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Meter Reading Rate IDs transposed

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AnthonyG77
AnthonyG77 Posts: 6 Forumite
Sixth Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
edited 27 March 2020 at 8:02PM in Energy
When my meter was changed (not on request) in 2014, the Rate IDs were changed over, so that Rate 1 = Night and Rate 2 = Day. It is a fairly modern digital meter. I believe nPower did this, although I am not a customer of their's anymore.

This has caused issues every time I switch, as energy companies appear to ask for Rate 1 (day) or Rate 2 (night), when mine mean the opposite; so on each occasion, I've had to agree to input the readings the opposite way around to the Rate ID label, so that the day and night readings are as they should be. All my neighbours appear to have the same meter type, yet they all have Rate 1 = day and Rate 2 = night, just as per energy company websites.

Whilst this has been a hassle, it's become more of an issue with my last switch in Sept 2019, as despite both suppliers knowing the issue, my new supplier (Igloo Energy) just provided the final readings to my old supplier (Tonik Energy) with the wrong labels for Rate 1 and Rate 2. This mismatch has resulted in no final bill still (despite it being obvious looking at the readings for each which one it should tally up with). This remains unresolved and the Ombudsman have not helped so far; I don't think they are grasping the issue how this is causing issues with switching suppliers.

To date, I have been billed correctly (apart from the omission of a final bill in Sept 2019). 
All I want is for this to be resolved permanently, so I don't have to keep going through this. I want my meter reconfigured to show Rate 1 for Day and Rate 2 for Night, or have the meter replaced (I can't see how they cannot reconfigure a modern digital meter though). My current provider says this cannot be done? I guess no supplier has the incentive to do this knowing that you may switch providers and they've spent money sending an engineer etc. Can anyone advise how I can achieve this? Would it be nPower, who I believe originally changed the meter, even though I am not their customer anymore?

Thanks!





Comments

  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 10,848 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 27 March 2020 at 8:29PM
    AFAIK there's no agreement that Rate 1 = Night and Rate 2 = Day, it can vary.  FWIW, my meter shows Rate 2 in the daytime, but my bills reflect this.
    Giving wrong readings is not the answer, that will only end in tears.  Tell your supplier to ensure that Rate 1 is billed at the night rate and Rate 2 at the day rate.  If no luck, ask for a deadlock letter and then go to the Ombudsman upon receipt, or after eight weeks if it doesn't arrive.
    Take a video of the meter with a DAB radio showing date and time when you next send them a reading (e.g. 13:00:00 and playing The World at One on R4).   If it shows a Rate 2 reading of 23456 but your bill shows a night reading of 23456, then that's proof positive that you are being billed incorrectly.
  • Thanks Gerry; I'm currently being billed correctly by my current provider and I've done a space test to prove which is what Rate; it's just a constant problem on switching...
  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 10,848 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I wonder whether the mysterious third party is swapping the readings over each time when they validate them?  That would explain why each new supplier always gets it wrong !
  • Gerry1 said:
    I wonder whether the mysterious third party is swapping the readings over each time when they validate them?  That would explain why each new supplier always gets it wrong !
    Yes, each time the Data Collector provides readings, they are provided literally as per meter (i.e. Rate 1 and Rate 2) but the supplier is inputting my readings in the opposite way around to reflect correct day and night.
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