Transposed (reversed) Electricity Economy 7 meter readings

jakeyb0y

Ive been contacted by my elec supplier FLOW, to ask me to provide photos of my econ 7 meter readings, which I have done today and they have confirmed the readings are reversed. It is a meter error, not my fault, but where does this leave me? I am expecting a large bill to come through as I expect them to say I have not been charged enough for the day rate. Its been installed for about 4 years, the first 2 years where with co-op before switching to Flow.

macman

You will be rebilled on the correct readings and will be liable to pay that amount. It's not your 'fault', but you still have to pay for the energy used. However you should be able to negotiate an extended payback period based on the period over which any debt has arisen.
Transposition is a meter reader error, not a meter error, so both you and the meter asset company have presumably misread it.
You will have been 'charged enough day rates', but these will have been billed at night rate, and vice versa.
However since on E7 one would expect maybe 40% minimum of your usage (NSH's and an immersion heater) to be on night rate, then you may find that the debt is not that much. The higher percentage you use on night rate, the lower it will be.
If you go back through your billing reads then it should be obvious when the transposition occurred.

footyguy

jakeyb0y wrote: »

Ive been contacted by my elec supplier FLOW, to ask me to provide photos of my econ 7 meter readings, which I have done today and they have confirmed the readings are reversed. It is a meter error, not my fault, but where does this leave me? I am expecting a large bill to come through as I expect them to say I have not been charged enough for the day rate. Its been installed for about 4 years, the first 2 years where with co-op before switching to Flow.

Why do you say it is a meter error?

It seems to me to be a meter reading error

I'm not sure who provided the meter readings, but nonetheless, the meter is in your property and you should always verify the readings on any bill/statement yourself. Hopefully lesson learned.

I suspect, even if the readings were transposed when the Co-op supplied you, due to the period of time that has now passed, they will not bother to rebill you (although they would be entitled to do so if they charged you incorrectly)

So any rebilling will probably only be for the period Flow have supplied you.

jakeyb0y

Thanks, its not the meter display thats wrong, something to do with when the readings have been entered online and automatically read by the gent who comes round, somewhere within the system it has transposed them. My bill reads the same as the readings taken, so its a bit confusing. Also, about 12 months ago I enquired with them about changing to a standard rate and they said it wouldnt be beneficial as I am slightly better off (about £5 per month on econ 7). A recalculation now could mean I had been wrongly advised at the time, being given the circumstances I find myself in. Also will I be liable to pay the co-op for energy used and not paid for when I was with them? I thought I didnt have to pay if they hadnt asked for it within 12 months of leaving.

jakeyb0y

No, definitely not a meter reading error. These are correct as submitted on the meter, and checked against my bills as correct, i.e. rate 1 read as 30955 and rate 4 read as 12173, and this is how is reads exactly on my bill. rate 1 being day, rate 4 being night (from my understanding). There is no reading error.

footyguy

jakeyb0y wrote: »

No, definitely not a meter reading error. These are correct as submitted on the meter, and checked against my bills as correct, i.e. rate 1 read as 30955 and rate 4 read as 12173, and this is how is reads exactly on my bill. rate 1 being day, rate 4 being night (from my understanding). There is no reading error.

What happened to rates 2 and rate 3??? :huh:

Anyway, unless the meter specifically says otherwise, then rate 1 maybe day or maybe night You should be able to tell whiuch rate is currently being charged by looking at the meter.

If you've used 30955 units charged at day rate and only 12173 units at night rate, and these are now discovered to be transposed, then you would be due a refund
It records indicate this also extends back to the days the Co-op supplied you, you better get onto them too.
Good luck!

footyguy

jakeyb0y wrote: »

...I thought I didnt have to pay if they hadnt asked for it within 12 months of leaving.

As my mum always says, you know what thought thought

Here is a link to the back billing code
https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/files/docs/Factsheets%20and%20guides/back_billing_consumer_guide.pdf

(Whilst only a handful of suppliers actually subscribe to it, all are supposed to abide by it's principles)

Back-billing principle

If your supplier is at fault, it will not seek additional payment for unbilled energy used more than 12 months prior to the error being detected and a corrected bill being issued.

(my highlighting in red)

macman

The Co-Op will have no idea that there has been a meter reading error. Flow are only interested in recovering their losses, not those of a competitor.
I don't understand why you say it's not a meter reading error-if the registers have been transposed when entering the reads, then that's a reading error. The meter is reading correctly.
You are currently using just over 40% on cheap rate. The break point depends on usage, tariff and region, but is generally somewhere around the 33% mark, so it seems that E7 is probably your most economic option. But if you put the annual kWh figures through any comp site twice, once as E7 and once as single rate, then you will know for sure.

[Deleted User]

jakeyb0y wrote: »

No, definitely not a meter reading error. These are correct as submitted on the meter, and checked against my bills as correct, i.e. rate 1 read as 30955 and rate 4 read as 12173, and this is how is reads exactly on my bill. rate 1 being day, rate 4 being night (from my understanding). There is no reading error.

That is correct, rate 4 is always low rate, rate 1 is day rate on your meter. It could be the timeswitch is messed up if its an old style analogue circular 24 hr dial. These are frequently so far out the night rate is active at any 7 hour slot in the 24 hrs. I dont think you have been billed transposed reads. Usually on a transposed day/night meter, people on night storage heaters will get a refund.