Final meter reading given to new supplier they used estimate instead

System

EvUK wrote: »

This is the second time I have switched and this problem did not occur before. My submitted closing readings have been changed by this invisible middle man and apparently within the tolerances. It is true that the result may be small in cost but I simply object to estimated readings being used (on what basis) when actual ones were submitted (and at the very last moment of supply by the old supplier EON). This will of course affect the immediate usage history (in the winter months).
It is quite simple - if there was no problem with your submission of reading to the previous supplier then the ones you give should be used. Obviously there may be problem accounts, etc when some other form of action would be justified but this is simply interference and I believe treats users as being basically dishonest.

Until smart meters are deployed across the Country, this validation system isn't going to change: indeed, it has been i place for many years. Why? On switch some people cannot be bothered to read their meters; most people do and many get it wrong and, put bluntly, some people lie just because they can see a few £s advantage by doing so.

I did think that there might be merit in reversing the process. That is, the supplier checks the customer reading given against the verified reading and if within the industry tolerance then it just accepts the customer's reading. The downside of this is that many people would just submit a higher reading in the knowledge that for gas, for example, the industry tolerance is 125C3Ms or c.1400kWhs.

I had a validated gas meter reading last year that was 120C3Ms out. It took me 3 months to reach the opening reading and I just paid the new supplier the daily standing charge until I did so. The difference in unit price cost was £2.34 that the new supplier credited to my account when asked to do so.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

EvUK wrote: »

This is the second time I have switched and this problem did not occur before. My submitted closing readings have been changed by this invisible middle man and apparently within the tolerances. It is true that the result may be small in cost but I simply object to estimated readings being used (on what basis) when actual ones were submitted (and at the very last moment of supply by the old supplier EON). This will of course affect the immediate usage history (in the winter months).
It is quite simple - if there was no problem with your submission of reading to the previous supplier then the ones you give should be used. Obviously there may be problem accounts, etc when some other form of action would be justified but this is simply interference and I believe treats users as being basically dishonest.

Hello EvUK and welcome to the Forums.

As Hengus says, meter readings going through a third party (Data Collector) is industry wide and has been around a long time. They're not only involved when there's a change of supplier but also look after meter readings in general.

With a change of supplier, the thresholds I mentioned earlier in the thread can be used to put right major differences but, if below, they won't be changed. It's important the opening and closing readings match so the same energy is only charged once.

Sorry I can't suggest anything different here EvUK.

Malc

[Deleted User]

I've had the same problem. The dispute ran for a year until I called in Ofgem after they passed the account to a debt collector.

badmemory

The problem will still exist with smart meters because the new supplier will not be able to access the data until the new smart meters are installed. Still if it keeps "jobs for the boys" by having to use an intermediary! After all they don't pay for it we do.

wolfysmith

Another switcher had similar problems .....SE post >>


. ' SUPPLIER CHARGING FOR ENERGY NOT CONSUMED'

EvUK

The strange thing for me is that the assumption appears to be that users cannot be trusted. I wonder if there has ever been any analysis of how many readings are changed and by what amount and on what basis. It seems to me that in the interests of transparency there should be information, I can't believe I am so naive as to be submitting correct reading as requested by the new supplier. Also having had no problems with my previous supplier and consistently submitted readings when requested, the basis for analysing my history and deciding a change is needed remains opaque. This is even more odd when the change is inside the threshold - why not just leave them alone. In my case one was raised by about 100 and one lowered by about 100????

System

EvUK wrote: »

The strange thing for me is that the assumption appears to be that users cannot be trusted. I wonder if there has ever been any analysis of how many readings are changed and by what amount and on what basis. It seems to me that in the interests of transparency there should be information, I can't believe I am so naive as to be submitting correct reading as requested by the new supplier. Also having had no problems with my previous supplier and consistently submitted readings when requested, the basis for analysing my history and deciding a change is needed remains opaque. This is even more odd when the change is inside the threshold - why not just leave them alone. In my case one was raised by about 100 and one lowered by about 100????

There have to be checks as some people do not bother to read their meters on switch; transfer dates get delayed; people misread their meters (particularly the old ones) and some people just lie when prices are rising. The gaining supplier doesn't chat to your old supplier it just uses an industry approved verification process that has been in place for 70 years. The Data Collectors also hold all the historical usage data for your property that suppliers use to gauge your annual usage.

To take up your suggestion. The dispute limit on gas is 125C3Ms or about 1400kWhs. If the industry accepted your suggestion, then how many people would over-read their meter by, say, 1000 just to save a few £s.

Once the Data Communications Company is fully up and running, then the issue will be largely eliminated. Smart meters don't lie - or do they?

System

No they don t lie Hengus, but the in House Display occasionally does as the news article this week proved. SSE pointed out that it was not the smart meter but the monitor going berserk .Does nt matter to the Daily Mail, the monitor is a smart meter as far as they are concerned.
Nearly 20 years meter reading listening to people moving home telling me they have already sent their final reading off weeks before moving out makes it plain that suppliers cannot trust the end/start readings. the ONLY time to note the reading is either just before shutting the front door for the last time for renters or the day of completion for sellers for people moving in and the day of completion for buyers or taking over the rent lease.. They will not do that in the main so an estimate is more truthful. Smart meter would be spot on correct !

EnergyFun

Hi EvUK

There are a few reasons why an estimate might be used:
- Your new supplier didn't submit your reading in time (within 8 wd of switch date) and the Data Collector provided an estimate
- Your old supplier rejected the reading provided by your new supplier and provided an alternative (which was an estimate based on a historical read).

You can ask your supplier what the reason for this was because a customer provided read is preferred and estimates are only used when one is not available.

You also have the right to dispute the reading and request another read be used. This would require either providing another read or somebody visiting the property to obtain a read. However, you still have the problem in that the reading will be mapped onto a usage profile to 'deem' what the reading would have been on the switching date. So, again, you effectively have an estimate, albeit with a solid starting point.

Suppliers shouldn't be rejecting reads where the disputed difference is less than 250kWh.

In terms of over estimating due to winter consumption, this won't happen. Your meter has a consumption profile which plots an energy consumption pattern throughout the year on a graph; it looks a bit like a Sin wave because it rises in winter and falls in the summer. They use your historic reads and this usage profile to calculate an estimated usage for your annual consumption. Using these they can give a fairly accurate estimate of consumption - the estimate is more accurate if they have a recent read and the estimated read date is not too far ahead/back in the future/past.

Even if you've been charged for an extra 100kWh it's only the gaining supplier who loses because they'll supply you with that 100kWh but never charge you for it. This is due to their consumption being -100kWh off.

But, yes, it's a muddle!

DunkirkPie

I've just switched energy suppliers and have fallen foul of this ridiculous process, and I'm not happy about it.

As requested by my new supplier I read both meters on the day of the switch and supplied the readings to them. A few weeks later, I received my final bill from my old supplier and lo and behold an estimate had been used for the gas reading.

The result of this is that my old supplier has underbilled me (and my new supplier has overbilled me) for about 860kWh of energy, about three weeks' usage for me.

Because I have switched to a tariff with higher unit costs (and lower standing charges), I am actually out of pocket by about £6.

But more important to me is the principle. If my energy supplier isn't going to take the meter readings I supply at face value, then they can damn well come and read it themselves. For them simply to substitute an estimated reading (the clear implication being that I am being dishonest) is totally unreasonable.

I've read through my supplier's T&Cs and there doesn't seem to be anything which allows them to do this. In fact, they specifically state that "We'll calculate the charges for your energy using... any meter readings you've given us... or, if no up-to-date meter reading is available, we will use estimated meter readings (using industry standard methods)."

As luck would have it I took a photo on the meter when I read it (it's so inaccessible that this is really the only way to do it), so I am going to dig my heels in over this. I cannot believe it is legal.