Smart meter faulty??

Chrissy_p0

Hi, I deal with my Father in laws switching. I was just about to do a switch when I noticed that his gas bill was really high. In fact it was double mine, I have my heating on thermostat 24/7, gas hob, baths and loads of hot water used. He has a gas hob and gas heating, very rarely has his heating on and even then it's only a blast and then off. He uses his electric oven more than the hob and usually puts veg in the microwave, etc. I told him to look at his meter yesterday and it said he had used £3.50 that day and he had literally washed his hands, no cooking & definitely no heating on. Boiler was checked and serviced last year as usual. 
I can only think that he either has a gas leak or smart meter fault. Apparently smart meter failings are rare but if there was a gas leak it would've been smelt. I'm thinking to ask him to call the gas company out anyway to check but if there's no leak how do I go about getting proof that he isn't using any gas and it's still registering? Or is there something I have missed?
Thanks for any advice :0)

Gerry1

Credit meter or pre-pay?  If the latter it could have debt on it.

Turn off the gas for a day or two (use the immersion heater in the meantime) by using the lever next to the meter on the wall and then see whether the m3 reading on the said meter changes.

No point in calling anybody out unless there is a smell or good reason to believe there's a leak.

Reed_Richards

Hot water?  Leak in hot water causes it to be used continuously so the tank has to be re-heated frequently?
Check meter reading in cubic meters corresponds with actual expenditure shown.

Chrissy_p0

Credit meter. Yes that's what I thought about the gas company. He doesn't have an immersion heater but as I said he doesn't really use the gas anyway so I'll get him to turn it off. Any idea whether he should press A, B or C on the meter? I press 9 on mine & I can't get over to his until Sunday. I'll get him to send me a couple of videos on his phone to see. Thanks :0)

Chrissy_p0

Reed_Richards said:

Hot water?  Leak in hot water causes it to be used continuously so the tank has to be re-heated frequently?
Check meter reading in cubic meters corresponds with actual expenditure shown.

He doesn't really use the hot water, he has a dishwasher. He would know if the water was hot as he usually has to wait ages for it to come through the pipes into the kitchen. His boiler is a long way away, if that makes sense and he doesn't have the pre heat function on. 

Reed_Richards

Turning off the gas will do no good unless the meter moves spontaneously because the lever is on the supply side of the meter.  If there is a leak that registers on the meter then turning the gas off will turn off the leak!

[Deleted User]

Forget the cost that is showing on the IHD as it is possible that the tariff set in the meters is incorrect. Someone needs to check statements from the supplier against the actual readings on the meters. Domestic gas has a smell added to it so it should be detectable to a homeowner - but not if it is in the meter box. If there is a leak and the meter reading is increasing then the responsibility normally sits with the homeowner in terms of gas used; that is, when the leak is on the consumer's side of the meter.

That said, I would do a few checks myself before calling out the cavalry. Someone needs to mix up a glassful of water and washing up liquid and smear this around the tightening nuts that hold the new gas smart meter in place. If it bubbles then you have a leak as a result of poor installation. If that is the case, call the Gas leak number and inform your supplier.

Gerry1

If he was looking at the IHD (the portable shiny toy) instead of the meter on the wall it probably included the standing charge as well.

It may also have included the electricity usage and standing charge.  Still very high though for this time of year.

Reed_Richards

Chrissy_p0 said:

....I was just about to do a switch when I noticed that his gas bill was really high. In fact it was double mine, ...

I know little about credit meters but do you still get a bill with a credit meter?  If he is paying a direct debit and it is double there could be all sorts of reasons for that.  If his annual gas usage is double yours that could indicate that his house is much less well insulated.

Gerry1

Reed_Richards said:

Turning off the gas will do no good unless the meter moves spontaneously because the lever is on the supply side of the meter.  If there is a leak that registers on the meter then turning the gas off will turn off the leak!

Agreed, but if there were such a massive leak the OP would have been able to smell it even with Covid-19, assuming the property hadn't exploded !  Smart meters can certainly go rogue, as @Matthaus73 can confirm.

niktheguru

Reed_Richards said:

Chrissy_p0 said:

....I was just about to do a switch when I noticed that his gas bill was really high. In fact it was double mine, ...

I know little about credit meters but do you still get a bill with a credit meter?  If he is paying a direct debit and it is double there could be all sorts of reasons for that.  If his annual gas usage is double yours that could indicate that his house is much less well insulated.

Credit meter is just a term for a normal meter (i.e. not a pay as you go/prepaid meter)