Solar panels and meters

Shampers07

My supplier, British Gas, accused me of stealing because my meter was going backwards. Consequently they visited my property and changed my meter. My bills increased as time went on. As a result of their unfounded accusations I changed my supplier to M & S Energy. As we all know this past 18 months has not been easy and as a key worker my hours massively increased. I am a single father of one child who spends time with his grandparents when I am working. Obviously this leaves my property empty for a considerable amount of of hours each day yet my bills are the same or higher than my parents who live just a couple of doors away in the same size property. They are both retired and my mother is disabled. 
My bills have got so out of hand I now owe M & S almost a thousand pounds even though I am paying £150 pm. Following discussions with both the solar panel company and M & S it was decided to change my meter to a smart meter. 
At this point it was discovered that when British Gas changed the meter back in 2019 they did not install a solar panel compatible meter.
Does anyone have any advise they could pass on to me as to how I can claim this money back from British Gas. I am concerned that as I am no longer a customer they may not be liable.
Thank for your time in reading and any forthcoming assistance ce.

[Deleted User]

There is no such thing as a solar compatible meter. A number of the old analogue meters would turn backwards when solar was being exported, and it was your responsibility to report this to your supplier. The supplier is correct that you were technically stealing electricity, and it will have fitted a meter that did not have this issue. If you believed that the replacement BG meter was also turning backwards when solar was generated, then this would result in lower NOT higher bills.

Comparing your energy usage to your parents does not demonstrate that there is a meter issue. You need to look at your daily energy use. For example, you might have a hot water cylinder with a broken thermostat; or you might have long showers etc. No two homes are the same when it comes to how energy is used.

What exactly are you trying to claim from BG? As you no longer have the old meter, then a key piece of your evidence to use in support of any case is now in landfill. Who at M&S Energy told you that BG's replacement meter was solar incompatible given that there is no such thing. 

QrizB

Welcome to MSE.

My supplier, British Gas, accused me of stealing because my meter was going backwards.

Yes, you were using electricity without recording its use. This would be considered stealing. It sounds as though they didn't pursue you for this but just stopped it continuing.

Consequently they visited my property and changed my meter. My bills increased as time went on.

I would guess your bills had been based on not paying for the electricity you stole, which would mean you were now using more than before so your bills will rise.

As a result of their unfounded accusations

"well-founded accusations", you mean.

... my bills are the same or higher than my parents who live just a couple of doors away in the same size property. They are both retired and my mother is disabled.

But how much electricity do you use, exactly? Have you been reading your meter regularly? What are your meter readings?

My bills have got so out of hand I now owe M & S almost a thousand pounds even though I am paying £150 pm.

I take it you have an all-electric house? Or do you also have eg. gas, oil, wood pellet boiler?

Following discussions with both the solar panel company and M & S it was decided to change my meter to a smart meter. At this point it was discovered that when British Gas changed the meter back in 2019 they did not install a solar panel compatible meter.

Who exactly "discovered" what? What did they tell you was incompatible about your old meter? Are your meter readings lower now that M&S have changed your meter again?

Does anyone have any advise they could pass on to me as to how I can claim this money back from British Gas. I am concerned that as I am no longer a customer they may not be liable.

I don't honestly think there is anything you can claim back from British Gas. If you can share some more detials of your house (how you heat it, for example) and your meter readings for the past 2-3 years we might be able to suggest ways to reduce your bill.

QrizB

Here's a hypothetical example.

Imagine you were using 10000kWh of electricity per year, but had 4000kWh per year generated by your solar panels. You might use 1000kWh from your solar panels and export 3000kWh.

Your actual  import (from the grid) in this case would be (10000-1000=) 9000kWh but because your meter was turning backwards you would have been "erasing" 3000kWh from your meter so it would only record 6000kWh per year.

When BG replaced your meter and started metering properly, your recorded consumption would increase from 6000kWh to 9000kWh per year and your bills would jump by 50%. This is why your bills increased quite so much when BG replaced your meter.

Reed_Richards

It has always struck me as unfair that you don't get paid the same for electricity that you export as you have to pay for electricity that you import.  But life isn't always fair and you don't - not nearly as much!