The trouble with third party verification

brewerdave

As most people now know, the initial reading that you give to a new supplier goes thru a verification process before being supplied to the old (losing) Utility Co. In this process the reading may be altered BUT BOTH parties should use the same reading.


However, recently on two separate occasions, I have had problems because customer service staff are confusing the margins of error allowed between the customer reading and the "verified" reading without dispute, and with the opening/ closing read differences - eg when I queried the fact that the opening leccy read for a new supplier was lower than the closing read of the old, I was told that they were allowed to be up to 250kwh different!:eek:
She had no answer when I pointed out that this would mean paying for units twice and 250kwh @ current prices was more than £40 !!
I suspect that this double charging has been rife lately with all these supplier failures and external administrators/debt collectors involved.:(

bonus2010

My understanding is that before a customer could have a open/closing meter reading disputed the difference had to be above a certain amount. I don't know the figure, but you mention 250kWh .

As you said in your first paragraph, whatever meter reading is agreed by the independent verifier both gaining & losing suppliers must use the same reading, so that the customer isn't being charged for the same energy twice.

If you find your bills state otherwise, it is a mistake and should be corrected, as I would imagine it would not only be against basic law but in breach of Ofgem energy supply licence

matelodave

bonus2010 wrote: »

My understanding is that before a customer could have a open/closing meter reading disputed the difference had to be above a certain amount. I don't know the figure, but you mention 250kWh .

As you said in your first paragraph, whatever meter reading is agreed by the independent verifier both gaining & losing suppliers must use the same reading, so that the customer isn't being charged for the same energy twice.

If you find your bills state otherwise, it is a mistake and should be corrected, as I would imagine it would not only be against basic law but in breach of Ofgem energy supply licence

I've got the opposite problem - I've got a gap of 280 units between my closing reading with my previous supplier (which is correct) and the opening reading with my present supplier who decided to make a wild guess despite being given the correct reading on five separate occasions (i've got the e-mails to prove it).

The £32 has been sitting in my bank since last August and it will either get found when my contract ends or if they go bust and the receivers come in to explore the accounts, but I'm not unduly concerned. I'd have made a formal complaint if it had gone the other way.

Benight

brewerdave wrote: »

As most people now know, the initial reading that you give to a new supplier goes thru a verification process before being supplied to the old (losing) Utility Co. In this process the reading may be altered BUT BOTH parties should use the same reading.


However, recently on two separate occasions, I have had problems because customer service staff are confusing the margins of error allowed between the customer reading and the "verified" reading without dispute, and with the opening/ closing read differences - eg when I queried the fact that the opening leccy read for a new supplier was lower than the closing read of the old, I was told that they were allowed to be up to 250kwh different!:eek:
She had no answer when I pointed out that this would mean paying for units twice and 250kwh @ current prices was more than £40 !!
I suspect that this double charging has been rife lately with all these supplier failures and external administrators/debt collectors involved.:(

Your new supplier is responsible for managing the switch
Choose your supplier with care.
Never had any issue with any of the Big 6 suppliers

brewerdave

Benight wrote: »

Your new supplier is responsible for managing the switch
Choose your supplier with care.
Never had any issue with any of the Big 6 suppliers

....but you pay for the privilege....I've saved literally thousands over the years by switching regularly and certainly 100s over the past two years by not going with the Big 6.......one of the companies I had an issue with,was First Utility who aren't far off Big 6 numbers.:)