How best to get correct readings used

YerWot

It's a while since I've been dealing with energy bills. (I don't remember it being much fund last time, either .)

I just received a bill from Shell Energy, for both gas and electricity, covering the period between when I moved in and took over the supply and when I switched to Yorkshire Energy. The only problem is: 3 out of 4 readings are incorrect!

For the switch from Shell to Yorkshire, they are using the initial reading I supplied to Yorkshire for gas, but a much higher figure for electricity — higher than the meter reads today. Having just looked at my Yorkshire account online, they now have same the incorrect figure as their initial electricity reading.

Originally, I was unable to submit an initial electricity reading to Yorkshire, apparently because they were waiting to receive metering information. I phoned them to ask about this, and was told they'd look into it. Recently, it became possible to submit electricity readings in my Yorkshire account, so I submitted my initial reading to them, with an appropriate date. But I see it now shows my figure as a customer reading, followed by the spurious, much higher figure as the initial reading (2 days later).

Should I trying phoning Yorkshire again about this, rather than Shell? Should I make a complaint, or follow some procedure specific to meter readings for switches?

The other problem with the Shell bill is that their initial readings, for when I took over the supply, are slightly lower than the ones I supplied. I read the meters on the day I moved in, and gave the figures to Shell within a few days. If the readings they are using were supplied by the previous occupants (which I don't know), then the difference seems too large for readings on the same day; they'd be plausible if they were taken perhaps a week or 2 earlier.

Presumably I should take this one up with Shell. Any specific way I should go about it?

According to Shell's bill, I owe them money, which they will take by direct debit. If they had used the correct reading for the Shell/Yorkshire switch, they would owe me money instead. I could cancel the direct debit?

Gerry1

https://help.so.energy/support/solutions/articles/7000046447

YerWot

Gerry1 said:

help.so.energy/support/solutions/articles/7000046447

The difference in the electricity reading for the switch is greater than 250kWh, which that article says is relevant. So I should officially dispute this reading? With Yorkshire, or with both Yorkshire and Shell?

Gerry1

Don't even think of cancelling a DD, it will only end in tears and you'll be put on an expensive tariff.

If the mysterious third party tinkering with your readings have effectively increased the overall amount you pay then challenge it, otherwise take the money and run !

I'd raise it with Yorkshire because you're a current customer (and I always found them great) but also copy in Shell out of courtesy and to speed things up.

YerWot

Gerry1 said:

Don't even think of cancelling a DD, it will only end in tears and you'll be put on an expensive tariff.

Does that apply when the DD is for the supplier I've already left? Though this isn't really crucial — I won't have cash flow problems if they take the amount they intend to and refund it later on.

If the mysterious third party tinkering with your readings have effectively increased the overall amount you pay then challenge it, otherwise take the money and run !

It's increased, since Yorkshire charge less per kWh.

I'd raise it with Yorkshire because you're a current customer (and I always found them great) but also copy in Shell out of courtesy and to speed things up.

OK. In your experience, is an email likely to get the job done, or better to phone them?

Gerry1

I usually cancel a DD when leaving if I'm sure that the existing credit will be sufficient, and it's never caused any problems.  However, I've never had this strange third party call me a liar, so perhaps Shell might play nasty and rely on Ts &Cs to levy a dishonoured DD?  Must admit I'd tell them to whistle for it !

I usually phoned Yorkshire because they often introduced cheaper tariffs and there were no exit fees, so it was the quickest way to switch instantly.  Always answered promptly and dealt with efficiently, although that was in the BC years (Before Corona).

YerWot

OK.

Any ideas about how to approach the other issue, viz. Shell using lower initial readings for when I moved in than the ones I gave them?

(Do I take it that the mysterious third party, which can change readings for switches, isn't involved here, because it's the customer, not the supplier, that changed?)

YerWot

This was all resolved satisfactorily. Just FYI ...

Shell Energy got back to me within a day or so, after I raised an issue in Resolver. They rebilled me using using my meter readings which I took on the day I moved in (which were slightly higher than the figures used in their original bill). For the issue with an estimated electricity reading (quite a lot higher than the real figure) being used when I switched away from them (to Yorkshire Energy), after a week or so, they offered to repay me marginally more than their bill for those units, if I let the figure stand rather than going through a long dispute process. Which I accepted. That left me about £40 better off than if I'd been billed "correctly" for those units by Yorkshire Energy.

Yorkshire Energy seemed to be more snowed under by Covid-19. By the time a human responded to my Resolver issue with them, I had that offer from Shell. So I could tell them they didn't need to do anything more about it.

Talldave

It's a good result.  The annoying thing is that the "answerable to nobody" organisation that screws up, sorry, validates meter readings is oblivious to the fact that their estimate value for your meter is wrong. Therefore, this problem will occur every time you switch.  It's sad that the suppliers don't challenge this useless organisation and wake up to the fact that it's broken. Paying you off is their path of least resistance. 

All you can do is read and photograph your meters monthly and prepare for future battles.