Any Suggestions Please

Lizzybop

We moved house back in January and took on the energy supplier.

Wanted to move back to the supplier we had at our old house so put the wheels in motion for this to happen.

Please note that our new house has Smart Meters, and this is where our issues lie. Well, more precisely with the Electricity Meter.  The Gas Meter is fine.

We are now nearly half way through July and the 2 companies seem unable to agree a final electricity Smart Meter reading in order to facilitate the switch over. Throughout all the time we have been moved in I have been reading the meter manually twice a month and taking photographs in order to verify these readings.  I have sent these photos to both suppliers at various times.

The old supplier have, as of today, sent me 4 final electricity bills.  Each one billed to the same date but with different final electricity readings.
The last communication I received from the new supplier told me that a final reading had been agreed, and this reading matches with the third final statement/bill I received from the old supplier.  This reading does match with one of my readings, but not the one taken on the actual date of the switch but the reading from a week prior.

There is now a difference, which if they can't agree, will mean me paying both companies for a quantity of units of electricity.

The new supplier haven't charged me for a single unit of electricity since I moved in. I have been paying my Direct Debit monthly, and have built up a very large amount of credit which will obviously be needed once they do agree.

I have been trying to communicate with both suppliers, but I am really at a loss of what to try next??

Does anyone have any advice of things to try?

Thanks in advance
LB

pochase

Your first mistake was to give a reading to your old supplier. You give the meter reading to your new supplier, and this reading is checked by a third party and than given to the old supplier.

Also how much difference are we talking about? There is an accepted error of 250KWh electricity and 1200KWh gas, see below

Where the difference between the Energy Supplier’s view of consumption and that derived from the initial Switch Meter Reading is 1,200 kWh or less for a gas RMP or 250 kWh (250 units) or less for an electricity RMP, then the Energy Supplier shall not dispute the Switch Meter Reading unless the Consumer specifically requests a new Switch Meter Reading, but should instead attempt to resolve the dispute with an accommodation e.g. cash allowance to the Consumer, thus retaining the initial proposed Switch Meter Reading. No further action is then required.

I doubt that the difference is more than this within a week.

Lizzybop

I didn't give the reading to the old supplier.  The issue with the Smart Meters is that the Smart readings don't match with the actual readings (as evidencd by the photographs that I have been taking.)

They can't agree between them and the third party what the final reading should be.  Despite having lots of proof of readings from me - sent to the new supplier.

The old supplier have sent 4 'Final' bills, 2 of which have been sent after they wrote to me to say that the account was closed.

I just need them all to agree a reading, but they can't/won't.

The old supplier are now asking me to send them a copy of the email I received from the new supplier with a figure which they(the new supplier) say is the agreed figure.  But this figure is different to the last figure on the 4th 'final' bill which the old supplier have sent.  

Surely it's not right that I send copies of emails between me and my new supplier to the old supplier who have confirmed back in March that my account was closed.

QrizB

Lizzybop said:

I have been trying to communicate with both suppliers, but I am really at a loss of what to try next??
Does anyone have any advice of things to try?

Further to pochase's message, it's the gaining supplier (your new one) that has to agree the handover reading with the losing supplier (your old one).

So long as they both use the same reading, and it's within tolerance of the reading you actually took on the day of the handover, everything is working as intended.

There is now a difference, which if they can't agree, will mean me paying both companies for a quantity of units of electricity.

This should not happen as they both have to use the same reading, validated through agreed industry processes.

Lizzybop

Thank you both QrizB and pochase for your replies.  I thought there was agreement as the new supplier sent me something in writing which agreed with the third final bill which the old supplier sent.  Great I thought we had some agreement.  And then this morning I receive another 'Final' bill from the old supplier and the figures no longer match.

The old supplier want more money which if paid would leave me paying twice for an amount of electricity, as the new supplier are going to bill me from the meter reading they have advised is the agreed reading.

pochase

How much money are you talking about?

Have you already started to raise it as formal complaint?

QrizB

Lizzybop said:

The old supplier want more money which if paid would leave me paying twice for an amount of electricity, as the new supplier are going to bill me from the meter reading they have advised is the agreed reading.

If it's agreed, then it's agreed. You can't have your old supplier billing you for a reading different to the agreed one.