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Faulty electric meter - middle of switching supplier
Dizzee_Rebel
Posts: 77 Forumite
in Energy
Apologies for the long post.
I live in a small one bedroom bungalow & for years my average annual electric use has been 5500. I've never questioned it or looked into it, until the latest price increase from my current supplier Ebico (who I've been with 8 years).
Having used all the comparison sites I was shocked to found that an average for my house should be around 3000 units a year, also Utility Point came out cheapest - so I started the switch last month.
I've had an email from Utility Point saying I'm 40% of the way through, & they'll be in touch in 7 days for a meter reading.
In the mean time, being aware that I'm using 2500 more than most - I purchased a Geo Minim energy monitor fom Amazon. There is a sensor which is placed over the LED on your electric meter & it counts the number of flashes from the meter, & works out how many watts/kw/££ you are using.
Having fitted the monitor, I switched absolutely everything off in the house, but the monitor was still showing I'm using 300w per hour. Even switching the power off completely at the consumer unit... still the monitor showed 300w.
I was convinced the monitor was faulty, so emailed the manufacturer. In the meantime left the monitor on last night to see if it would settle down. Checked it this afternoon & still showing 300w.
At this point I turned the power off at the consumer unit, pulled the sensor off the meter and watched to see if the LED would pulse with nothing on - & sure enough it did.
Basically the meter it registering 300w per hour, 7.2 units a day, 50 units a week, 2620 units a year, and has been for years without me realising - which explains why I'm using 5500, when I should be using 3000.
Really need some advice on how best to resolve this, as its Sunday both Ebico & Utility Point are closed. Do I / can I cancel the switch to Utility Point for the time being (as they will be setting up my direct debits based on the quote of 5500 units), I've read how difficult they are to contact, & hoped I wouldn't need to but this is quite urgent. Will they be able to arrange a replacement for my faulty meter?
Do I contact Ebico to exchange the meter? And even if they do I'm sure theres a national meter database, which takes a month to be updated after the meters fitted, so Utility Point would still have the details of this faulty meter - even though a new meter had been fitted.
The switch to Utility Point is due to complete on th 20th.
Any advise appreciated
I live in a small one bedroom bungalow & for years my average annual electric use has been 5500. I've never questioned it or looked into it, until the latest price increase from my current supplier Ebico (who I've been with 8 years).
Having used all the comparison sites I was shocked to found that an average for my house should be around 3000 units a year, also Utility Point came out cheapest - so I started the switch last month.
I've had an email from Utility Point saying I'm 40% of the way through, & they'll be in touch in 7 days for a meter reading.
In the mean time, being aware that I'm using 2500 more than most - I purchased a Geo Minim energy monitor fom Amazon. There is a sensor which is placed over the LED on your electric meter & it counts the number of flashes from the meter, & works out how many watts/kw/££ you are using.
Having fitted the monitor, I switched absolutely everything off in the house, but the monitor was still showing I'm using 300w per hour. Even switching the power off completely at the consumer unit... still the monitor showed 300w.
I was convinced the monitor was faulty, so emailed the manufacturer. In the meantime left the monitor on last night to see if it would settle down. Checked it this afternoon & still showing 300w.
At this point I turned the power off at the consumer unit, pulled the sensor off the meter and watched to see if the LED would pulse with nothing on - & sure enough it did.
Basically the meter it registering 300w per hour, 7.2 units a day, 50 units a week, 2620 units a year, and has been for years without me realising - which explains why I'm using 5500, when I should be using 3000.
Really need some advice on how best to resolve this, as its Sunday both Ebico & Utility Point are closed. Do I / can I cancel the switch to Utility Point for the time being (as they will be setting up my direct debits based on the quote of 5500 units), I've read how difficult they are to contact, & hoped I wouldn't need to but this is quite urgent. Will they be able to arrange a replacement for my faulty meter?
Do I contact Ebico to exchange the meter? And even if they do I'm sure theres a national meter database, which takes a month to be updated after the meters fitted, so Utility Point would still have the details of this faulty meter - even though a new meter had been fitted.
The switch to Utility Point is due to complete on th 20th.
Any advise appreciated
0
Comments
-
Forget the monitor and the flashing red light for the moment. Is the meter itself advancing ? Do the smae test again and see what the meter does.
3000 is only an average for electric in a gas heated home - there will be others (perhaps you) at the high end and others at the lower end.
PS neither Ebico or UP will take your word for it. They will want to install a test meter and they will charge you for it - perhaps £150+ - which will be refunded if it is faulty. That will take time - at least weeks.Never pay on an estimated bill. Always read and understand your bill0 -
Forget the monitor and the flashing red light for the moment. Is the meter itself advancing ? Do the smae test again and see what the meter does.
3000 is only an average for electric in a gas heated home - there will be others (perhaps you) at the high end and others at the lower end.
Yes the meter is still registering, the reading is increasing0 -
There is a similar thread here.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5938886/unexpectedly-high-electricity-bill&highlight=
It would seem sensible to cancel the switch until you know what is happening and whether you are due a refund. Finding your own electrician might be worthwhile.0 -
Yeah I don't know if I'll be able to cancel the switch now as its already 40% completed, thats why I was asking advice.
Will have to phone both suppliers tomorrow.
I stumbled across this old thread & guess what? I have the same Ampy meter from 2007...
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5150242/electricity-meter-is-running-after-ive-turned-the-electricity-off-at-the-mains0
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