Energy Switchover Warning

Gerry1

Verdigris said:

MWT said:

roddydogs said:

Never had any problem changing, but I'm suprised I haven't had a meter reader for years.

As long as you are providing regular meter readings to them, or you have a smart meter installed and active, they have no obligation to send out a meter reader.

Not true. All meters, smart or not, are supposed to be independently inspected at least once every two years. However, if you change supplier every year you evade the system. I don't think Ofgem thought this through.

Has Ofgem ever thought anything through?? 

keithwjones

Is this a British Gas trick? Same has just happened to me so I am paying for 30 units of electric twice. BG did not use the validated readings as given to Pure Planet. 

They used the smart meter readings on the last day. They did use the gas readings I supplied because the smart gas meter does not work, so they obviously got the readings from PP.

I spoke with PP first who referred me to BG, saying they are not allowed to do that. I gave the meter readings a couple of days before change over.

I spoke with BG who fairly easily agreed to change the readings. Now waiting 21 days for a final bill. They had already taken the money for the previous final bill. So should be due a small refund. 

Only 30 units but how many customers have been caught and not noticed.

Keith

MWT

Verdigris said:

MWT said:

roddydogs said:

Never had any problem changing, but I'm suprised I haven't had a meter reader for years.

As long as you are providing regular meter readings to them, or you have a smart meter installed and active, they have no obligation to send out a meter reader.

Not true. All meters, smart or not, are supposed to be independently inspected at least once every two years. However, if you change supplier every year you evade the system. I don't think Ofgem thought this through.

That obligation was removed in 2016, Ofgem believe that the rollout of smart meters together with the other billing requirements are sufficient incentive for suppliers to ensure that the meters are working correctly.

JJ_Egan

As above had no meter reader/check for at least five years .

My meter readings are given monthly to current supplier/s .

[Deleted User]

Previously, suppliers were required to read a meter once every two years EXCEPT for British Gas that managed to get a derogation for a meter reading once every 5 years. This was changed to an obligation to obtain a meter reading once every 12 months. The method to be used to obtain that reading isn’t specified: a smart meter or customer manual reading will suffice. Suppliers are though required to set a policy for safety checks on the meter assets that they are responsible for. 

brispy

MWT said:

brispy said:

I would therefore suggest that when switching energy suppliers, you ignore requests for meter readings from your new energy suppliers until you have the final readings from your old supplier and then send them those, it may save a lot of time wasted later on trying to sort this out.

That is unhelpful advice.

The correct procedure is to provide a meter reading to the gaining supplier only, and the losing supplier is obliged to wait for the meter reading to be provided to them through the industry process.

The mistakes are on the BG side in this case as they failed to follow the correct procedure and failed to use the approved reading.

If you want to wait until the day of the switch and provide that reading to the gaining supplier that is fine, but there is no guarantee that the industry process will approve that figure without amendment even if it comes from a smart meter...

So you are basicaly saying that if you give the smart meter reading used in the final bill from your old supplier, to your new supplier, this will not increase the chances of a trouble free handover given that your old supplier has already produced a bill and your new supplier can't start billing until it gets the handover reading. I appreciate that it may not make a difference but, in my case the correct procedure wasn't followed and I was trying to suggest a better way of dealing with the "send us your meter reading now to avoid double billing" requests that you get from your new supplier.

I am sorry that you found my suggestion unhelpful, maybe you could offer a better solution to try and minimise the double billing problem of an energy supplier that does not follow the correct procedure.

brispy

cannugec5 said:

I recently switched from Green to Simbio. It was very clear in communications to me that I should provide a reading on the SWITCH DATE. I was given a weeks notice, then a reminder, all very clear about what date to take the reading and how to submit it and to whom.  I was also requested to submit a photo of the reading, which of course is date stamped if there is ever any problem. 

It all went very smoothly, and I have had my final bill from Green along with the refund of credit. 

Switching can be very easy. 

Thanks for mentioning this, Octopus Energy basically send out an email several days prior to switchover with a request for a meter reading  telling you to "act now" to avoid double billing, I acted as soon as I got that email and ended up being double billed. I have spoken to them about it and they have said that is because people may be away on the switchover date, they may look at changing their emails though.

brispy

[Deleted User] said:

Under Standard Licence Conditions, the gaining supplier is responsible for managing all aspects of a transfer of a supply which includes asking the consumer for a meter reading/s 5 days before the agreed transfer of supply date. Any final readings given to the old supplier should be ignored: that said, many suppliers will raise a statement. The readings given to the new supplier go to their data collector for validation using past validated data. Once validated, these readings are passed to both suppliers via an industry data flow to close and open the accounts.

If the losing supplier or the consumer are unhappy with the validated readings, then an Agreed Readings Dispute can be raised. If not, the losing supplier is required to use the provided readings from the new supplier to close the account/s.

Before either the losing supplier or the consumer can raise an Agreed Readings Dispute, the difference between the industry-estimated reading/s and the consumer provided reading/s must be greater than:

1200kWhs (39 units IMPERIAL or 109 units METRIC) for gas

250kWhs for electricity

To put this into context, if you had to pay the old supplier for 249kWhs more than the reading that you provided, no ARD can be started. You will not pay for the same 249kWhs twice. You will only pay your new supplier the daily standing charge until the meter index passes the opening reading. It follows that the true cost difference is the difference in unit prices. In the example given, the new supplier is the one that is losing out.

Thanks for posting this, when I contacted Octopus the second time, I was under the impression that the threshold value only applied to estimated readings, they explained that this wasn't the case.

Do you know which energy supplier is obliged to sort the problem out if the difference is below the threshold value?

The reason that I ask is because when you contact your new supplier about double billing, they immediately tell you to contact the old supplier, as was the case with Octopus Energy (my new supplier). Although I haven't experienced it, there is a possibility that your old supplier could be less accomodating because you have left, they could have very poor customer service or they may be in financial crisis.

[Deleted User]

Either supplier can raise an Agreed Readings Dispute. That said, I am confused. Did you provide your new supplier with meter readings on switch and have these readings been used to open your new account/s? If so these readings will have been passed to the losing supplier via an industry data flow. What, specifically, are you now asking the two suppliers to agree? Have you actually had a FINAL bill from the old supplier or just a bill? If it wasn’t a final bill then any overcharge/undercharge will be adjusted when the industry-agree opening/closing readings are received and the bill is issued.

MWT

If the difference between the actual reading and the approved reading is below the threshold then there is no right of appeal and both losing and gaining suppliers must use the approved reading.

If the losing supplier does not use the approved reading you will have to deal with them directly as the gaining supplier has no ability to access your billing at the losing supplier, nor do they have a direct channel to communicate with the losing supplier.

This is why it is unhelpful to even give an exit reading to the losing supplier as there is the risk they will use it incorrectly. Better to wait and let the industry process deliver the same approved reading to both losing and gaining supplier.