Electric meter went blank a year or so ago...

Bfoxo

Our electric meter screen went blank a year or so ago but kept supplying us with electric. Unfortunately we have been in a pretty bad financial state for awhile so didn't really look into getting it sorted because, for the time being - free electric? 🤷!♂️
Anyway, I know obviously it is not free and I'm in a far better position to start paying things back now, so my question is, if I ring up my provider and say that the meter is broken and needs replacing, will I then be given a massive bill? Are they able to see my usage for the past year and that it has not been paid? Or will I just start being charged monthly from then on? Will it be an estimate? Will they even be able to tell it hasn't been functioning if I don't mention how long it's been? Not sure where to go from here. Bizarrely, workers have been round to perform routine checks on the meter a few times and never mentioned a fault.

baza52

is this a serious question?
workers have been round and not noticed the meter display was blank......

How do you think they will react when your usage will appear as zero for a year or so?
I would imagine they will estimate your usage on previous consumption if they cant get a reading.
You could contest it but im not sure how you would do it

thomasca

They will estimate in THEIR favor so might be worth fix sooner rather than later.

Robin9

Bfoxo - I hope you had been supplying readings prior to the screen going blank otherwise you will have real problems in establishing a consumption history and will be unable to contest that (now very big) bill when it comes.


PS The "workers" may have been from the local distribution company who have no interest in meters.

Bertles

This may seem obvious but to a lot of people it's not...have you pressed any buttons on the meter to try and get a reading? A lot of electricity meters go blank when they are in sleep mode and you press a button to wake them up and get a read.

matelodave

Some meters still keep recording, even if the screen is blank, so it's still possible to recover your consumption from the meter memory.

I suggest you get on to your supplier to try and get it sorted out ASAP.

[Deleted User]

Bfoxo wrote: »

Our electric meter screen went blank a year or so ago but kept supplying us with electric. Unfortunately we have been in a pretty bad financial state for awhile so didn't really look into getting it sorted because, for the time being - free electric? ��!♂️
Anyway, I know obviously it is not free and I'm in a far better position to start paying things back now, so my question is, if I ring up my provider and say that the meter is broken and needs replacing, will I then be given a massive bill? Are they able to see my usage for the past year and that it has not been paid? Or will I just start being charged monthly from then on? Will it be an estimate? Will they even be able to tell it hasn't been functioning if I don't mention how long it's been? Not sure where to go from here. Bizarrely, workers have been round to perform routine checks on the meter a few times and never mentioned a fault.

It is in your terms and conditions of supply, if you care to wade through them, that you must report any faults on the meter.
As a meter reader for 5 of the big 6 and many smaller suppliers, I find many blank screen meters, many remain blank for years. As far as know once these meters have gone blank its not possible to regain the current reading. I only wish it was because I know a few who would have to take out a second mortgage to repay what they have extracted for what they think is for free.
The small white Ampy type meter is the one I find blank the most. Its a very cheap to buy meter, less than £10 and has been causing problems like this from day one.
If the suppliers do backbill the options are a repayment plan or they will install a prepayment meter to collect the debt weekly.
Once they are aware of a blank screen they should be billing on historic usage for that property which can go back years.

wild666

If the meter isn't displaying a reading then how does anyone know how much is being used? The person might be using a lot less or a lot more than previous years, does another party have equipment that is reading the utility used? Going on previous years bills cannot give an accurate reading, maybe if it was a Smart meter it would be different. Having meters read by a meter reader seems the only way any company knows what electricity or gas is used.

AndyCF

I do recall a neighbours 'token' type electric one went blank and they called them and told them as soon as they noticed it. I can't remember which model it was now as it was quite a while back, one of the older 'stick' type ones I think.

Point being, it was probably only "blank" for say two or three days if I remember correctly, and it had recorded the 'used bit' for that period. Neighbour was not fussed about paying, was more worried about it turning itself off!

[Deleted User]

AndyCF wrote: »

I do recall a neighbours 'token' type electric one went blank and they called them and told them as soon as they noticed it. I can't remember which model it was now as it was quite a while back, one of the older 'stick' type ones I think.

Point being, it was probably only "blank" for say two or three days if I remember correctly, and it had recorded the 'used bit' for that period. Neighbour was not fussed about paying, was more worried about it turning itself off!

I have found many key type prepay meters blank and the ones I reported did nt regain their screens.They are replaced by new meters. Power is nt interrupted unless there is a power cut on .
The meter does not need crediting even with a blank screen so most of them will not get reported.. Customers feel it is up to the supplier to check the meters themselves and its "nothing to do with us "
Usually a blank prepay screen has nt been tampered or bypassed. I assume that its something to do with a power surge as I have found several in one street all blank at the same time.
Bypassed/tampered key electric meters are the most common meters to be fiddled by far and they all retain their screens lit up on pressing blue button

AndyCF

Houbara wrote: »

Usually a blank prepay screen has nt been tampered or bypassed. I assume that its something to do with a power surge as I have found several in one street all blank at the same time.

I do remember seeing it, it was a long time ago though. Had not been "played" with, they are far too honest they were on the phone the day they saw it was blank.

Have to take a vague guess (pointless now I suppose) either a power surge or perhaps just bad luck, assume its internal battery is merely for data retention as timestamps will come from RDS I suspect. That si if it does not just rely on flash cmos or something.