Energy Switch Problem

plh56

Hi, I used the site to switch energy supplier in September from Ovo to Yorkshire Energy.
The switch for both gas and electricity took place on the 5th September based on final readings given by myself and Ovo (as I have an Ovo Smartmeter) which match. I was on an Economy 7 tariff with Ovo and stayed on Economy 7 with YE too.

I got my first statement recently however and while the gas is OK, the electricity one shows some weird figures instead of the correct ones. When I called YE they said the ombudsman provided this data so they have to use it over what I and Ovo gave and I need to raise a dispute.

I have therefore done this by emailing YE as requested and provided all meter readings every month from 2017 when the meter was first installed up to the final read on 5th September.

However, they now say they need 2 photos of the meter readings as proof. I have tried to provide this, but since the switchover I can no longer read my electric meter. Previously I could either use the in-house display (but this stopped showing any data after the switch as apparently YE don't support Smartmeters), or I could press the 6 key on the meter itself and it would cycle through showing rate 1 (night) then rate 2 (day). However since the switch pressing 6 doesn't show this anymore, it just shows 000-000P and then a random figure nowhere near either of my previous readings (or the one the ombudsman gave) and then shows 000-000P again.

I'm therefore at a loss as to how to get the correct readings to YE in order to dispute the wrong figures as I can't even read the meter myself anymore and they don't support Smartmeters so can't read it either. Does anyone know what I can do, is there some other way to get the readings from a smartmeter in Economy 7 mode than pressing 6?
If I can't get my readings since the switch, how do I dispute the ombudsmans' weird figures or get billed correctly?

Gerry1

The Ombudsman does not provide changeover meter readings.

Have you read the instructions for reading your meter? If you still can't get a reading then ask YE to check it.

plh56

Gerry1 wrote: »

The Ombudsman does not provide changeover meter readings.

Have you read the instructions for reading your meter? If you still can't get a reading then ask YE to check it.

Oh really, strange, so why did YE tell me they have? They said it takes up to 6 weeks to get them, which it did, then they didn't match what Ovo and I gave.

Yes I have read the instructions for my meter, and I have read it successfully before. It is just no longer showing the details since the switchover as I mentioned. I also mentioned YE can't read it as they don't support Smartmeters yet so that's not an option.

Gerry1

YE may not yet be able to receive communications from your smart meter because it's now in dumb mode, but I think you'll find they are responsible for making the meter itself work.

There is a mysterious third party which claims it validates changeover readings, but it's not the Ombudsman.

plh56

Gerry1 wrote: »

YE may not yet be able to receive communications from your smart meter because it's now in dumb mode, but I think you'll find they are responsible for making the meter itself work.

There is a mysterious third party which claims it validates changeover readings, but it's not the Ombudsman.

OK maybe they mis-spoke the name then, but meant this third party anyhow...
I will ask them to come round and take a meter reading then as it's their issue.

plh56

After speaking to Ovo and YE today it seems that upon switching the Smartmeter reverted to non-Economy 7 mode, so I can only get a total read, even though I am on an economy 7 tariff so that's not much use.

This means I have no night or day reads to use so YE have no wayof knowing how much electricicty I've used in the day or night since switching, only total.

It seems the advice given here on Ovo's website is incorrect:

"Having a smart meter doesn’t affect your right to switch energy providers whenever you want. So if you’ve had a smart meter installed but you want to move to a new supplier, you will still be able to do so. However, you may find your smart meter loses its functionality and reverts to being a traditional meter. If so, you might have to go back to giving regular meter readings to your new supplier. And if anything goes wrong, some suppliers may have to replace your smart meter with a standard meter because they’re not equipped to deal with your particular model of smart meter."

In my case switching providers has caused the new provider to not be able to read my meter properly even in dumb meter mode so this is incorrect if you happen to be on an Economy 7 tariff when switching to a supplier than doesn't support Smartmeters.

YE will now replace my meter with a dumb one, and will estimate my usage since switching until then. As to how I can get my correct meter readings from the day I switched agreed they are at a loss as are unable to read the meter since the switch day, so they said they'd get back to me once they have a solution.

All in all this is the complete opposite of how easy Smartmeters are supposed to make things! I have no idea what my rights are if I don't agree with the estimated readings YE come up with, do I have to just agree to them?

I think there should be a warning that tells people of this issue if they switch to a provider without support for Smartmeters and if they're on Economy 7 tariffs so others do not have to go through this mess. A good starting point would be if there was a warning about which suppliers don't support Smartmeters before you switch so you don't just find out when it's too late!

plh56

Just as an update, I'm still unable to read my meter and YE have now said they want me to wait for them to be able to support Smartmeters, at which point they will apparently send a signal to my Smartmeter which apparently will make it show the Economy 7 day and night rates again so I can finally get a meter reading since switching to them. Does anyone have any experience with this and know if this sounds right? If so good, as then they should be able to read it directly too, but I don't want to wait forever.

I am having a lot of trouble with YE giving me conflicting information so I don't have a lot of faith in what they tell me anymore.

For example, my previous supplier has now told me that my read dispute is resolved and has produced my final statement based on the correct readings of 5/9/19 and closed my account. YE also emailed me to say it is resolved, then a few days later emailed me to say it cannot be resolved, then I phoned them and they told me that Ovo rejected the dispute so nothing they can do (which Ovo deny), then called me back a day later to say it is resolved after all, then emailed me a day later again to say it is not resolved and there's nothing they can do and to get my opening statement with them I'd need to speak to my previous supplier (who tell me it is resolved as otherwise they couldn't produce my final statement or close my account).

So I'm in a situation where YE won't give me an accurate opening statement based on my real meter readings, won't help me, and I can't get any new meter readings until some unknown point in the future when they will support Smartmeters.
In the meantime they keep emailing me to ask for my meter readings which is just ridiculous when they know I can't give them!

Can anyone advise what I should do? At this point I'd like to move away from Ye as lost all faith in them but feel like I'm stuck as have no correct readings or way to get them, if I try to switch will I be able to with no way of giving closing readings?

Gerry1

I'd argue that I had the right to read the meter myself to verify the biils were accurate, and to monitor my usage to ensure it was affordable. Therefore if the smart meter was unable to do this, for whatever reason, I'd ask YE to replace it with a conventional meter without further delay.

Presumably it's no longer possible to allocate your usage between the day and night rates, so this can only be estimated, hence you may well be being overcharged. I'm with YE and found them cost effective on E7, even with low night usage, so it would be worth staying with them but with a conventional meter.

Submit a formal written complaint to YE and go to the Ombudsman after eight weeks or when you receive a deadlock letter.