Faulty gas meter, can't get hold of British Gas, in middle of switching to new provider

NippyNelly

Our recent winter quarter gas bill was a bit high, so I started having a look to see where the usage was coming from - filling baths and doing the volume x energy required calculations, etc (it's amazing what you find to do, when you don't want to do the things you're supposed to be doing!).  Anyway, long story short, the readings continued to go up even when the gas was turned off at the meter.  I got an engineer out yesterday, who confirmed there was no leak (phew), so that at least was good news. Turned gas off again overnight last night; in 9 hours overnight, the reading had gone up a massive 28 m3, equivalent to 313 kWh.  Definitely something wrong with the meter - it's a Landis Gyr Libra 310p, which I see from the Rogue Meters forum is a known naughty.  It's given us a gas usage for 7-31 March of just less than we used in the whole of last year - this is going to bankrupt us!

I've tried all ways of getting hold of British Gas - telephone, twitter, email, but can't get anything other than an automated response at the moment.  We had just started to switch to another supplier - now I don't know whether to try to cancel that until this meter thing is resolved, or to tell them and hope they put in a new meter.... I really don't want to be taking this problem with us to a new supplier, nor do I want to have to stay with British Gas and face astronomical bills while all routes to customer services are blocked. I'm starting to lose sleep over this.  Any advice?

dogshome

The "Ownership" of the meter transfers with the supplier - The routine of a fixing dodgy meter meter is that you provide evidence of it's behavior, ( Ideally a video of it advancing with the gas supply tap turned OFF), the supplier changes the meter and sends the old one off to an Independant Lab, who test it and issue a report, saying it is either OK, X% inaccurate or so bad it can't be tested.

BG are going to owe you money, best you stay with them till it's sorted

Matthaus73

I feel your stress nippynelly. I have been through this with sleepless nights for 2 months (same landis gyr 310p meter) ! 
I never convinced my energy company there was a problem so had to go to the ombudsman.
I did video the meter rising with gas mains off but Ombudsman wasnt interested, all any way seems interseted in are averages so keep taking readings and dig out old bills to compare with. 
I would definitely stay with same provider until it is sorted but make sure you are on their best tariff.
I did win my case with the ombudsman with a new meter fitted and my average usage over next few months is going to be used to work out last years bill edf were also supposed to send me an apology letter but that didnt happen so we shall wait and see if they sort the bill out properly (so still stressed) 
Good luck

NippyNelly

Thanks for your input - any idea how we can stop the switchover process? It seems to be fully automated.

dogshome

At the moment you are in the "14 Day Cooling Off" - Contact the new supplier and cancel the Switch - best by Email or letter so you have written evidence

dogshome

Further - For the dodgy meter WRITE a letter headed Complaint to BG and post it by Royal Mail - This starts a process that BG have to follow.

Like all suppliers, BG will make a charge for the meter change, (around £120 ?), which you get back if the meter tests faulty, make sure you mention in the letter that the meter is a Landis Gyr Libra 310p

Whilst waiting for it to be sorted, go back through all your previous bills to get a handle on what the use should have been if the meter had not gone rogue - This is an indicator of how much BG owe you

NippyNelly

The continuing story.... nearly 3 months in, and we have so far had one failed visit by an engineer who had the wrong job type on his sheet so was unable to do anything, and another booked for this Friday.  Out of interest, we turned the gas off last night, and the reading is exactly the same this morning; this hasn't been the case since March - imagine the horror! Also, the meter is no longer showing the "b" on screen, which I understood was to indicate low battery.  So, now I'm wondering if the engineer replaced the battery without telling us..... it's going to be nailbiting, waiting for the meter test results (assuming they turn up to remove it).  Looking over the previous few months' usage, those whackingly high readings peter out as the weather gets warmer.  Has anyone else come across this? Could the battery get rejigged when things warm up, or do I go with my growing paranoia that BG are going to try really hard to get the £900+ bill out of me?

Talldave

Batteries do perk up when warm, so it's entirely possible that is what's happening.  Remember how smoke alarm batteries always seem to trigger the warning beep in the middle of night?  It's because that's when they're at their coldest.

Gerry1

Surround the meter with those sealed freezer blocks you can get at £1 shops?

NippyNelly

Talldave - that's a point Just a bit concerned that the "b" isn't showing any more.... (fret worry worry)

Gerry1 - hahahahahaha that's almost worth trying, just to see the engineer's face!

Matthaus73

My b never went off but meter readings did vary massively from 0m3 with heating on over a weekend then 64m3 another weekend. Good chance yours will go wrong again,  hopefully !