Latest Night Consumption Figures on Digital Economy 7 Electricity Meter Absurdly High

figface

My elderly disabled mother lived alone in a tiny 2 bedroom cottage with two storage heaters downstairs which she controls to keep her living room at a maximum temperature of between just 15-18 degrees. (She was warned by visiting healthcare workers that she really should keep the house warmer, but she worried about her bills). Her bedroom upstairs has a wall-mounted convection heater which she would put on for about an hour before getting into bed at night, and on again in the morning at about 9am for an hour when she got up. Otherwise, overnight she had no heating and relied on a thick down duvet to keep her warm. She has an electric shower she used briefly a few times each week for a morning shower. She only used a microwave to heat one meal each day, (she couldn't bend down to use her oven) and would boil a kettle several times a day for cups of tea. She has a hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard which she heats up for an hour and a half overnight. This would give her enough warm water for a face wash in the morning and any washing up in the day.

Over the last few years, the official meter readings (not estimates) of her nighttime electricity usage have been as follows:
04/07/2018 to 18/01/2019: 4584 KWH (period of 199 days)
19/01/2019 to 05/07/2019: 5275 KWH (period of 168 days)
06/07/2019 to 02/12/2019: 2784 KWH (period of 150 days)
03/12/2019 to 13/11/2019: 1048 KWH (period of 347 days)

This is a total of 13,691 KWH nighttime energy usage over a period of 764 days, giving an average of 17.92 KWH per day (or more accurately per night!)

As seen from above the last official meter reading was 13/11/2019, and since then she has had estimated bills. The energy company didn't send anyone out during the Covid period, despite her telling them she was disabled and unable to read the outside meter herself.

Unfortunately my mother passed away a few days ago, and I went to read her meter before phoning the energy company to notify them of her death. I was stunned when I saw the nighttime reading was now showing 25,346 KWH! To me this seems absurdly high. If correct it would mean that between 14/11/2019 and 17/03/2022 (a period of 488 days) my mother has suddenly used  22,489 KWH of nighttime energy (that is an average of 46.1 KWH per night). Furthermore, for the last two months before her death, my mother has been in hospital and so typical usage would have been even further reduced.

The previous actual nighttime meter reading taken by the energy company on 14/11/2020 was 2848, and she has subsequently had a series of estimates at 4376, 4470, 4578, 4713, 5017 and finally 5261 on 10/12/2021. As I said, the meter is currently reading 25,346. What is interesting is that looking at the estimates, it almost seems that a a 'rogue'  digit 2 has appeared on the meter in the ten thousand column, as a reading of 5346 rather than 25346 would seem more logical!

The other thing to note, is that the daytime meter readings seem to look fine. Over the same period from 14/11/2020 to 17/03/2022 the reading has gone from 55,783 KWH to 62,533 KWH, implying daytime usage of 6750 KWH (an average of 13.83 KWH per day).

One final strange thing is that according to her bills, on 21 May 2021 the daytime usage reading is marked as 'our read', but the nighttime usage reading on that day is marked as 'estimated', suggesting they only read one figure and not the other!

Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to give as much detail as possible and to check with others if:
a) the figure of 22,489 KWH looks absurdly high for just a nighttime usage?
b) is it possible for a 'rogue' digit to appear on a digital display?

Any thoughts very welcome!

Ultrasonic

figface said:

between 14/11/2019 and 17/03/2022 (a period of 488 days)

I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your mother. 

Just on the point quoted, this is actually an 854 day period which will put your other calculations in a different light.

Robin9

The reading on the meter is not the consumption since it was last read  - it is the consumption since the meter was installed.

Submit that and the day time reading and get an up to date bill.

Are you executor / administrator of the estate - get the account put into The Executors of the late Mrs X

t0rt0ise

Something is wrong wth the dates you list. The last one goes backwards from December to November in the same year. Are they the wrong way round.. so November to December, or is the year wrong?

Gerry1

figface said:

As I said, the meter is currently reading 25,346. What is interesting is that looking at the estimates, it almost seems that a a 'rogue'  digit 2 has appeared on the meter in the ten thousand column, as a reading of 5346 rather than 25346 would seem more logical!

Could the extra '2' be the indication that the Rate 2 register was active at that moment?  Photos of the meter would help.

MWT

Gerry1 said:

figface said:

As I said, the meter is currently reading 25,346. What is interesting is that looking at the estimates, it almost seems that a a 'rogue'  digit 2 has appeared on the meter in the ten thousand column, as a reading of 5346 rather than 25346 would seem more logical!

Could the extra '2' be the indication that the Rate 2 register was active at that moment?  Photos of the meter would help.

It is just a misunderstanding on the part of the OP, a meter reading around 25,346 is perfectly consistent with the earlier usage up to 2019, they are just confusing the cumulative reading on the meter with the amount actually used...

stewie_griffin

Can you post a list of the actual meter readings and not just billed usage. Can you also post a current photo of the meter showing the reading.

QrizB

I think @figface has realised the mistake in their calculations and has decided to keep a low profile.

If they come back and engage with us in this thread we might manage to get ton the bottom of this.

Gerry1

QrizB said:

I think @figface has realised the mistake in their calculations and has decided to keep a low profile.

Just three visits in 11 years, no visit for over 24 hours (similarly, no update on their insurance claim post back in 2011)...  at best we'll probably have to wait @figface's comet returns in 2033?

Considering the time and effort that other forumites have put in, it's really disappointing when newbies post once and never bother to come back.  There's no shame in saying you made a mishtake, we all do that from time to time.

It also means that no-one ever finds out whether their advice was correct, and it means they may decide not to make the effort again if it often turns out to be so unappreciated and a waste of their time.

[Deleted User]

Gerry1 said:

There's no shame in saying you made a mishtake, we all do that from time to time.

, was that deliberate?

Gerry1

[Deleted User] said:

Gerry1 said:

There's no shame in saying you made a mishtake, we all do that from time to time.

, was that deliberate?

Yes !  (Not suggesting the OP wasn't sober, just poking fun at myself.  I'm always a very good p oof reader.)