Disputed Opening Gas Meter Read

Possetjohn

Hello all,

It is a long time since I have posted on this forum

This is more of a question on how this works and why it happen!!

As a background I have been with Octopus energy for about 3 years since I was moved there when IRESA collapsed.
I have been on the variable tariff for all that time, which is unusual for me and while I could have saved a bit by switching, it would not have been that much.
In this time the customer service and accuracy of bills from Octopus was excellent, which kind of persuaded me to stay.

However in April we had smart meters installed and from then on things seem to have gone wrong.
Anyway they sent a letter saying they were putting the tariffs up on 12th May, (Flexible Octopus June 2018 v1) which I was kind of expecting and was OK with.
However in the June Bill they changed the tariff name again (Flexible Octopus May 2021 v1) and increased the rates again.
When I complained that they had not informed me in advance as they are obliged to, I was treated like an imbecile saying it is a variable tariff and they can raise prices any time they like. Fine but not the point I was making!!!

Suitably hacked off I did some comparisons and initiated a switch to Avro Energy with a 12 month fix.
The start date was the 5th August and I gave Avro the opening readings from midnight on the 4th August and then everything seemed to be going fine. Avro confirmed the switch Had gone ahead successfully.

Then I got some weird bills from Octopus. Firstly, as I was leaving they put me back on the old tariff and charged me again for 23rd June 2021 - 6th July 2021 under the old tariff neglecting to credit me for the same period charge under the new tariff (Flexible Octopus May 2021 v1)!! Also the electricity Bill only went to 3rd August not the 4th. Gas only until 7th July!
I pointed this out to them and eventually got another bill on 19th August correcting the errors ,and electricity up to the close but still no final Gas bill.
Then on Saturday 21st August I got a final Bill with a gas reading of 270m3. I found this a little strange as the actual reading was 220.635m3 at midnight on the 4th August. Even now the meter is only reading a bit over 230m3. So as their phone lines are closed I sent them a strong email.

I called them this morning and now it seems the Independent Data Collector has got involved and come up with this reading of 270m3!!
Obviously I have challenged this reading as it is nearly 50m3 more than we had used!

So who are these guys? Are they working in caves somewhere with chisels and stone tablets. It feels very stone age!!
How can I have a smart gas meter which is giving half-hourly readings to Octopus and this Neanderthal comes up with a figure like this.
Surely this defeats the whole point of having smart meters??!!

I would be very interested in any comments form anyone who know how this system works

Gerry1

Yes, it's all part of the Smart Meter fiasco !

Opening reading validation process

My opening reading is wrong

You can't challenge the variance because it's too small, but you need to check that the losing and gaining suppliers have both used the same figure.

BTW, you'll get more replies if you post in the correct forum (Energy): this one is for LPF, Heating Oil, Solid & Other Fuels. The site is very badly laid out.

Possetjohn

Gerry1 thanks,
I think I understand how they do it. The assumption must be that we have used 65m3 of Gas since the last reading on the 7th July 2021. To me that doesn't make sense because looking back over our historical data for July we have never used more than 40m3 gas in July in the last 3 years and that was in a very cold summer. Also last Autumn we removed a very inefficient Gas fire and replaced it with an electric convector fire, also much improving the insulation in the room (insulated dry lining and ceiling boards) so actually this year we actually used 15.7m3! Actually our overall gas usage has dropped by 25% in the last nine months.

What I still don't understand is the arrogance that their estimated readings being some how better than actual Smart meter data!!

My problem is that if they do start from that 270m3 the meter actual reading is probably not going to exceed that until the end of September!! Ho Hum, lets see what happens!!

wild666

I always give meter readings to the old supplier and new supplier as close to midnight on the last day I will be with the old company and start with the new company. If you give the readings as close to midnight as possible then they cannot leave you with figures that are incorrect as you gave the readings so close to leaving the old supplier, the most they can say you are under by is 1 kWh for electric or around 11.4  kWh for gas as the meters could change just after you take the readings.

When I left Bulb I gave readings at 23.30 on the last day so not much chance of the readings changing by more than 1 kWh or unit on the meters. 
Smart meters read kWh for electric and units for gas and 1 unit is around 11.4 kWh depending on whether the multiply number is 39.? or 40.?  then divided by 3.6.