Electric meter failure. Is this correct?

flicks

Hi all,

Raising a query on behalf of my daughter. I'm not sure which supplier she is with although I could find out but I don't think it's relevant to the post.

She sent her last meter reading in in September 2016. When she sent in her December one it was noted that the readings hadn't changed during the last quarter. I'm guessing this means the meter gave up the ghost sometime between her June reading and her December one as the reading had changed between June and September.

Her supplier has now fitted her with a smart meter and have said they will work out how much she owes based around the first 2 weeks of her smart meter usage. Is this fair?

It seems to make the estimate based on what looks to be 2 of the coldest weeks we have had in quite some time seems a little harsh.

Wouldn't it be better to work this out based on an average of an entire year's usage? Maybe I'm being unrealistic but I would be interested in any thoughts or experiences you MSE people have had.

Many thanks.

SpotlandRules

Unless your daughter is all electric, her electricity readings should be pretty constant throughout the year. I know mine are.

I suppose she could be very economical with her usage for this two week period, if all else fails.

System

If it is an older Sangamo Weston analogue meter it has a habit of sticking when the last digit would show a blank instead of some number. A heavy thump on side of meter jogs it back into action

[Deleted User]

I'd be inclined to argue with them. Ask them to estimate on the basis of June- Dec 2015, and if they wont, go to the Ombudsman.

footyguy

flicks wrote: »

Hi all,

Raising a query on behalf of my daughter. I'm not sure which supplier she is with although I could find out but I don't think it's relevant to the post.

She sent her last meter reading in in September 2016. When she sent in her December one it was noted that the readings hadn't changed during the last quarter. I'm guessing this means the meter gave up the ghost sometime between her June reading and her December one as the reading had changed between June and September.

Her supplier has now fitted her with a smart meter and have said they will work out how much she owes based around the first 2 weeks of her smart meter usage. Is this fair?

It seems to make the estimate based on what looks to be 2 of the coldest weeks we have had in quite some time seems a little harsh.

Wouldn't it be better to work this out based on an average of an entire year's usage? Maybe I'm being unrealistic but I would be interested in any thoughts or experiences you MSE people have had.

Many thanks.

Where the meter has stopped working, the only fair way is for the supplier to estimate usage during the period the meter was faulty.

Generally, it usually works out favourable to the consumer.

Don't worry about the time of year, the supplier will seasonally adjust as appropriate

It would be unreasonable to all for a supplier to wait another year to bill what has already been consumed.

System

Blank screens on the little white Landys Gyrs and Ampy meters are happening in their thousands all over the UK. Hopeless cheap rubbish meters..Suppliers just estimate on past usage, or if they don t have that data they will go a few weeks future use to get a good idea of the weekly use.

flicks

Many thanks to everybody who has replied to my post.

I shall pass these comments on to her.