Economy 10 meter change Eon

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

GailForce wrote: »

I recently received a letter from eon threatening that I would be transferred from my existing RHT tariff to a standard variable tariff the following month, and that my annual electricity bill would increase by 47% a year. I telephoned eon and waited in a 20-minute queue to speak with a ‘specialist adviser’. I subsequently managed to obtain a written personal cost projection for three alternative tariff options.
· Economy 7 and Economy 10, both of which indicated a 25% increase in electricity charges.
· A Fixed Term Tariff without an Off-Peak Rate which indicated a 20% increase in charges.

My own calculations based on my previous 12 month’s usage indicated a 40% increase in electricity charges for Economy 10 and a 37% increase for Economy 7. The later would not be suitable as my storage heaters require an afternoon boost.

I spoke again with same supposed ‘specialist adviser’ who was unable to explain eon’s cost projection, but arranged for a ‘backroom pointy-head’ to call me. I learned that the eon projection is based on the absurd premise that that the same amount of ‘off peak’ electricity is used during the summer months as in the winter months. In my case, eon considers the annual on-peak / off-peak split to be 58% / 42%. My own records show this estimate is close to my winter usage but totally wrong for the summer period. The pointy-head conceded my calculations were more accurate than the figures provided by eon.

My calculations assume that I would be able to take advantage of Economy 10 cheaper day rates for 25% of my normal domestic use. However, the inflated price of Economy 10 daytime units far outweighs any advantages which may be derived by using electricity at the cheaper ‘off-peak’ times.

So, if you have been forced to change from a RHT tariff to either Economy 7 or Economy 10 and have received a cost projection from eon, unless you use the same amount of electricity during the cheap hours in the summer as you do in the winter, be prepared for your electricity bill to be far higher than eon has indicated.

As the threatened date of the enforced change to the Standard Variable Tariff was looming, I was forced to accept the least punitive option of the Fixed Term Tariff with No Off Peak and a 27% (not 20% as eon quotes) increase in charges. Unfortunately, pressure of time did not allow me to investigate alternative tariffs available from other members of the electricity supplier’s cartel. I am therefore now trapped into using my off-peak storage heating at an on-peak rate for the next 12 months.

In fact, like many people, I have been locked into eon’s RHT tariff for many years as there has not a viable alternative tariff available elsewhere for my storage heating system. Clearly eon has little regard for long-standing customer’s requirements and obviously customer loyalty is not a concept eon recognises.

GailForce wrote: »

You may be right Sandydog, it may have been better to switch to a standard variable rate tariff and then switch supplier. Eon quoted 17.861p per unit and 23.772p daily standing charge for a standard variable rate tariff, compared with 15.761p per unit and 17.178p daily standing charge for a 1 Year Fixed Term Tariff. I was pressured by bullyboy eon to make a decision by the deadline they had imposed. Unfortunately, urgent family issues prevented me from being able to fully investigate other alternatives.

In the past, I had previously investigated other suppliers for a tariff similar to eon’s RHT tariff but without success. I do not think I use enough off-peak electricity for any supplier’s Economy 10 tariff to be beneficial because of the grossly inflated day rate, but for those perusing the Economy 10 option this comparison site may be of interest:- https://economy10.com/

As for my metering, eon said they were going to leave the two exiting meters in place and add the readings together for billing. The RHT time switch is still controlling my storage heating. I refused to have a smart meter installed to avoid future problems when I do switch suppliers. It occurred to me that if I ask for one single rate meter to be installed now, and for the time switch removed, I would be able to control my heaters individually to suit my own circumstances rather than accept eon’s switching times. A few time switches from eBay could be the answer in the short term

eon said that there would not be a charge for a meter change, but that could have been a lie. They also said I could switch to Economy 7 or Economy 10 after 12 months if I wished, but that could also have been a lie. You get a different story from eon depending on who you speak to. To quote the late Terry Thomas, “An absolute shower”.

Hello GailForce and I'm afraid we're no longer able to support metering set-ups like yours. We're looking to replace these meters with the options you've outlined.

I'm sorry our advisor's estimate of projected usage doesn't match yours. Our standard calculation is based on the Average Daily Consumption (ADC). These show the daily consumption for each month and are generated by using all the usable meter readings for the past 12-18 months. The more actual readings we have, the more accurate the ADC. If our advisor didn't use these figures they would've come up with the wrong answer.

As these calculations are based on past usage, they're only ever estimates of future consumption as we realise circumstances change. We've online tools to help you take more control so you can adjust any payment arrangements to suit actual circumstances. These tools include the Direct Debit Manager and Real Time Billing.

I can confirm, as RHT meters come under our Simpler Metering project, there's no charge to change these meters. The Economy 7 and Economy 10 options are still available should you change your mind. If you do, your tariff can be changed without charge as exit fees don't apply when moving from one of our products to another. They only apply when changing supplier outside of the renewal window.

If you do want to change your meters please speak directly to our Simpler Metering team. They're the only ones who can arrange these jobs. Thanks GailForce.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Sandydog wrote: »

Yes we have had totally different advice each time we have called too ! All sounded convincing. At least four were wrong ! We were told we must have a new simple meter, though they cannot insist on it being a smart meter. We agreed to the second generation smart meter. This was free as they had imposed the change on us. There should be no problem switching with this, but not much choice anyway with economy 10. They said if we wanted to switch to economy 7 later it would be £60 to change the meter. I can't believe this is a physical change. Surely just a software alteration.

Our storage heaters are hard wired not in plugs. We looked at timers for them but that did not seem an option as they draw a lot of current. New heaters were not worth the expense.

Just to confirm Sandydog, going from Economy 10 to Economy 7 would involve a physical meter exchange.

Malc

GailForce

Two weeks ago, I received a telephone call from eon. The young lady, who I can only assume was the Friday afternoon work experience girl, said that she wanted to talk to me about the letter that eon had recently sent me about the withdrawal of the RHT tariff. Initially, she appeared not to be aware that I had already been transferred from the RHT tariff to a 1-year fixed rate tariff, but then suddenly asked if I was happy with my new tariff? (Having been forced to transfer to a tariff which involved a 27% hike in charges, in what way was I likely to be happy?)

I told her in no uncertain terms that I was not happy! I asked several questions, to which her stock answer was, “I can’t help you with that. It’s a policy decision. I then tried to ascertain exactly why she was calling and the purpose of her call. I was unable get an answer as she appeared too intent on reading from a pre-prepared script. In exasperation, and reasonably politely under the circumstances, I terminated the call.

That evening I received a “How did we do?” email from eon, inviting me to complete a survey. I gave a zero rating to the first two questions and explained my reasons why. The next question was, “Why did you phone eon today?”

I was then asked if eon could link the survey to my account and did I wish for someone to contact me about the survey. I answered ‘yes’ to both questions. I have heard nothing since.

You may not be familiar with the word ‘Omnishambles’, but you will all undoubtedly recognise the definition.

‘Omnishambles’ – (noun). a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.

Sandydog

Thank you. Do you know how long it takes for the account to update please ? It has been five weeks now and the online account still can't see the smart meter readings. We have less information now than before the 'smart' meter was installed. There is no breakdown now of on and off peak units. All we can see is total cost and total units. For the first few days we could see the number of units used on whichever tariff was on at the time. That disappeared after about three days. We find it unbelievable that the information is so basic.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

GailForce wrote: »

Two weeks ago, I received a telephone call from eon. The young lady, who I can only assume was the Friday afternoon work experience girl, said that she wanted to talk to me about the letter that eon had recently sent me about the withdrawal of the RHT tariff. Initially, she appeared not to be aware that I had already been transferred from the RHT tariff to a 1-year fixed rate tariff, but then suddenly asked if I was happy with my new tariff? (Having been forced to transfer to a tariff which involved a 27% hike in charges, in what way was I likely to be happy?)

I told her in no uncertain terms that I was not happy! I asked several questions, to which her stock answer was, “I can’t help you with that. It’s a policy decision. I then tried to ascertain exactly why she was calling and the purpose of her call. I was unable get an answer as she appeared too intent on reading from a pre-prepared script. In exasperation, and reasonably politely under the circumstances, I terminated the call.

That evening I received a “How did we do?” email from eon, inviting me to complete a survey. I gave a zero rating to the first two questions and explained my reasons why. The next question was, “Why did you phone eon today?”

I was then asked if eon could link the survey to my account and did I wish for someone to contact me about the survey. I answered ‘yes’ to both questions. I have heard nothing since.

You may not be familiar with the word ‘Omnishambles’, but you will all undoubtedly recognise the definition.

‘Omnishambles’ – (noun). a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.

Hello GailForce and I'm sorry you weren't happy with the standard of our follow-up call.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to our survey and I'm sorry, too, we haven't responded as we should. I'll pass these failures back to the relevant area of the business.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Sandydog wrote: »

Thank you. Do you know how long it takes for the account to update please ? It has been five weeks now and the online account still can't see the smart meter readings. We have less information now than before the 'smart' meter was installed. There is no breakdown now of on and off peak units. All we can see is total cost and total units. For the first few days we could see the number of units used on whichever tariff was on at the time. That disappeared after about three days. We find it unbelievable that the information is so basic.

Hello Sandydog and I'm sorry your meter exchange hasn't been fully updated on our systems yet. I do know we're working through a backlog at the moment and these are taking longer than usual. I'm afraid I don't have an accurate timeframe right now.

Once all's done, you'll be able to see the information you're after through your online account.

Are you also struggling to see data on the In Home Display (IHD)? There are different types of IHD. If you let me know the type we've installed, I can give you some more information. Alternatively, the Live Chat advisors on our website will be happy to help. They're available from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and between 8am and 6pm Saturdays.

Thanks Sandydog.

Malc

Sandydog

Hi Malc, it's good to know we can get the information eventually. I am still frustrated that neither the meter or the IHD is much use. Maybe the IHD will display more information once the account is updated.

The IHD says 'chameleon technology (uk) Ltd 2019 IHD3-PPMID / CA30101. I'm not struggling to see the data on it, it simply isn't there. It tells me the total for units and price per day, week, or month. These appear to be the combined high and low units, ex vat and standing order (I'm not sure of this, it's just what we have deduced). It also shows a 'bill so far this period' amount in £ only not units. This number is a mystery. It's slightly more than the month to date figure but not enough to include either vat or standing order. The next screen in that loop says 'billing period unavailable', the next one shows the 'current' tariff, although the times this changes are not correct.

The IHD is useful for knowing which rate we are on. It's easy to tell as the storage heaters or hot water come on at exactly 8 minutes past the hour so we see the load change, and know we can put washing etc on.

Obviously we are trying to use as little peak rate electricity as possible, but the only way we can deduce the split is by doing simultaneous linear equations, using the total units used, and the total price, along with the two tariffs ! I think you will agree this is a little inconvenient, though it has been good for my rusty maths. The old meter scrolled through each tariff and showed the total for each of the 5 rates. The new meter obviously knows these figures or it couldn't calculate the total, but it does not show them. It did for the first few days we had it. I suppose the software was subsequently upgraded remotely. The IHD never showed them.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Sandydog wrote: »

Hi Malc, it's good to know we can get the information eventually. I am still frustrated that neither the meter or the IHD is much use. Maybe the IHD will display more information once the account is updated.

The IHD says 'chameleon technology (uk) Ltd 2019 IHD3-PPMID / CA30101. I'm not struggling to see the data on it, it simply isn't there. It tells me the total for units and price per day, week, or month. These appear to be the combined high and low units, ex vat and standing order (I'm not sure of this, it's just what we have deduced). It also shows a 'bill so far this period' amount in £ only not units. This number is a mystery. It's slightly more than the month to date figure but not enough to include either vat or standing order. The next screen in that loop says 'billing period unavailable', the next one shows the 'current' tariff, although the times this changes are not correct.

The IHD is useful for knowing which rate we are on. It's easy to tell as the storage heaters or hot water come on at exactly 8 minutes past the hour so we see the load change, and know we can put washing etc on.

Obviously we are trying to use as little peak rate electricity as possible, but the only way we can deduce the split is by doing simultaneous linear equations, using the total units used, and the total price, along with the two tariffs ! I think you will agree this is a little inconvenient, though it has been good for my rusty maths. The old meter scrolled through each tariff and showed the total for each of the 5 rates. The new meter obviously knows these figures or it couldn't calculate the total, but it does not show them. It did for the first few days we had it. I suppose the software was subsequently upgraded remotely. The IHD never showed them.

Hello Sandydog and thanks for coming back to me.

With the Chameleon In Home Display (IHD), meter readings can be seen by pressing Menu (OK) and choosing 'meter information' using the arrows at the bottom right of the display.

For two-rate electricity meters, the IHD will only show the meter reading that is currently being used. When the usage changes to day/night the reading on the IHD will also change. You can still access both readings at any time from the meter.

To see how much electricity you've used, please press calendar (10) to cycle between usage now, so far today, this week, this month and this year (January to December). Once a timeframe has been selected, use the Back Arrow to cycle through previous usage. This information is only available from the date the smart meter was installed.

You can see the electricity you use in money and kWh. You can also see the current pence per unit and daily standing charge. Please use the menu and arrows to scroll through the various screens.

The 'used so far' screen includes usage only. There's no standing charges, VAT or discounts.

Whereas, the 'bill so far' screen includes usage and the standing charge but not VAT or any discounts. This screen shows the cost of the bill for the month (based on the dates of the monthly scheduled meter readings). These periods vary for different customers and you could see a different amount when compared with the 'used so far' screen.

Hope this gives you a few pointers. There's a tutorial you can access on the IHD that might be of use. To see this, please press Menu (OK) and use the arrows to choose tutorial. There's also more information on our website.

What is the make of the meter? Sorry, I should've asked this yesterday. It should be either Landis & Gyr or EDMI.

Thanks Sandydog.

Malc

Sandydog

Hi Malc thanks so much for your quick reply. The meter is a Landis Gyr. I have been out and had another look. I can see with a torch that it is indeed displaying the number of units used to date for the current rate. I had missed that as it is on the unlit screen. As soon as you press the button to light the screen up this is replaced by a scroll of other information, which does not include this number. So I can now see how we are doing on our split of low to high rate units. It only shows the current rate units and total but of course the inactive rate is just the difference.

Thanks also for clarifying the puzzle of the 'bill so far' screen.

However the 'meter information' screen on the IHD doesn't give the units for the current tariff, only the total used to date. I am sure it did give that information when we first had it, but after about a week it changed.

It currently says 810 units on this screen, we are on the peak tariff now. The meter itself says 65 units. This is correct for the peak tariff. The 65 unit figure is not available on the IHD.

But I can check periodically outside until it becomes available on the online account, so thanks for this. It would be much nicer to see it on the IHD though.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Sandydog wrote: »

Hi Malc thanks so much for your quick reply. The meter is a Landis Gyr. I have been out and had another look. I can see with a torch that it is indeed displaying the number of units used to date for the current rate. I had missed that as it is on the unlit screen. As soon as you press the button to light the screen up this is replaced by a scroll of other information, which does not include this number. So I can now see how we are doing on our split of low to high rate units. It only shows the current rate units and total but of course the inactive rate is just the difference.

Thanks also for clarifying the puzzle of the 'bill so far' screen.

However the 'meter information' screen on the IHD doesn't give the units for the current tariff, only the total used to date. I am sure it did give that information when we first had it, but after about a week it changed.

It currently says 810 units on this screen, we are on the peak tariff now. The meter itself says 65 units. This is correct for the peak tariff. The 65 unit figure is not available on the IHD.

But I can check periodically outside until it becomes available on the online account, so thanks for this. It would be much nicer to see it on the IHD though.

Hello Sandydog and glad I was able to give some clarity.

With Landis & Gyr SMETS2 smart meters, you can scroll through the screens to show rates 1 and 2 as well as a total of the two.

Not sure why the 'meter information' screen on your In Home Display (IHD) isn't showing a reading for the usage active at the time of looking. It should do. Please speak to our smart meter specialists if this carries on once the meter exchange has been fully updated. The figures you're looking at on the meter will be right.

Thanks for your patience with this Sandydog.

Malc