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Responsibility of New Supplier ?
When you switch utility suppliers for dual fuel and submit your actual readings to the new supplier as of a specific date, is the new supplier responsible for ensuring the submitted readings are correctly transcribed to the old supplier ?
If they are, then which firm is responsible in circumstances where the new supplier contends they have discharged their duty to transfer your actual readings and subsequently raises an invoice based thereon, but where the old supplier maintains they did not receive one of the submitted readings and have used an estimated reading to subsequently raise their invoice ?
The old supplier, has used an actual closing reading (for gas) and one estimated closing reading (for electricity) to raise their invoice and has over estimated the electricity by 614kWh.
Both firms deny any responsibility, blame the other and say there is nothing they can do to resolve the matter, effectively expecting the consumer to pay twice for 614kWh between them.
No wonder the UK utility companies have a poor reputation in their attitude towards consumers.
If they are, then which firm is responsible in circumstances where the new supplier contends they have discharged their duty to transfer your actual readings and subsequently raises an invoice based thereon, but where the old supplier maintains they did not receive one of the submitted readings and have used an estimated reading to subsequently raise their invoice ?
The old supplier, has used an actual closing reading (for gas) and one estimated closing reading (for electricity) to raise their invoice and has over estimated the electricity by 614kWh.
Both firms deny any responsibility, blame the other and say there is nothing they can do to resolve the matter, effectively expecting the consumer to pay twice for 614kWh between them.
No wonder the UK utility companies have a poor reputation in their attitude towards consumers.
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Comments
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When you switch utility suppliers for dual fuel and submit your actual readings to the new supplier as of a specific date, is the new supplier responsible for ensuring the submitted readings are correctly transcribed to the old supplier ?
If they are, then which firm is responsible in circumstances where the new supplier contends they have discharged their duty to transfer your actual readings and subsequently raises an invoice based thereon, but where the old supplier maintains they did not receive one of the submitted readings and have used an estimated reading to subsequently raise their invoice ?
The old supplier, has used an actual closing reading (for gas) and one estimated closing reading (for electricity) to raise their invoice and has over estimated the electricity by 614kWh.
Both firms deny any responsibility, blame the other and say there is nothing they can do to resolve the matter, effectively expecting the consumer to pay twice for 614kWh between them.
No wonder the UK utility companies have a poor reputation in their attitude towards consumers.
The gaining supplier has the Licence responsibility to manage all aspects of a transfer of supply. This includes asking the consumer for meter readings which are then verified by an independent industry third party. Once verified, the readings must be used to open and close your accounts. If either supplier disagrees with the readings then provided they are outside of prescribed limits an Agreed Readings Dispute can be raised. It is worth pointing out that verified meter readings can be estimated.
Call your new supplier and ask (a) for confirmation of the industry-verified readings and (b) confirmation of the date when these were passed to the losing supplier. Armed with this information, raise a written complaint against the losing supplier.
https://octopus.energy/blog/secret-life-opening-meter-reading/
For completeness:
Disputes can only be raised if the difference between the readings is sufficiently high. If the difference is more than 1200 kWh for gas, or 250 kWh for electricity, then the dispute can be raised; if the difference is within these values, the readings are deemed to be accurate, and the dispute cannot be raised. These are the values set by OFGEM, to regulate disputes.0 -
Changed supplier
I signed up with a new supplier EDF a week ago. I received an email from the existing supplier confirming this and requesting meter readings.
Yesterday I received an email from EDF for meter readings in the next week. I replied with the meter readings immediately and then received another email from EDF saying the account was started and available online with My Account.
I will be submitting meter readings each month and checking EDF statements.0 -
In both industries there is an industry process for 'Missing CoS Readings'. If your old supplier has not received the elec reading contact them and tell them to instigate the process - MAP08, which you can see here - https://www.mrasco.com/mra-products/mra-agreed-procedures/IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market.
4 Credit Card and 1 Loan PPI claims settled for £26k, 1 rejected (Opus).0 -
When you switch utility suppliers for dual fuel and submit your actual readings to the new supplier as of a specific date, is the new supplier responsible for ensuring the submitted readings are correctly transcribed to the old supplier ?
If they are, then which firm is responsible in circumstances where the new supplier contends they have discharged their duty to transfer your actual readings and subsequently raises an invoice based thereon, but where the old supplier maintains they did not receive one of the submitted readings and have used an estimated reading to subsequently raise their invoice ?
The old supplier, has used an actual closing reading (for gas) and one estimated closing reading (for electricity) to raise their invoice and has over estimated the electricity by 614kWh.
Both firms deny any responsibility, blame the other and say there is nothing they can do to resolve the matter, effectively expecting the consumer to pay twice for 614kWh between them.
No wonder the UK utility companies have a poor reputation in their attitude towards consumers.
In theory and in agreed enforceable law mostly enshrined in codes of practice the new supplier manages the switch, tells the old supplier about it and communicates the final meter reading to the old supplier. Then the new supplier starts charging you and the old supplier closes your account and produces the final bill.
That's all good and super easy for us ... when it all works: At midnight today my switch should be complete. However if the information in my inline accounts is correct I'll be faced with paying for the same gas to two suppliers, the old and the new, with direct debits to both suppliers.
It is very dangerous to look at the rules and laws and codes of practice and assume that's the way it 's actually done. But as we all (should) know it doesn't always work. Then we are faced with what could be a long process of complaints and arbitration and in the meantime our wallet and bank account gets ever thinner!0 -
When you switch utility suppliers for dual fuel and submit your actual readings to the new supplier as of a specific date, is the new supplier responsible for ensuring the submitted readings are correctly transcribed to the old supplier ?
If they are, then which firm is responsible in circumstances where the new supplier contends they have discharged their duty to transfer your actual readings and subsequently raises an invoice based thereon, but where the old supplier maintains they did not receive one of the submitted readings and have used an estimated reading to subsequently raise their invoice ?
The old supplier, has used an actual closing reading (for gas) and one estimated closing reading (for electricity) to raise their invoice and has over estimated the electricity by 614kWh.
Both firms deny any responsibility, blame the other and say there is nothing they can do to resolve the matter, effectively expecting the consumer to pay twice for 614kWh between them.
No wonder the UK utility companies have a poor reputation in their attitude towards consumers.
You can ask for a meter reading dispute to be raised where the electricity readings used differ by more than 250kWh to that you assert they should be.
But regardless of the actual reading used, which needs to be verified by the independent meter reading agency, there should be no issue of paying twice for the same energy.
The start reading used by the new supplier should be the same as the final reading used by the old supplier.
Follow the supplier's complaint procedure if necessary if they differ. As the new supplier is supposed to be responsible for mananging the switch throughout - I would concentrate on them to ensure a common reading is used by both suppliers ... whatever that reading may eventually be agreed to be.0 -
In both industries there is an industry process for 'Missing CoS Readings'. If your old supplier has not received the elec reading contact them and tell them to instigate the process - MAP08, which you can see here - https://www.mrasco.com/mra-products/mra-agreed-procedures/
Totally agree with wavelets0 -
My thanks to the five respondents so far for their input and advice.
In summary, this is a case where the new supplier has accepted and used both the electricity and gas readings they requested on 25th July 2018. In communicating these readings to the old supplier, for reasons (which are as yet unclear), the old supplier has used the gas but not the electricity reading to issue their final bill. The latest information I have received from the new supplier is that it says the old will not change their estimated electricity reading which exceeds the actual and accepted one by 614kWh. The new supplier further states that the old supplier will not make the change because the amount in dispute is only circa £72.
However, that £72.- would be me paying twice for the same 614 kWh's. I have noted that wavelets stated there should be no issue of the consumer paying twice for the same usage. And that is the crux of the matter. As the new supplier bears responsibility for ensuring the transition runs smoothly, surely it should be them that takes action to find the correct resolution rather than the consumer having the inconvenience of doing so with one or both suppliers.
At this point in time, I am dealing with both but I am concentrating on the new supplier as suggested as, in my opinion,:_
1. they bear the overall responsibility for the transfer based on the readings I gave them
2. they have accepted and used the actual readings given to them on the 25th July (the readings as of that date)
3. it is unlikely they failed to pass on my reading given that there is no issue with the gas reading of the same date
4. they have yet to fully explain why there has been an issue or as yet confirmation of the industry verified readings and confirmation of the date when these were passed to the losing supplier. This info is awaited.
Meanwhile, my wallet remains closed and neither supplier is being paid for the electricity until and unless this is resolved to my satisfaction, i.e., I pay based on the readings I submitted as there is no basis to demonstrate they might have been inaccurate.0 -
There are no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ here. Both suppliers have to use the same readings to open and close your accounts. If the losing supplier disagrees with the validated readings provided to it then it should initiate an Agreed Readings Dispute with your new supplier.
https://www.mrasco.com/download/2627/0 -
Many thanks Hengus. I share your opinion. I will post an update in due course to advise how matters progressed and the conclusion. I am hopeful the matter can be resolved without resort to the Ombudsman.0
This discussion has been closed.
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