as though I use tons of electricity. So, the monthly payment they want is double the amount it should be.

Is there anywhere I can go to get help with this? I know there is an Ombudsman for the industry, but I don't know if that will have any effect. It's been a couple of months since I raised this and I this can't be a unique situation.

macman

You cannot go to the Ombudsman until you have raised an official complaint with your supplier and waited 8 weeks without resolution. Have you done this?
If the fault is with FU, you'll need a lot of patience...

undaunted

You've complained in writing - more than once by the look of it, more than 8 weeks have passed I think thr Energy Ombudsman will take this up for you now if you contact them.

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/contact-us-energy.html

Wywth

pcornall wrote: »

In November I decided to move from npower to first utility for gas and electric. We had been in the house we rent since July and it has an old style dial electric meter. Not familiar with this style of meter I incorrectly read it, rounding up the numbers instead of down. As a result, the bill I received from npower was about £150 more than it should have been.

I immediately contacted npower when I realised my mistake in December. They said they'd look into the matter and they'd cancel the payment they were going to take. Unsurprisingly, they took the payment anyway. Several phone calls and contradictory information later, I got this back via my bank only for npower to send me the exact same bill again last month. I wrote to them asking what is going on and they emailed me saying I should phone. I will not do this as every time I have phoned I have been fobbed off and given incorrect info - I want to make sure that now I have evidence of anything they say. Thus, I've now written to them again making this clear.

Meanwhile, I also informed first utility of the situation. They have said they can't alter anything until my old supplier accepts my amended reading. Therefore, all my readings are being estimated by them based on my incorrect reading which looks as though I use tons of electricity. So, the monthly payment they want is double the amount it should be.

Is there anywhere I can go to get help with this? I know there is an Ombudsman for the industry, but I don't know if that will have any effect. It's been a couple of months since I raised this and I this can't be a unique situation.

I'm sorry, I don't really understand your post.

You said you were originally with nPower, but moved to First Utility.

You incorrectly read the meter rounding the numbers up resulting in a £150 overpayment/charge by nPower.

This would suggest it was the final nPower reading that was the one that was rounded up in error rather than their start reading.

But a supplier usuallly gets their final reading from a new supplier who you provide the start reading to.

I'm not sure how First Utility can really be estimating anything other than average usage as they have no history of your usage. Usually they will ask for a couple of meter readings a few days apart to have a basis for estimating.

If you've been overcharged by nPower by £150, then you have been undercharged by First Utility by about £150

All you are arguing about is who should have the money - I would just let them sort that one out.
The difference in cost of tarriffs from the two suppliers based on £150 usage is not going to be much.

Fire_Fox

You need to exhaust NPower's formal complaints procedure, reaching stalemate or being ignored before you go to the ombudsman.
http://www.npower.com/home/customerservices/contact-customer-services/complaints/index.htm

pcornall

Thanks for the replies - that is useful information. I have written to npower one final time and stated that if the issue is not resolved within 14 days I'll take it on to the ombudsman.

Regarding the suggestion that it is all a bit of technicality as to who gets the £150, it's unfortunately more complicated than that. First utility have now confirmed to me that it is npower (my previous provider) who has estimated my usage at the time of switching supplier and this has been based on readings given in the months prior to when I moved in (when there were a lot more people living here). Thus, they have estimated around 300 units more than I had actually used.

First utility have now started estimating my readings too. I am unable to enter the actual readings with them because they are still less than the estimated start reading. Because npower estimated such high consumption, first utility are doing likewise, so they are now charging me around double what I should be paying.

The bottom line appears to be that it is up to npower to adjust the reading at the time of change of supplier. I have now sent them all the readings I've done over the last couple of months along with a photo of the meter. I wish they'd just send someone to read the meter to prove it. Anyway, this has been going on for about 3 months now so I will chase it up with the Ombudsman.

Thanks a lot.

Wywth

pcornall wrote: »

Thanks for the replies - that is useful information. I have written to npower one final time and stated that if the issue is not resolved within 14 days I'll take it on to the ombudsman.

Regarding the suggestion that it is all a bit of technicality as to who gets the £150, it's unfortunately more complicated than that. First utility have now confirmed to me that it is npower (my previous provider) who has estimated my usage at the time of switching supplier and this has been based on readings given in the months prior to when I moved in (when there were a lot more people living here). Thus, they have estimated around 300 units more than I had actually used.

First utility have now started estimating my readings too. I am unable to enter the actual readings with them because they are still less than the estimated start reading. Because npower estimated such high consumption, first utility are doing likewise, so they are now charging me around double what I should be paying.

The bottom line appears to be that it is up to npower to adjust the reading at the time of change of supplier. I have now sent them all the readings I've done over the last couple of months along with a photo of the meter. I wish they'd just send someone to read the meter to prove it. Anyway, this has been going on for about 3 months now so I will chase it up with the Ombudsman.

Thanks a lot.

Why didn't you supply First Utility with the meter reading when you switched?

Your failure to do so has resulted in the estimated readings being used.

The First Utility account will sort itself out as soon as they use an actual meter reading - that may require an official meter reader to verify.
If you raise this as a complaint with FU, they will have a maximum of 8 weeks to resolve.

I'll reiterate, if nPower have over charged you by £150 the First Utility will have undercharged you by about £150 (when the meter reading at date of switch is sorted out)

All you are arguing about is which company should have the £150.
As I suggested earlier, I'd leave that for the two suppliers to argue over.

nPower

Hi pcornall,

I'd like to see if we can get this all resolved for you - please can you email me all the details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL] and I can take a look into this?

Many thanks,

Adam