Issue with electric readings

JayCee123

Hi all,

Recently we changed our electricity supplier after 19 years with them. We shopped around as had always found the charges so high, but were unable to get a better deal, until now.
Over the time in our home, we have taken many measures to reduce electricity consumption - turning off things, replacing all bulbs with energy efficient ones, replacing appliances with energy efficient ones, being more vigilant on lighting.
Of note, we have oil heating - so this is pure electricity.

Prior to switch, we were paying £250 a month. New company is around £90 a month.
Because the meter was changed by new company, we cannot have that examined, but I just feel it's such a massive difference, it can't be right.

However, the old company also changed the meter and the consumption was similar amounts of KWH.

Ombudsmen says that two meters being incorrect is impossible....I can't prove it either way, so I have no recourse.

Suggestion that the new meter is wrong would seem incorrect as we switched everything off and checked the measurements on the smart meter as things came back on.
We haven't been with the new supplier for 12 months yet, so implication is that the winter may see this soar - look at the figures??!!

Any ideas for another avenue?? Anyone ever seen two incorrect meters?
Thanks for any help!


Below is a brief consumption analysis:

Meter 1 - old company

• Between 10 January 2010 and 21 January 2011 you were consuming on average 62.70kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 21 January 2011 and 6 January 2012 you were consuming on average 49.35kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 6 January 2012 and 12 September 2012 you were consuming on average 52.85kWh of electricity per day.

Meter 2 - old company

• Between 17 November 2013 and 17 November 2014 you were consuming on average 43.36kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2014 and 17 November 2015 you were consuming on average 49.28kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2015 and 17 November 2016 you were consuming on average 51.70kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2016 and 17 November 2017 you were consuming on average 57.72kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2017 and 17 November 2018 you were consuming on average 56.61kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2018 and 11 April 2019 you were consuming on average 65.23kWh of electricity per day.

Meter 3 - new company

• Between 17 April 2019 and 10 October 2019 you were consuming on average 21.47kWh of electricity per day.

maxcy

Do you think you might use a bit less energy during that part of the year when we have longer than average daylight hours and ambient temperatures when you probably don't need any space heating?

Neil_Jones

You have been reading the meters and providing them to the suppliers? if not and they have to guess, they tend to be on the high side. What do your bills say for the meter readings - actual (A), customer (C) or estimated (E)? You are on Economy 7 presumably?

21.47kWh per day over just under six months is about 3,700Kwh over that period. What sort of house is it, is it insulated? Double glazed? Cavities filled?

Carrot007

Depends how much "heating" you do on the electric.


Even 21 units a day seems high to me if you do none (and I am a self confessed highg electric user).


But without actual read history who knows. (ACTUAL ACTUAL ACTUAL ;-) )

matelodave

You need to read the meters yourself, not rely on random guesses or estimates from the supplier.

We are all electric and use around 7-8kwh a day in the summer months increasing to 50-60kwh a day in the winter when the heating is flogging it's heart out. However that equates to an average of around 18-20kwh a day. So if you are using 20kwh a day and you heat using oil you must be wasting it somewhere.

You will never know how much you are using if you dont take charge and read the meters at least once a month (preferably once a week) yourself and send the readings into the supplier. Even if you've got a smart meter READ your own meter and keep your own records and check your bills. If you dont monitor it you cant control it

Robin9

JayCee123 wrote: »

Hi all,

Recently we changed our electricity supplier after 19 years with them. We shopped around as had always found the charges so high, but were unable to get a better deal, until now.
Over the time in our home, we have taken many measures to reduce electricity consumption - turning off things, replacing all bulbs with energy efficient ones, replacing appliances with energy efficient ones, being more vigilant on lighting.
Of note, we have oil heating - so this is pure electricity.

Prior to switch, we were paying £250 a month. New company is around £90 a month.
Because the meter was changed by new company, we cannot have that examined, but I just feel it's such a massive difference, it can't be right.

However, the old company also changed the meter and the consumption was similar amounts of KWH.

Ombudsmen says that two meters being incorrect is impossible....I can't prove it either way, so I have no recourse.

Suggestion that the new meter is wrong would seem incorrect as we switched everything off and checked the measurements on the smart meter as things came back on.
We haven't been with the new supplier for 12 months yet, so implication is that the winter may see this soar - look at the figures??!!

Any ideas for another avenue?? Anyone ever seen two incorrect meters?
Thanks for any help!


Below is a brief consumption analysis:

Meter 1 - old company

• Between 10 January 2010 and 21 January 2011 you were consuming on average 62.70kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 21 January 2011 and 6 January 2012 you were consuming on average 49.35kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 6 January 2012 and 12 September 2012 you were consuming on average 52.85kWh of electricity per day.

Meter 2 - old company

• Between 17 November 2013 and 17 November 2014 you were consuming on average 43.36kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2014 and 17 November 2015 you were consuming on average 49.28kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2015 and 17 November 2016 you were consuming on average 51.70kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2016 and 17 November 2017 you were consuming on average 57.72kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2017 and 17 November 2018 you were consuming on average 56.61kWh of electricity per day;
• Between 17 November 2018 and 11 April 2019 you were consuming on average 65.23kWh of electricity per day.

Meter 3 - new company

• Between 17 April 2019 and 10 October 2019 you were consuming on average 21.47kWh of electricity per day.

WOW - 50,60,70 kwh a day ! What on earth are you using ?

Even 20 may be high.

When did you last read your meter and what is the reading today ?


PS If you don't read your meter no-one else will !

JayCee123

Thanks for your replies.
For those asking about heating - the heating is OIL (I did mention that, but it may be lost in the text). This is therefore not something to consider.

In regards to the question about the house, it's a 4 bedroom with two people living in it. We have just "normal" domestic appliances and lighting - energy efficient.

Yes, the readings were a mix of estimates and actuals, I had thought though when actuals were presented that there were true-ups/downs to correct any estimations.

I don't doubt the readings will be higher in the winter months, but even when I compared like for like in summer months, the prior company meter was logged at 35kwh/day and I'm still seeing 21kwh per day on the new meter. This seems a ludicrous difference - it was all we knew until we switched company and meter....but the question and why the ombudsman is not supporting a claim against the prior company is that we had TWO meters, both reading this high amount.
My question therefore is....anyone heard of two meters reading inaccurately?

Thanks

reeac

We have oil fired central heating and hot water and never use electricity for either although we do use it for cooking and do plenty of that with no microwaving.We average 10 kWh per day or 3kWh per day if we are away from home (just fridge and freezers).

Robin9

JayCee123 wrote: »

...........
My question therefore is....anyone heard of two meters reading inaccurately?

Thanks

No but its possible. I think you need to out the past behind you and ensure that the present meter properly records your consumption.


Let's have your readings please/

and what are you using in addition to oil ? Cooking, freezers (American style ?) - forget the PC's TV's etc. Something is giving you a very high 21kwh a day.

[Deleted User]

Do a burns test.Get hold of ideally a 1 kwh one bar electric fire..switch absolutely everything off, including freezer,standby stuff etc and run the heater for exactly one hour in which time exactly one unit should be used..That is close enough to test the accuracy.

Mister_G

Houbara wrote: »

Do a burns test.Get hold of ideally a 1 kwh one bar electric fire..switch absolutely everything off, including freezer,standby stuff etc and run the heater for exactly one hour in which time exactly one unit should be used..That is close enough to test the accuracy.

I believe that it is actually illegal to sell a "one bar electric fire" these days!

Oh, by the way, it was (and still is) a 1kW electric fire, not a 1 kWh electric fire.:)