Meter Readings and Bills

GradyCole

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

what's the problem getting an accurate reading, can you do it for your colleague?

The meter is an old two tariff one, set amongst several others on a shared HMO board

I take occasional photos of the readings but the light is not that great....

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Hi,

is he on the Priority Services Register, LOOK?

GradyCole

They were at one point

I am not too sure if they still are

Is there a link to check?

MWT

GradyCole said:

I suspect this will end up with Ofgem and I will try and make sure your suggestions are incorporated into any submission

It will not be Ofgem, it will be the Ombudsman, and you will need to complete the suppliers complaints process first...

GradyCole

MWT said:

GradyCole said:

I suspect this will end up with Ofgem and I will try and make sure your suggestions are incorporated into any submission

It will not be Ofgem, it will be the Ombudsman, and you will need to complete the suppliers complaints process first...

Thanks for the clarification

That the Complaints process needs to be completed is understood

[Deleted User]

GradyCole said:

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

what's the problem getting an accurate reading, can you do it for your colleague?

The meter is an old two tariff one, set amongst several others on a shared HMO board

I take occasional photos of the readings but the light is not that great....

Thanks

Hi,

take a torch and try to get an accurate reading.

Is it correct meter for their flat?

Are readings transposed?

GradyCole

It's probably the correct meter

And yes, a torch helps

But "Are readings transposed?" I don't quite understand

GradyCole

ioealshk said:

GradyCole said:

ioealshk said:

Dig out her old bills, present them as evidence of the average use over the 3 years prior to pandemic. Using these figures work out roughly how much kWs were used each month during the pandemic; then work out the costs using the kW cost that was current at that time. Make sure that all the calculations are correct to the nearest £50. Submit it as a proposal to the company, wait for them to refuse it, then send to Ombudsman.

Unfortunately they are not that well organised and old bills are not easy to find

The utility company say they cannot supply them........

However, irregular readings are now being taken, but the utility say thay cannot take a new reading until next month

I'll make sure that something approximating your suggestion about making a proposal is taken on board, but the utility company are not very responsive to suggestions, so far

I suspect this will end up with Ofgem and I will try and make sure your suggestions are incorporated into any submission

Thanks

That's unfortunate, but understandable - you wouldn't think of keeping the old bills until you end up in a situation like this! It was only by chance I still had mine when I had to go to the Ombudsman, have kept every single one of them ever since.

Yes, definitely offer some sort of compromise to the company first; if you said it covers a period of two years then at least half should be charged at the old pre-April rate, and then most of the remained should also be at a lower rate (e.g. little heating needed after April). Maybe you can find an average UK monthly consumption to back you up that after April the usage goes down.

When you go to Ombudsman it'll work if your favour if you offered them a reasonable compromise, and the company refused it.

They may argue that your colleague did not submit the readings (which is fair), but then most of the companies normally remind you each month. If your colleague definitely have not had any reminders then mention that.

Hope it goes in your favour, good luck!

Aren't the companies supposed to do their own readings?

[Deleted User]

GradyCole said:

It's probably the correct meter

And yes, a torch helps

But "Are readings transposed?" I don't quite understand

Hi,

you say it's a 2 rate meter, E7, day/night?

Could be that day being charged at night rate and night being charged at day rate.

[Deleted User]

Suppliers no longer have to read meters. They just have to obtain a meter reading every 12 months.

Unless you are 100% sure of your facts and have evidence to back up those facts, then do not go to The Energy Ombudsman. It investigates nothing: it just reviews the evidence that you have supplied and the supplier’s case file. If the case is lost, then the complaint is kicked into the long grass and the supplier can use The Energy Ombudsman’s Decision in support of any claim.

When a bill is re-issued using an actual meter reading, the supplier will re-estimate any change of tariff readings. This is standard practice.