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New energy supplier says my meter reading is wrong - am I going to have to fight a huge bill?

easy
easy Posts: 2,526 Forumite
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in Energy
After checking with the Cheap Energy Club, I started a switch of my dual fuel from Bulb to So Energy.
I got an email from So,  telling me that they thought I'd submitted an incorrect reading from my electricity meter,  and asking me to send them a photograph of the meter. 
I did that on 31/10/2020,  it showed the reading on that day was 3539  . 
Today I had an email saying that  my opening reading has failed Validation.  The reading I gave them on the day I started the switch was 3290.0  they seem to think it should be 85946.9,  and they say they will pass that figure back to Bulb !!!
I've emailed them back,  re-sending the photo of the meter taken on 31/10/2020,  and sending them a copy of my electricity bill dated 09/10/2020 showing a read value of 3253 (because I have smart meters). 
My concern is that they w3ill send this huge value back to Bulb,  and they will bill me a huge amount which I then have to fight about.

Any advice? 
I try not to get too stressed out on the forum. I won't argue, i'll just leave a thread if you don't like what I say. :)

Comments

  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 33,304 Forumite
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    edited 9 November 2020 at 6:43PM
    When was the meter installed.  There is a possibility that the meter has not been updated on the national database. Have you any old bills with the old meter readings ? Go to your regional distributor's website and check on who supplies your energy using the meter serial number on the meter, if it throws an error then that is likely the answer.
  • easy
    easy Posts: 2,526 Forumite
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    molerat said:
    When was the meter installed.  There is a possibility that the meter has not been changed on the national database.
    Ah yes,  it was changed only a couple of months before the switch
    I try not to get too stressed out on the forum. I won't argue, i'll just leave a thread if you don't like what I say. :)
  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,408 Forumite
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    edited 9 November 2020 at 7:08PM
    @easy   Check the serial number of the meter itself andcompare with that on your bill.
    Never pay on an estimated bill. Always read and understand your bill
  • easy
    easy Posts: 2,526 Forumite
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    Robin9 said:
    @easy   Check the serial number of the meter itself andcompare with that on your bill.
    My most recent bill and the meter agree, that isn't the problem.  The problem is the new supplier,  who don't accept the reading.
    I try not to get too stressed out on the forum. I won't argue, i'll just leave a thread if you don't like what I say. :)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    easy said:
    Robin9 said:
    @easy   Check the serial number of the meter itself andcompare with that on your bill.
    My most recent bill and the meter agree, that isn't the problem.  The problem is the new supplier,  who don't accept the reading.
    Send your new supplier a copy of your Final Bill which shows your address; MPAN and meter serial number AND a photograph of your actual meter which shows the meter serial number. Ask them to update The National Database.
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,682 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 9 November 2020 at 8:04PM
    I think you should have a sticker near/on your new meter with the last reading of the old meter - is it anywhere near 85000?  Or 82000 if the smart meter started from 0.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • MWT
    MWT Posts: 9,611 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    When you switch a 3rd party company checks the meter readings against the history for your address and calculates what it should be and both losing and gaining supplier are supposed to use that figure.
    From the looks of things that 3rd party has used the old meter due to a failure to update the database.
    As su7ggested, send your new supplier a copy of the recent bill and point out the meter change then let them deal with it.
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