Scottish Power's Final Bill with estimated meter readings?

bonus2010

On 4th December, I finally completed registration for both electricity and gas with my new supplier Our Power, switching from Scottish Power, which took 45 days from application.

I followed the advice given by Scottish Power’s switch over “Progress Tracker” for both supplies which states:

“To make sure it all goes smoothly: -
Ensure your final bill is accurate – give your new supplier meter readings when they ask. They’ll use these readings to set up your new account and will send them to us. We’ll use them to create your final bill”

Hey, it sounded a great idea to me just to provide the meter readings the once to the new energy company.

Yesterday I receive the final gas & electricity bills from Scottish Power thinking that was quick, in fact the quickest part of this whole exercise, but for both gas and electricity, they were both showing as final estimated readings!

How on earth can a bill be produced as Final with estimated readings? Has anyone else experienced this with Scottish Power?

I won’t be bothering to phone Scottish Power to update them, but I will be keeping all my own records because I’ve no doubt they’ll contact me again six years from now demanding £5 lol

matelodave

If your transfer happened on 4th then there's no way that SP would be in possession of your final readings - they have to be verified by a third party which usually takes couple of weeks (if you are lucky).

SP should then produce the actual final bill based on actual readings within six weeks

Robin9

What date is against these reading ? They are probably the routine ones.

bonus2010

@Robin9

Just quoting statements as printed on two bills

Bill 1

"Your final electricity statement"
05 Nov 2017 Estimated read: 2236


Bill 2

"Your final gas statement"
Gas Costs
03 Dec 2017 Estimated read: 840

---

Switchover to Our power
elec on 6 Nov 2017
and
gas on 4th Dec 2017


Hey, it would seem to me Scottish Power are a bit over keen to get the final bill calculated and sent than to waiting for third party confirmation of meter readings in case I might cancel the DD lol (of which I wouldn't)

Raxiel

I agree it's unlikely the gas read has been processed that quickly (although not imposible)

If the third party (that validates meter readings during a switch) decides to make an adjustment to the readings you supplied, they will show up as 'estimated' but that's not the same as the supplier making an estimate themselves.

Do you have any sort of opening read available from Our Power (first bill, online account etc?) Scottish Power just have to match those figures, not the ones you supplied.

bonus2010

Raxiel,

No I don't have any paperwork from Our Power yet to confirm that they're actually going to use the meter readings I've supplied them. That's the main reason why I wouldn't bother contacting Scottish Power at this time. Of course if Our Power decide to use the same meter readings as SP have used in their final bill , I'll be ok with that.

System

bonus2010 wrote: »

@Robin9

Just quoting statements as printed on two bills

Bill 1

"Your final electricity statement"
05 Nov 2017 Estimated read: 2236


Bill 2

"Your final gas statement"
Gas Costs
03 Dec 2017 Estimated read: 840

---

Switchover to Our power
elec on 6 Nov 2017
and
gas on 4th Dec 2017


Hey, it would seem to me Scottish Power are a bit over keen to get the final bill calculated and sent than to waiting for third party confirmation of meter readings in case I might cancel the DD lol (of which I wouldn't)

Check the opening readings with Our Power agree with the closing readings and you do not have a problem. If they do not agree, then the gaining supplier has the Licence obligation to resolve the matter with the losing supplier.

If there is a difference a Readings Dispute can be raised:

The difference between the original reading and the new, estimated reading must be more than:

1200kWhs (39 units for imperial, 109 units for metric) for gas

250kWhs for electricity

If it’s lower than that, we can’t open a dispute.

If it’s higher, we’ll open a dispute. (Source Ovo)

bonus2010

Thanks Hengus. The meter readings I've gave Our Power is Elec:2242 kWh & Gas 855m^3. So, SP's readings are just a little under estimated, still losing them £5 though.

System

bonus2010 wrote: »

Thanks Hengus. The meter readings I've gave Our Power is Elec:2242 kWh & Gas 855m^3. So, SP's readings are just a little under estimated, still losing them £5 though.

I doubt that. I had an estimated reading on switch a couple of years ago in the old supplier’s favour that was about 1100kWhs out for gas. The new supplier accepted it and I overpaid the old supplier by about £35. I then only paid the new supplier standing charges for about 3 months until the meter passed the opening reading. The actual difference in cost was £2.34 which the new supplier credited to my account as they had failed to raise a Readings Dispute.

jk0

Hmm. Frankly this is all a nonsense created by the systemic delays inherent in switching supplier.

If you could switch instantly, there would be no incentive for your previous supplier to pretend you had used loads of energy after the day you initiate the switch.

System

jk0 wrote: »

Hmm. Frankly this is all a nonsense created by the systemic delays inherent in switching supplier.

If you could switch instantly, there would be no incentive for your previous supplier to pretend you had used loads of energy after the day you initiate the switch.

Until we all have smart meters, nothing will change and even then it will take the industry some time to update the various databases etc that are monitoring your supply for costs associated with wholesale purposes and transportation.. The reason why meter readings on switch are validated is three fold:

1. People lie thinking that they can save a few £s when prices are rising.

2. People cannot be bothered, or are unable, to supply a meter reading on switch.

3. People mis-read their meters; particularly, the old dial ones

That said, I agree that the underpinning industry practices do need to be updated.