First Utility - Bill Mistake - Compensation?

minikarter

Hello, So to the point:

-3rd supplier since moving into house, First utility used estimated billing, but wouldn't take my electricity readings.
-Figured out it was because original installers had registered the meter on the national database with the correct serial number, but wrong type, registered as an economy 7 dual rate, but actually a single rate. Highlighted this to First utility on at least 2 occasions, within a month of joining them, eventually got it changed, barely a month or 2 before leaving again 10 months later.
-Left first utility, and they claim I owe £437 based on final reading which I had to pay, a month before christmas. Causing me to cancel some plans, and consider a significantly reduced budget for Christmas.
-Dug deep, found that since I started with them, they'd used 0000 as my starting reading, and then realised they actually owe me £653!
-They realised the mistake and agreed to pay me back within 10 days.

-Waiting payment, put in a complaint and mentioned i'd expect some compensation, since paying £437 meant I had to change some Christmas plans as I could no longer afford some, and had raised the original root cause of the issue to them months ago, it was followed up poorly, and somehow had overwritten my actual starting reading with 000.

My question now is, how much compensation is reasonable to expect? The issue has been a significant inconvenience and caused a lot of stress, and it took me a long time to get them to realise any mistakes. Now to realise I've been overcharged all this time, is thick icing on the cake.

spiro

This is nothing do to with the builder it has been caused by the Meter Operator who installed the meter on behalf of the first supplier of the property unless the meter details have subsequently been change by a later supplier's MOP.

minikarter

Thankyou, unfortunately it has nothing to do with my issue now and my question..? Fact is first utility were made aware of the mistake to be corrected very soon after joining them, regardless of who caused it, and therefore were responsible for making sure it was corrected and I would be billed correctly from that point onward.

matelodave

minikarter wrote: »

Thankyou, unfortunately it has nothing to do with my issue now and my question..? Fact is first utility were made aware of the mistake to be corrected very soon after joining them, regardless of who caused it, and therefore were responsible for making sure it was corrected and I would be billed correctly from that point onward.

Did you write or register a complaint or just rely on phone calls.

minikarter

All phone calls which, im assured are all recorded and they can see the notes for. Should it have been a complaint earlier? It is a complaint now, but only since I found out I was billed incorrectly, not before when I wanted them to correct the meter details on the database.

minikarter

Customer services offered me £25 as goodwill, I said it wasn't enough. Feeling a bit peeved since the final bill (with no option to spread the cost over multiple payments) almost meant a significantly budgeted Christmas with cancelled plans, and then knowing it was caused by issues they had all the information about but failed to correct or follow up in good time, and even then made mistakes. I still don't know what's reasonable to expect but 25 doesn't feel enough.

I've been referred to their complaints department now as £25 was the max that their customer services department could offer.

trickytree1963

You initially were concerned they had the wrong meter type (e7 not single rate). The meter reading error was only spotted long after their final bill. Did you not submit opening reads and check these on your bills before you left F U's supply? From the monetary figures you quote you must have had several bills did you not notice the readings used were wrong?

[Deleted User]

Why would you be entitled to compensation?

Dd you get the £653 back from them that they owed you?

Seeing as you're getting that back, that then covers off the £437 you've had to pay, no?

matelodave

Why does everyone who feels a bit aggrieved think they are entitled to compensation. Who do they think pays for it - certainly not the energy company as it just increases the cost for everyone else.

It's the entitled, snowflake culture that's been emerging over the past few years. Every one else is to blame except me and I need to be rewarded because I'm upset.

minikarter

Firstly, the opening meter reading given to them was correct. Somehow, it got overwritten by 0 around the same time, customer service mentioned it could've been some kind of dispute about the reading with the previous supplier.

Second, I couldn't tell if the meter readings were correct or not, because First utility would never accept them. And whilst I suspected the meter details were wrong, it took a long time to convince them that was the case and for them to investigate and correct it. It was as if they didn't believe me that I only had a single rate meter..

Third, £437 is a lot of money, and so close to Christmas, it's added a significant amount of stress, and in my case meant I had to cancel plans and rethink my budget for the next couple of months. Direct debits also were being taken at the same time as when I was paying for energy from my new supplier, adding additional cost to my monthly bills. Even now I don't get my refund for money which they took from me unnecessarily until the end of next week, barely a couple of days before Christmas day. Could compensation not be asked for for this? Even moneysavingexpert has in the past, suggested trying for compensation when faced with significant mistakes from energy suppliers, and if not sorted promptly, to take it to the ombudsman.

[Deleted User]

Unless you were significantly put between a rock and a hard place then you won't be due any compensation.

Besides they offered you some and you declined it. Regardless of the amount.

The easiest thing to do would have been to not pay it and have the account frozen pending investigation