My Final Reading simply ignored - why?

However

Recently switched from People's Energy to Avro (via MSE CLub), two reputable companies. Everything went smoothly, I supplied initial readings as and when requested (I took photos so there's no argument) which Avro accepted without demur as Initial. Imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks later PE's final bill uses a different reading for Gas (but the same for Elec). What is the point of going to the bother of providing accurate readings when they just get ignored without a by-your-leave, without a query, without any notification? It really gets my goat that I do my bit and it just gets ignored by some anonymous opaque industry mechanism. It's not the diifference that galls (although it wasn't in my favour), it's that my accurate reading is thrown aside in favour of their inaccurate estimate. It's the cavalier cheek of it.

PennineAcute

When you give your readings to your new supplier, they are then forwarded to an independent verification company.  They are checked against previous readings to gain an approximation of what it should be (with a lower and upper limit).  If your given readings are within this range then they are accepted to be correct.  If they fall outside then a reading is estimated.

One of the reasons for this is to prevent people giving a reading which is much higer than what it is, in the case where the new supplier is more expensive, or  give a much lower reading if the new supplier is cheaper.

Not giving a reading for a while can cause an exact reading to fall outside the calculated range, amongst other things.

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360018799871-How-do-meter-validation-companies-approve-my-meter-readings-

Tallerdave

I've suffered from this several times and it is ludicrous when you're reading and photographing the meter and some jumped up industry quango tells you that they know better.

There's been at least one report on here of the incompetent industry body overriding figures from smart meters !!!!!!. Ironic proof of just how incompetent and "head in sand" ingrained the industry is.

Sadly it'll never get better because of the traditional British get out clause of "but we've always done it that way"!

[Deleted User]

Tallerdave said:

I've suffered from this several times and it is ludicrous when you're reading and photographing the meter and some jumped up industry quango tells you that they know better.

There's been at least one report on here of the incompetent industry body overriding figures from smart meters !!!!!!. Ironic proof of just how incompetent and "head in sand" ingrained the industry is.

Sadly it'll never get better because of the traditional British get out clause of "but we've always done it that way"!

People lie; they do not provide any meter readings, and they misread their meters. Data collectors have been around  for decades and go back to the days of meters with whirling dials. The verification process is also designed to reduce the number of Agreed Readings Disputes between suppliers. I believe that the DCC acts as its own data collector so as more and more smart meters are rolled out, the problem goes away.

It is easy to overreact (myself included some years ago). I overpaid E.oN about £70 on a switch. In truth, the true cost was £2.34. I didn’t pay my new supplier for any units until my actual meter reading passed the opening reading. Ovo refunded me the £2.34 to avoid an ARD.

Yes, I have had a meter reader allegedly call to read my smart electricity meter and, yes, the meter reading did appear in My Account. The actual meter reading was about 3 times the total recorded usage. When I queried this, I was told that the supplier’s billing system will always accept actual meter readings as being accurate (as they come from a data collector). However, when the monthly statement is raised for a smart meter erroneous readings will be ignored.

Tallerdave

I understand why the not fit for purpose system exists, but sadly it treats everyone as guilty and in most cases doesn't allow "until proven innocent" either.  I know it's only a few quid, that's not the point. It's the fact that even a photo of the meter is ignored too and you're branded a liar.

Sainsbury's don't add £4 on every time I use self-scan "because people steal". They do spot checks (cf meter reading) and use the result of that to determine my honesty rating and thus how often future spot checks will happen. 

The energy industry is so backwards it doesn't even believe its own beloved smart meters!!

brewerdave

However said:

Recently switched from People's Energy to Avro (via MSE CLub), two reputable companies. Everything went smoothly, I supplied initial readings as and when requested (I took photos so there's no argument) which Avro accepted without demur as Initial. Imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks later PE's final bill uses a different reading for Gas (but the same for Elec). What is the point of going to the bother of providing accurate readings when they just get ignored without a by-your-leave, without a query, without any notification? It really gets my goat that I do my bit and it just gets ignored by some anonymous opaque industry mechanism. It's not the diifference that galls (although it wasn't in my favour), it's that my accurate reading is thrown aside in favour of their inaccurate estimate. It's the cavalier cheek of it.

But key issue - have Avro changed their opening read on gas to match this altered number? I had a problem with a move from Yorkshire Energy to Avro ,where the leccy reading was altered, YE used the changed reading (which was higher than mine) whilst Avro stuck with my figure which resulted in me facing paying for units twice. Got resolved after a lot of toing and froing via phone and email.- in fact I actually gained as Avro changed the opening reading to a higher figure than my actual and the industry figure!
The whole process is unfit for purpose .

spiro

You are legally not allowed to be charged twice for the same energy during a switch. Contact PE and ask them why they are not using the same readings as Avro.

brewerdave

spiro said:

You are legally not allowed to be charged twice for the same energy during a switch. Contact PE and ask them why they are not using the same readings as Avro.

Correct - but try explaining that to front line Customer Services staff. They get very confused because of the existence of the allowed variances for the raising of a formal readings dispute. I have had the "250kwh" rule quoted at me on more than one occasion !!

Gerry1

It's fair enough to do a sanity check, but if the reading is outside the expected limits the system should trigger an 'Unexpected Item In The Bagging Area' message and ask the customer to check the reading and re-submit it.

If it's still outside the limits then a meter reader should be sent out.  That's the only fair way to do it.

bristolleedsfan

PennineAcute said:

When you give your readings to your new supplier, they are then forwarded to an independent verification company.  They are checked against previous readings to gain an approximation of what it should be (with a lower and upper limit).  If your given readings are within this range then they are accepted to be correct.  If they fall outside then a reading is estimated.

One of the reasons for this is to prevent people giving a reading which is much higer than what it is, in the case where the new supplier is more expensive, or  give a much lower reading if the new supplier is cheaper.

Not giving a reading for a while can cause an exact reading to fall outside the calculated range, amongst other things.

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360018799871-How-do-meter-validation-companies-approve-my-meter-readings-

My last 3 Gas only switches to Scottish Power, So Energy, Green Network Energy these new suppliers all accepted meter reading given by me, they were not forwarded to an independent verification company.

Scottish Power when I left late last year issued final Bill and refunded credit within 10 days of switched out date, So Energy issued final Bill 5 actual days after switched out date they also refunded credit balance within 10 days of that and GNE automatically accepted changeover reading that I gave hence very quick final bill from So Energy

[Deleted User]

bristolleedsfan said:

PennineAcute said:

When you give your readings to your new supplier, they are then forwarded to an independent verification company.  They are checked against previous readings to gain an approximation of what it should be (with a lower and upper limit).  If your given readings are within this range then they are accepted to be correct.  If they fall outside then a reading is estimated.

One of the reasons for this is to prevent people giving a reading which is much higer than what it is, in the case where the new supplier is more expensive, or  give a much lower reading if the new supplier is cheaper.

Not giving a reading for a while can cause an exact reading to fall outside the calculated range, amongst other things.

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360018799871-How-do-meter-validation-companies-approve-my-meter-readings-

My last 3 Gas only switches to Scottish Power, So Energy, Green Network Energy these new suppliers all accepted meter reading given by me, they were not forwarded to an independent verification company.

Scottish Power when I left late last year issued final Bill and refunded credit within 10 days of switched out date, So Energy issued final Bill 5 actual days after switched out date they also refunded credit balance within 10 days of that and GNE automatically accepted changeover reading that I gave hence very quick final bill from So Energy

I think that you will find that they were validated in accordance with industry procedures. The more readings that you provide during your contract period reduces the risk of validation changes.

https://octopus.energy/blog/secret-life-opening-meter-reading/