Energy company refuses to use actual readings

stator

Are you actual readings higher or lower than their estimated readings? If you are on a credit, bill in arrears type account, won't it be reported to the credit reference agencies?

modsandmockers

naedanger wrote: »

what if the bank does not honour the guarantee, or disputes that the guarantee applies in the particular case. You would then need to take action against the bank

It's hard to understand why a bank would bother to resist a customer's request to recall a DD payment - the bank itself neither loses nor gains, and does not become involved in any dispute. It is probably arguable that the recipients of any DD payment are at greater risk than the payer!

footyguy

trop wrote: »

I switched energy providers a while ago and am on quarterly billing. I got my first bill after six months (instead of three, as was expected) and it used estimated readings. I told them that I don't pay estimated bills, gave them my actual readings, and asked them to send a new bill using these readings. They sent a new bill using estimated readings. This process continued two more times.

I get the strong feeling that they don't know what they're doing but this has been my experience with every energy company. Am I obligated to pay these estimated bills? Surely not if you're disputing the bill. I've since contacted the Omsbudsman and applied to change energy companies. I'm actually very anxious to pay because this is going back some ways now but they refuse to use my readings for whatever reason.

It sounds like they have reason to suspect your own reading is inaccurate. To be fair, it's not usually the supplier alone that decides this.

If the final reading by the outgoing supplier matches the start reading used by the new supplier, it's probably not worth arguing about, unless the difference in the reading you claim and the reading used is very big. Indeed, limits are in place under which a complaint will not even be considered valid. (as long as the final & start readings are the same)

But if you still feel aggrieved, follow the supplier's complaint procedure.

The ombudsman will not assist you until you have exhausted the suppliers own internal complaint procedure, and that is what they should have told you when you contacted them.

cing0

This is a breach of SLC (http://epr.ofgem.gov.uk/Content/Documents/Electricity_supply_standard_licence_conditions_consolidated%20-_Current%20Version.pdf) so take a look at
You need to tell Ofgem about this as the ombudsman does not enforce the regulations so see.
BTW, not accepting meter readings is standard practice across the industry, not just co-op energy. You can't force suppliers to use energy meter readings so it is wise to make sure they receive them or record receipts as a precaution for further issues.

trop wrote: »

I switched energy providers a while ago and am on quarterly billing. I got my first bill after six months (instead of three, as was expected) and it used estimated readings. I told them that I don't pay estimated bills, gave them my actual readings, and asked them to send a new bill using these readings. They sent a new bill using estimated readings. This process continued two more times.

modsandmockers

cing0 wrote: »

not accepting meter readings is standard practice across the industry, not just co-op energy. You can't force suppliers to use energy meter readings

O yes you can - just send them what you actually owe, and challenge them to prove you wrong! The meter is there for a purpose - it measures your energy consumption. On what grounds can an energy supplier refuse to accept the accuracy of a meter reading?

naedanger

modsandmockers wrote: »

It's hard to understand why a bank would bother to resist a customer's request to recall a DD payment - the bank itself neither loses nor gains, and does not become involved in any dispute. It is probably arguable that the recipients of any DD payment are at greater risk than the payer!

In one of the examples I gave the bank itself could not explain why it refused to honor the guarantee. Nevertheless it happened, as documented by FOS.

In some of the other cases it seems lack of knowledge by the bank staff was the main reason.

modsandmockers

naedanger wrote: »

In some of the other cases it seems lack of knowledge by the bank staff was the main reason

Since the meltdown, the banks have been forced to up their game, and bank call centres are now much improved. The energy industry appears to be wide open to any number of second-tier members who are blatantly exploiting every small-print trap they can find.