UW trying to charge for electricity I never used.

randomkags

Hi Astro’s, thanks for the reply. 

Yes the technician took a pic on removal and it shows the exact same reading that I took on moving in day. 

We moved in in June and the first two bills don’t show the fe energised meter at all then in September and October it shows in addition to the working meter but they just charge a standing  charge which I understand now as the meter was still in the home. I did initially  question why I’d be charged but I understand this now after help on here and some research. Then suddenly in November they took an additional direct debit and when i looked they had begun to estimate a use on the de energised meter. I contacted them at this point and they refunded this and acknowledged the error so I was happy with that outcome but then they still took the DD for the deenergised meter the next month December so I contact again and they again refunded. Anyway they finally agreed to remove the meter in Feb and I had a smart meter fitted on the actual working meter. 

They are now trying to charge me the difference between their estimate number (which appears completely made up as they started it at 0) and the reading which has always been the same since I moved in until it was removed.  

I how that makes more sense. 

DE_612183

randomkags said:

Hi Astro’s, thanks for the reply. 

Yes the technician took a pic on removal and it shows the exact same reading that I took on moving in day. 

We moved in in June and the first two bills don’t show the fe energised meter at all then in September and October it shows in addition to the working meter but they just charge a standing  charge which I understand now as the meter was still in the home. I did initially  question why I’d be charged but I understand this now after help on here and some research. Then suddenly in November they took an additional direct debit and when i looked they had begun to estimate a use on the de energised meter. I contacted them at this point and they refunded this and acknowledged the error so I was happy with that outcome but then they still took the DD for the deenergised meter the next month December so I contact again and they again refunded. Anyway they finally agreed to remove the meter in Feb and I had a smart meter fitted on the actual working meter. 

They are now trying to charge me the difference between their estimate number (which appears completely made up as they started it at 0) and the reading which has always been the same since I moved in until it was removed.  

I how that makes more sense. 

I think what has happened here is that the meter has been re-set up in order to "officially" remove - I've seen it happen before, however the clever cloggs who did the paper install used 0 rather then the actual reading it should have been ( whatever you and the technician agreed on ).

The supplier should sort this out quite easily, however the Meter Operator is a separate company from the supplier - so this could be where the confusion is ay - if you are talking to CSR in a call centre they may not get it.

As others have said - put it all in writing - if no joy ombudsman - it will get sorted you just need someone with a brain to see whats happened and whats needed.

randomkags

Hi Pochase 

thanks you’ve summed it up better than I could. They refunded the energy charges but not the standing charges that they took from the non working meter. 

The previous home owner held the account with Scottish power and the bill for that only ever showed the working meter and made no reference to the non working meter. 

I am unable to say when the meter was no longer connected as it was prior to us moving into the home. 

I’ll try to explain the charges as best I can so they started to estimate and started the meter reading at 0 so over the few months this then went to say 4000 they are trying to charge the difference as the reading was say 8000. 

I’d give you the actually figured but I don’t have them to hand. 

The 8000 reading was the reading when we moved in and still the same reading the the notion took on removal. 

Hope that makes sense. 

randomkags

Thank DE… it’s as if no one is really looking at it properly. I’ve sent the photo of the meter when we moved in 4 times now and made sure the date of taking and time was shown from my iPhone so they can’t argue it’s from day of removal. I think they be hard pressed to argue that in any case as they working meter is on the same pic and clearly has the lower number which we provided to the energy company. 

It’s just all so confusing. 

Going to  send a complain via post as I’ve asked for my complaint to be escalated but just get a standard response via email. They are now saying it will be another 8-12 weeks to resolve which I feel is unfair considering the closed down my last complaint and didn’t contact me as have been sat on it since April. 

But hey ho- we know the big guys hold all the power. 

DE_612183

randomkags said:

Thank DE… it’s as if no one is really looking at it properly. I’ve sent the photo of the meter when we moved in 4 times now and made sure the date of taking and time was shown from my iPhone so they can’t argue it’s from day of removal. I think they be hard pressed to argue that in any case as they working meter is on the same pic and clearly has the lower number which we provided to the energy company. 

It’s just all so confusing. 

Going to  send a complain via post as I’ve asked for my complaint to be escalated but just get a standard response via email. They are now saying it will be another 8-12 weeks to resolve which I feel is unfair considering the closed down my last complaint and didn’t contact me as have been sat on it since April. 

But hey ho- we know the big guys hold all the power. 

as i said the supplier is acting on info from the meter operator - and if you are dealing with a call centre then they will just go with the info thats in front of them.

To change the readings they will probably have to go back to the meter operator, because the distribution company will be using the same readings - not sure which area you live in but in my area WPD are distribution - so they will have charged the supplier - the supplier needs to get their money back, or get the meter operator to change the readings - which takes time.

All part of the great split & privatisation of the electricity industry - just sit tight and it will get sorted - ombudsman always gets things moving quicker as they'll make the relevant parties talk to each other.

Good Luck and keep us updated. 

randomkags

I’ll defo update as may be useful to someone else in the future. 

Thanks everyone for the replies. It’s much appreciated. 

DE_612183

randomkags said:

I’ll defo update as may be useful to someone else in the future. 

Thanks everyone for the replies. It’s much appreciated. 

Just come back to this thread if you need more help

randomkags

It gets worse. I’ve come home from a few visits for work to then work from home to find no internet. Did all the resets etc no luck so just managed to get through to UW who advised they’ve blocked the internet due to the £500  arrears. This is despite the fact that I’ve paid in full last months bill of £209 and the ever previous month for all the services we’ve used. My gas and electricity are even showing in credit because we overpay. 

They’ve now said that the internet will be on ‘at some point’. I can’t work without internet and have already lost over 2 hrs work time. Anyway now have to commute the the office for a late one. 

EssexHebridean

Remind them that your energy related matter is currently flagged as a formal complaint and they have said they are dealing with it - and that as a result, to block your internet is wholly unreasonable. 

Then start looking for a new supplier for ANY other services you have with them. 

And thank you - you have just made me even more certain that I will NEVER be taking any other services with them! 

Ectophile

Make sure you've made a formal complaint, as distinct from whingeing at a customer service person over the phone.  If you have, and they have closed it, then you can go to the energy ombudsman.

Case law in the courts has said that

• If you haven't used any energy on a supply, and
• You haven't agreed a contract on that supply,

then you cannot be billed for it - because you are not even a customer of the supplier.