UNEXPLAINED ELECTICITY METER READING SPIKE

John_Hart

I contacted Utilita last week on behalf of my mother to sort out her electricity bill. I provided a daytime reading on 31st March of 1332 units. By May 3rd the meter reading had spiked to 3811 - an increase of 2500 units in under 5 weeks! - and I was asked by Customer Services to provide an image of this reading, which I have done. I am fairly sure that the reading I took on 31st March was correct, so I am bemused. My mother is 85, has health issues, poor sight and mobility problems and lives alone in a bungalow and it is not possible that she could have used this much electricity in such a short space of time. In fact, she has been extremely careful with electricity usage since the price increase. I had already taken daytime and night readings on May 2 (03800 and 46828 respectively) and have done this every day since and her daytime and nighttime reading are consistently low and follow the pattern I would expect of her electricity usage at present. Heating radiators were already switched off and her actual usage has recently dropped accordingly. I am now taking readings twice daily until this is resolved, but of course I do not take a photograph every time I send in a meter reading and I don't have an image of the March reading. I trust that Utilita will resolve this in my Mother's favour and am waiting a reply to an email sent on 3rd May. I can only think that this has been the result of a faulty meter but I have no proof, however when they look at past usage they will not find any similar spikes. Has anybody had a similar experience or advice to offer? It is an old-ish meter and I have a picture if that helps. Thanks for your help. John Hart

lohr500

Do you have a bill which pre dates your 31st March 1332 reading? What usage does that show and were the readings based on estimates or actual? 

lohr500

Do you have a bill which pre dates your 31st March 1332 reading? What usage does that show and were the readings based on estimates or actual? 

Spies

Immersion heater stuck on?

Reed_Richards

Even an immersion heater stuck on can only heat the hot water cylinder to its set temperature and then it will cut out so it really would not waste that much electricity.

Robin9

John_Hart said:

............ It is an old-ish meter and I have a picture if that helps. Thanks for your help. John Hart

As a new user you may not be able to post a picture but can you describe it to use.

Is it so old that it still has clocks which go in different directions ;  or a cyclometer type; or a digital ? All can be very difficult to read.  

What is the date on the meter ?   Have you ACTUAL readings going back in time.

On face value I suspect a mis-read. How do you give your readings to Utilita ?

Reed_Richards

I think the most likely explanation is that the true reading on 31st of March was really 3332 and not 1332.  That would put the actual usage at under 500 units, which would be much more consistent with the current day-to-day readings.  It's unlikely that you misread a 3 for 1 but you could have made a mistake when recording the reading.  The odd thing is that Utilita accepted the reading; how long had it been since the previous one was provided to them?      

Robin9

Pre 31st March were the readings Estimates and lower than 01332 - in which case Utilita could accept that reading.  However they should have bounced the 03800 etc ones

John_Hart

Thank you for your replies and apologies for my slow response. No reply yet from Utilita to my email headed URGENT... I have gone through all her statements for the last three years. A recent summary of DAYTIME readings is:
31.03.22 1332C
25.01.22 1071C
01.01.22 528E
31.12.21 528E
03.11.21 97655C
01.10.21 97122E
E = estimated reading; C = my readings

I cannot explain the daytime reading 03811 taken on May 3rd and the spike of over 2500 units during April in less that 5 weeks. I have taken daytime and nighttime readings every day since May 2nd and her usage is now consistently low and uniform - approx 8-10 units during daytime and several units each night (breathing equipment). The meter is quite old, I think, but digital. AM110R property of EON. No date visible. I don't seem able to upload a picture here showing the reading taken on May 3rd. I am worried that she will face another big bill but I can at least track the figures to show that in 2022 both prior to and after the reading taken on May 3rd her electricity usage is consistently low and seemingly as it should be. Any thoughts, explanations or advice? Thanks a lot. John Hart

Robin9

Just checking the Jan and March  have a leading zero  01071 and 01332 and May  03811 Just take care when you enter them online

Certainly some big jumps Nov 97655 to Jan 01071 is 3416 and the March May of 2479

Reed_Richards

Yes, I noticed the other big jump between November and January.  It has to be some form of heating because only heating uses a lot of electricity.  And probably something that is not thermostatically controlled so it does not turn off of its own accord.