Paying twice for energy

fly-catchers

When you switch how can you ensure you don't end up paying twice? I started my switch from the coop to Tonik in January. It was at same time I was to provide the coop with my latest readings which I did. I was in credit by quite a bit but shortly after all my online figures disappeared from their site. Though l did do a screenshot.
Got one email from Tonik confirming a DD was being set up and them nothing. After chasing them up I eventually heard back where they told me their had been an error in not sending me a startup email. On Friday I got an email asking for my current meter readings. But when I signed in the electricity readings were already filled in with a much higher figure than my actual ones! Only the gas entry was blank. Of course it won't allow me to enter my correct lower figure!
It suggests these figures were provided 13 days ago- but by whom? I have contacted Tonik but still waiting to hear. Should I cancel the coop DD even although I am certainly in credit with them. Why is switching such a pain in this day and age?

System

fly-catchers wrote: »

When you switch how can you ensure you don't end up paying twice? I started my switch from the coop to Tonik in January. It was at same time I was to provide the coop with my latest readings which I did. I was in credit by quite a bit but shortly after all my online figures disappeared from their site. Though l did do a screenshot.
Got one email from Tonik confirming a DD was being set up and them nothing. After chasing them up I eventually heard back where they told me their had been an error in not sending me a startup email. On Friday I got an email asking for my current meter readings. But when I signed in the electricity readings were already filled in with a much higher figure than my actual ones! Only the gas entry was blank. Of course it won't allow me to enter my correct lower figure!
It suggests these figures were provided 13 days ago- but by whom? I have contacted Tonik but still waiting to hear. Should I cancel the coop DD even although I am certainly in credit with them. Why is switching such a pain in this day and age?

The gaining supplier has the Licence responsibility for managing all aspects of a transfer of supply which includes asking you for meter readings 5 days before the actual date of the transfer. The meter readings that you provide are verified by the data collectors - independently of the two suppliers - and these readings are used to open and close your accounts. If there is a difference, then speak to the gaining supplier. If the readings used are markedly different from the ones that you provided then an Agreed Readings Dispute can be raised:

What if I think you've used the wrong readings to open or close my account?

If you think this has happened, just give us a call as soon as possible - and we'll look into it for you.

What happens during a read dispute?
Here it is, step by step...

Starting a read dispute

We'll ask you for two readings from at least two weeks apart.

From those two readings, we'll work out how much energy you normally use - and so what the meter readings we're looking into should be. For us to raise a dispute, the difference between the original reading and the new, estimated reading has to be more than:

- 1200kWhs (39 units for imperial, 109 units for metric) for gas
- 250kWhs for electricity

Next, we'll be in touch to let you know whether we can(or can't) raise a dispute...
Raising a dispute

We'll send the meter readings you gave us to your previous supplier to show them what we think the opening or closing readings should be. (We won't send you a statement for the energy we're disputing until everything's sorted, so your balance might not be 100% accurate while everything's going on.)

Once the other supplier gets our meter readings, they can either agree with them - or suggest different ones. If we don't agree with theirs, we'll give them a call to decide on your final readings over the phone. They'll then be changed on the central database that all suppliers use.
Finally, we'll update the meter readings on your account, create an up-to-date statement and drop you an email to let you know that everything's been put right.

Your previous supplier should also update your account and send you a new statement if it's needed. (source: Ovo Energy)

I would speak to the Coop about cancelling your DD as some suppliers use the DD process to refund any credit to you.