Concerned re possible meter read error

adenuf777

Hello all.
I'm new to this forum and looking for advice.
I transferred my dual energy supply over 18 months ago to Sainsburys Energy (British Gas) and submitted the final readings to my then supplier SSE and Sainsburys. I checked the first bill, which was correct and agreed with the final reads on the SSE bill.
However, my gas DDR has crept upwards on review as expectde with rising fuel costs but my Electricity DDR has reduced.
I admit I have not checked the readings up until my most recent bill but when I finally did it seems to me that the meter is being read incorrectly and I am being charged mainly for night units with day units being minimal. The readings submitted on transfer were definitely correct. What should I do and will I have any liability regards the undercharge?:eek:

matty12345

Hi

Ive just posted the below. Luckily i have taken photos which enable me to argue the point but would formally compain and take to ombusman in 8 weeks good luck !


MY COMPLAINT:mad:
I really need some help. I have just moved in to a property with British Gas. There was some delay in getting electric connected so I complained.

I am being told the Property has two MPANs and British Gas dont support that. The property has a heat wise economy 10 meter. ( Even though british gas have supplied electric since 2009 they say they cant calculate )

I am also advised that they want to send back the supply to the previous supplier as an erogenous transfer to NPOWER ( i think ) from 2009 who do support Economy 10 with dual MPANS.

The Meter has 5 Rates. THERE IS ANOTHER BIG PROBLEM The two MPANS have got crossed over. MPAN 1 Has R1,2,3 and MPAN 2 has R1,2. Rates 4 and 5 have not been taken in to account but i suspect should have been on one of the MPAN's. Theyt are going to try and bill for the same usage OMG !

British gas advise they cant bill this situation. Its been a month and i was told to get an electrician to check the MPANS. Is it really my responsibility. In addition if the MPANS have crossed over where do i stand.

Id like a new meter as it scares me whats next.

I used to live in the property a few years before ( long story ) and i was only on one MPAN ( Two Rates ) and the last resident a different MPAN. ( Three Rates ) and i can prove that R1 and R2 are the same on both MPANS ( Rate 3 does not move and R4 and R5 are well away from the sequence. In addition British gas supplied and billed me at this time so how can they now say they cant bill me as they have done for me previously and the last resident.

I have been told old bills will be reworked and invoiced and cant stay with British gas.

I thought dual MPAN with 1 meter was a logical thing no need for an electrician to check it. Ie there is not two physical supplies just a meter that has multi rates.

Where do i stand and what can i do.....I would like British Gas to put in a new economy 7 meter i think. Ive spent hours on the phone and feel like i am getting no where. Also looks like they want to bill for the same electric. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HELP ME TACKLE THE CORPORATE COMPANY:(:(:(:(:(:(

[Deleted User]

a very common occurance, transposed meter readings, night units billed as day units and vice versa. You will proberbly be owing some money if you are not using night storage heaters or using a lot in the 7 hours cheap rate.Usually this is caused by a digital meter which is showing "rate 1 " in the day time period. Most of our meter readers at G4S in my section in S.Yorks , always put anything they see on a digital meter with "1 " showing , into the night section. The fault lies with them and the supplier mostly. Expect the supplier to send you a catch up bill which you should try to get waived.
The best person to sort out which rate equals which period is you yourself as you can take the time to observe the time periods each rate is displayed. They default to show the rate in progress at any particular time

adenuf777

Thanks for the reply, though I didn't update the original post.

The readings (by SSE) were always correct and identified the right daytime and night usage, suggesting there is nothing wrong with the meter. The transported readings (read by me) were also correct. It is only since Sainsburys started reading the meter that the readings appear to have been transposed, which on checking all the bills started on their first actual reading and have continued since then.
Are they not responsible for reading the meter accurately?

I would like to switch suppliers, which has led to this discovery but I am now concerned that to do so will result in a bill, which I calculate would be approaching £600 over the period.

[Deleted User]

Sainsburys is British Gas, these are read by us at G4S. Our hand hand held computors always show an eco 7 meter as 1 =night and 2 =day. the meter readers take that as to mean any meter showing a 1 is the night rate etc, so the fault lies with the meter readers and BG for interpreting the readings transposed. The meter readers havent been trained properly to undersatand all the various multi rate meters around. They vary a lot , as your next door neighbours meter could just as well be the other way round with rate 1 = night ( yours will be r 1 = day ). If you argue your case properly and put the onus onto the meter reading company and BG you will have any catch up bill waived. I have seen this happen many times

adenuf777

That's great. Much appreciated. I'll let you know how I get on.