900KwH Electricity usage - 6 months - Empty Flat

dur77

Hope someone can suggest next steps. This was a tenanted flat in a very large recently built development. There is a smart meter in the flat providing 'district heating' system to the development- we get heating/hot water billed separately. All other electricity charges are from another energy provider, with a separate electric meter in the hallway cupboard labelled with the flat number.

Tenants left in June, flat has been empty as we were trying to sell. This is due for completion within next few weeks. On getting a meter read now, it suggests 900kwH of electricity consumption (meter reads 01950 when tenants left to 2780 now!), with a Bill of around £200.

The internal smart meter providing the hot water/heating has shown virtually zero use, which makes sense- so the bill for that is the standing charge of £25 a month.

So in an empty flat, where heating and hot water is charged separately by another provider, how can 900kwH of electricity be used - on what??

And if this is a faulty meter, how can I get this investigated - do I pay and then complain- if so, likely ownership will change hands and we won't be able to drive the complaint?

Robin9

Did you read the meter when the tenants left in June or are you relying on the tenants reading ? Is the meter reading now your reading ?

Even a single 100w light bulb left on will consume 75 units a month.

matelodave

I'm trying to understand your set up - is this the electricity meter you are referring to or the meter connected to the distict heating system.

If it's the heat meter then what sort of heating have you got.

As Robin says did you read the meters yourself? and if it's the heating meter, did you shut down the system properly.

Many district heating systems have hot water pumped around the building and the heat meter meter in each flat determines how much heat has been used by measuring the flow rate and input/output temperatures.

Just turning off the heating may not have stopped your hot water heating if it's fed by the didtrict heating system rather than an immersion heater.

The standing charges tend to be more expensive than normal leccy or gas and you need to read your T&C's.

dur77

Thanks for the speedy responses. Yes I have pictures of the meter reads, both on tenant move-out and the recent one.

It's a brand new development so they have some kind of strange set up.

Basically the manual says ''the main electricity meter is located in the common hallway labelled with each flat's number'....'mains electricity comes into apartment through consumer unit and distributes electricity, in addition there is a smart meter in the apartment displaying live and accurate readings of the amount of electricity you are using' ....this electricity bill is provided by EoN.

The development also has 'combined heat and power units' - the central plant consists of gas CHP units that supply heated water to all apartments, produces heat and electricity simultaneously via the Heat Interface Unit in each flat - this records the individual use of heating and hot water via the Smart Meter and this is billed separately by Switch2.

So inside the flat, there is a Smart Meter providing Heat meter read, Cooling meter read, and Electricity meter read. The Heat and Cooling meter read is used to provide the Switch2 bill - this has been negligible during the vacant period, i.e. reflecting no usage - so the only bill I have been receiving from Switch2 is a monthly 'standing order' bill of £25 per month. i can live with that.

But, the smart meter electricity meter read inside the flat is providing a different reading to the one inside the hallway. The Smart Meter is displaying 1960kwH whereas the digitial electricity meter in the communal hallway with my flat labelled, is displaying 2850kwh.

So the Eon Bill is being created based on the meter reading in the hallway- i.e. 900kWH of usage of 'electricity' over 6 months of an empty flat.
Whereas the Smart meter inside the flat is reflecting minimal electricity usage, as would be expected.

Not sure why the main meter is different to the smart meter inside the flat. I guess is it obvious that this EoN meter outside the flat is incorrect, how do I pursue this.

grumpycrab

dur77 wrote: »

But, the smart meter electricity meter read inside the flat is providing a different reading to the one inside the hallway.

Obvious first point - the meter in the hallway could belong to somebody else. Can you see the meters of other flats or just yours? If you can see the others - try and find one which matches your In Home Device.

And/or test your hallway meter by switching on a high usage device (e.g. kettle, electric heater) and see if your hallway meter "spins" faster.

matelodave

Are you sure that the meter in the hallway is actually connected to your flat - you need to do some checks to make sure.

Try doing the electric kettle test - turn everything off in the flat and watch the meter whislts someone turns on a kettle and make sure that it's your meter that responds when the kettle is turned on and off.

I'm not sure why you've got two meters - what is the meter serial number and Mpan number on the bill - is it the same as the meter down in the hall or the one in your flat.

Are you confusing your In Home Device (the little portable display) with your actuall leccy meter. The IHD is only gathering info from the main meter which can frequently be wrong and can just as frequently be reading someone elses meter, especially in a multi-occupancy building. Make sure that the IHD reads when you turn the kettle on as well

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

dur77 wrote: »

Hope someone can suggest next steps. This was a tenanted flat in a very large recently built development. There is a smart meter in the flat providing 'district heating' system to the development- we get heating/hot water billed separately. All other electricity charges are from another energy provider, with a separate electric meter in the hallway cupboard labelled with the flat number.

Tenants left in June, flat has been empty as we were trying to sell. This is due for completion within next few weeks. On getting a meter read now, it suggests 900kwH of electricity consumption (meter reads 01950 when tenants left to 2780 now!), with a Bill of around £200.

The internal smart meter providing the hot water/heating has shown virtually zero use, which makes sense- so the bill for that is the standing charge of £25 a month.

So in an empty flat, where heating and hot water is charged separately by another provider, how can 900kwH of electricity be used - on what??

And if this is a faulty meter, how can I get this investigated - do I pay and then complain- if so, likely ownership will change hands and we won't be able to drive the complaint?

dur77 wrote: »

Thanks for the speedy responses. Yes I have pictures of the meter reads, both on tenant move-out and the recent one.

It's a brand new development so they have some kind of strange set up.

Basically the manual says ''the main electricity meter is located in the common hallway labelled with each flat's number'....'mains electricity comes into apartment through consumer unit and distributes electricity, in addition there is a smart meter in the apartment displaying live and accurate readings of the amount of electricity you are using' ....this electricity bill is provided by EoN.

The development also has 'combined heat and power units' - the central plant consists of gas CHP units that supply heated water to all apartments, produces heat and electricity simultaneously via the Heat Interface Unit in each flat - this records the individual use of heating and hot water via the Smart Meter and this is billed separately by Switch2.

So inside the flat, there is a Smart Meter providing Heat meter read, Cooling meter read, and Electricity meter read. The Heat and Cooling meter read is used to provide the Switch2 bill - this has been negligible during the vacant period, i.e. reflecting no usage - so the only bill I have been receiving from Switch2 is a monthly 'standing order' bill of £25 per month. i can live with that.

But, the smart meter electricity meter read inside the flat is providing a different reading to the one inside the hallway. The Smart Meter is displaying 1960kwH whereas the digitial electricity meter in the communal hallway with my flat labelled, is displaying 2850kwh.

So the Eon Bill is being created based on the meter reading in the hallway- i.e. 900kWH of usage of 'electricity' over 6 months of an empty flat.
Whereas the Smart meter inside the flat is reflecting minimal electricity usage, as would be expected.

Not sure why the main meter is different to the smart meter inside the flat. I guess is it obvious that this EoN meter outside the flat is incorrect, how do I pursue this.

Hello dur77 and welcome to the Forums.

Already some excellent advice here - thanks all. As above, this could be what's known as a crossed meter. This is where the meter details become mixed up between different properties and bills are based on energy used at another property. They tend to happen on new builds and can take quite a time to sort out. Particularly where several different properties are involved.

To be certain, please follow the advice from grumpycrab and matelodave. If it turns out we're billing to the wrong meter, we've a specialist team who will look after this. They'll look at what's been mixed up, sort it out and rebill using the right meter and readings.

Have a talk to our Crossed Meters team - contact details are on our website or call the number on the bill we've sent and ask to be put through. Let them have as many details as possible including the meter serial number (from the meter itself and not any paperwork), its location, opening and up to date readings, the full Royal Mail postal address and, if applicable, plot details. Photos like the ones you've taken would be great.

Hope this helps point you in the right direction dur77.

Malc