Supplier has used smart meter readings when it was agreed they wouldn't. Breach of data protection?

Diego_Francis

Edit:

So I've overreacted here. I'm still awaiting a reply from supplier about why the smart meter readings were being used after months of not using them. But everything else, from what others have informed me on, is redundant. 

Thanks to everyone to replied in this thread. 

Original message :

I wish to keep this generic as I don't want to draw unnecessary attention to my supplier whilst I'm in talks with them but in the meantime I'd like to guage from you forumites, what the general opinion is of this scenario. I could be overreacting or not doing enough.

I moved home last year, and this house has smart meters installed. 

I personally don't like smart meters. I don't like relying on my supplier to take readings on my behalf. 

Bluntly, I don't trust anyone but myself to take meter readings.

I emailed my supplier after switching over from our old house to new, to explain, in a more pleasant way than above, that I would not like them to use the smart meter readings. 

After a few emails of getting an understanding of my unusual request (sane to me) , the supplier agreed they'd turn off the ability to use these smart meter readings and instead rely on my inputing the readings myself.

Now this has been fine for most of the year.

The bill from last month however showed they had used the smart meter readings with my own stated with them. 

When I looked back at previous bills I discovered several are the same.

Therefore they have been using the readings against my request. 

Am I correct to inform them that they are in breach of the data protection act as they have subsequently used my personal data against what I agreed to with them last year? 

https://www.gov.uk/data-protection

As it was my right to restrict use of such data - the smart meter readings - has my supplier breached this right by using this data over the course of several months worth or bills? 

I have contacted them to bring this to their attention and awaiting their reply. 

Have I took the right action here? 
Am I right in what I'm saying? 

Or am I overreacting? 

Sandtree

Yes you are overreacting

You need to read their privacy statement on how they will use your data... unfortunately GDPR doesn't give you the right to dictate everything otherwise we'd all max out our credit cards and then exercise our right to stop them processing any data and/or our right to be forgotten meaning they couldn't collect the debts.

Do your own readings if you want to check the automatic ones are accurate if you want but otherwise get back to making your tin foil hats.

Ultrasonic

Were the smart meter readings in line with your own? I bet they were.

Taking the 'there are more important things to worry about' attitude I'd just forget about it and carry on as you are. You're confirming everything is right and it's not actually causing you any problems as it is.

Diego_Francis

Ultrasonic said:

Were the smart meter readings in line with your own? I bet they were.

Taking the 'there are more important things to worry about' attitude I'd just forget about it and carry on as you are. You're confirming everything is right and it's not actually causing you any problems as it is.

No they're all out by a Margin of 50 units for electric and gas. I'll be ensuring that info is corrected. 

Thanks 

[Deleted User]

Diego_Francis said:

Ultrasonic said:

Were the smart meter readings in line with your own? I bet they were.

Taking the 'there are more important things to worry about' attitude I'd just forget about it and carry on as you are. You're confirming everything is right and it's not actually causing you any problems as it is.

No they're all out by a Margin of 50 units for electric and gas. I'll be ensuring that info is corrected. 

Thanks 

Hi,

were readings taken on same day?

Rodders53

Come on then:  Demonstrate this discrepancy for us.

List your meter reads and dates cf the Energy Co's Smart meter reads and dates, please.

Diego_Francis

[Deleted User] said:

Diego_Francis said:

Ultrasonic said:

Were the smart meter readings in line with your own? I bet they were.

Taking the 'there are more important things to worry about' attitude I'd just forget about it and carry on as you are. You're confirming everything is right and it's not actually causing you any problems as it is.

No they're all out by a Margin of 50 units for electric and gas. I'll be ensuring that info is corrected. 

Thanks 

Hi,

were readings taken on same day?

Rodders53 said:

Come on then:  Demonstrate this discrepancy for us.

List your meter reads and dates cf the Energy Co's Smart meter reads and dates, please.

Wow emotions are blinding at times.

I was wrong here. I misread the bills.

The issue wasnt about the readings themselves though. It was about what was discussed about how the readings were taken. I'll find out this week what the reason is and I'm sure it's genuine hence why I'm not disclosing the supplier because I had my doubts - why I posted this in the first place. 

I make mistakes and learn from them. I admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the box but I'll try to improve my knowledge.

Feel free to gloat haha. 

Ultrasonic

Diego_Francis said:

I was wrong here. I misread the bills.

Don't worry, we all make mistakes. This does bring us back to my initial reply above though. I really would choose to not waste time/energy stressing about this.

theoretica

Diego_Francis said:

I personally don't like smart meters. I don't like relying on my supplier to take readings on my behalf. 

Bluntly, I don't trust anyone but myself to take meter readings.

Taking your own readings, to check theirs, is no more work for you than taking your own readings and them not taking any. It ends up with the similar result where you have checked the company isn't using crazy readings, and the company has the reassurance you aren't reading the wrong thing off the meter.

Diego_Francis

Ultrasonic said:

Diego_Francis said:

I was wrong here. I misread the bills.

Don't worry, we all make mistakes. This does bring us back to my initial reply above though. I really would choose to not waste time/energy stressing about this.

Appreciate what your saying.

It isn't a stress. Just annoyed me a bit. 🙃

Robin9

As one who read my own bills correctly and then mistyped as I sent them resulting in bigger bills than I  should have had - not once by twice -  I favour Smart for accuracy..    Both times it meant more work for me to get them corrected.

Long live Smart