Energy reaf

Jay_G

Hi, can l give my energy company higher reading than actual, since my cheaper deal is finishing. Therfore saving in the long running. (ie. Gas reading 3000kW more and Ele reading 5000kw more).

TadleyBaggie

Based on your normal usage, I suspect they will become suspicious. What they will do about it is anyone's guess.

JJ_Egan

Lets say you do just that .
Current reading 4500 and you put in 5000 .
You switch and your provider wants meter readings after a month .

System

Jay_G wrote: »

Hi, can l give my energy company higher reading than actual, since my cheaper deal is finishing. Therfore saving in the long running. (ie. Gas reading 3000kW more and Ele reading 5000kw more).

The energy industry isn't stupid. When you switch, your new supplier will ask you for meter readings. Clever you adds 1000 kWhs to the reading to save a few £s.

An equally clever industry passes your meter readings to an independent third party for verification which bases its estimate on the previous usage which it has on its database for your property. The estimated reading is then used to close and open your energy accounts.

You, of course, could cry foul and the gaining supplier will initiate a Readings Dispute which can take up to 12 weeks. Part of the dispute resolution procedure might end up with a meter reader knocking at your door.

Is fiddling the system worth it?

Raxiel

It wouldn't work for a switch as discussed, in fact they might even change a legitimate value (my gas reading got bumped up 25m³).

If you're talking about simply switching tariffs with the same supplier, there is no third party validation, but if its different enough to rouse suspicion they may want to send round a meter reader, which would leave you with some explaining to do if the number they read is lower than the one you gave.

Only way it's likely to work is if you'd managed to significantly reduce usage compared to the previous year and the actual reading is below what an estimated read would be.