SSE E10 wrong clock on meter

Gman2022

I have been with SSE since buying my house in 2008 and on an E10 tariff.
only recently have I noticed that the clock in my meter is out by 5hrs and 25mins and the off peak electric rates are only kicking in 5 hours late.

when I have been trying to use off peak they have billed me for peak electric usage.

i have logged a formal complaint with SSE as am confident this will have been ramping my electric bills for the last 15 years.

i will be looking for (demanding) a large rebate when they swap the meter out for a mart meter in mid Sept.

I have readings of 55,000 peak and 45,000 off peak yet have never used my immersion tank and have electric shower and all other energy intensive appliances on timers and use sparingly and set timers for 2am when used.


any tips on how to ensure that I am compensated and reimbursed the overcharged amounts dating back to 2008? 

i know in 2014 this was in the press as a major issue and SSE said they would make good all customers on a 70/30 off peak/peak usage back dated.

please advise.  Thanks

j2009

I'd have kept quiet and just adjusted my usage to match the clock. I'd rather have cheaper electricity at a more useful time of day than a rebate for the past. Especially when electricity has been cheap in the past and is now expensive.

I'm not sure how you're going to prove the clock has been wrong all that time though.

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

I would be surprised if you get any compensation for this.

If you have storage heaters they should be connected to a switched supply that only turns on during E10 rates.

All other usage is under your control.

It's also not helped by it taking you 14 years to notice.Y ou don't know when your time switch slipped; it might have been some time this year.

SAC2334

I ve been looking at incorrect times on both the meters and on the old  timer switches which controlled day and night times for years as a meter reader . It was one of my many little hobbies I had on my rounds along with forensic fiddle checks on meters which most other meter readers never bothered about 

I always noted it on the pull down list on my data collector if it was present .
The old 24 hr timer clocks were easily the worst with it being a rarity if  any of them were anywhere near the correct time GMT or BST  many were a full 12 hours out . 

I think the suppliers do not consider themselves to be responsible for meters and timers as they were not owned by them . in my last year on the job only Scottish Power asked us to check 2 rate times and let them know if it was more than 3 hours out of kilter after big publicity by a well known publication which made the news .

The savvy ones were clever enough to see that it was to their advantage to get the cheap rate coming on at a time when it was more convient for  heavier usage rather than in the dead of night just heating up night storage so they could maximise all appliances , dryers, Washers , irons etc at  cheap night rate .They were quite happy .to leave well alone 

The suppliers never actually guaranteed the times just that the  occupier got 7 (or 10 ) hours at a night rate and the rest at day rate  although there are published times. Probably only Radio Teleswitch kept to the correct times

Best of luck with your application for  compensation , but have you ever been offered a smart meter over the last 6/7 years as they are just about spot on with their timings ?

Gman2022

No have never been offered a smart meter.
But they are fitting one in 2 weeks.

all I want is the advertised off peak electrical tariff times to be honored and not be at a financial loss.

the meter is not my property and the clock setting on it is not my responsibility.
it’s owned by SSE.

i will take this to the ombudsman as SSE stated in press they would honour the backdating on a 70/30 ratio.
i am out of pocket through no fault of my own.

pochase

You seem to know about the problem for 8 years but never did anything about it? The press release you are talking about was in 2014.

Yes they are mentioning that they will use 70/30, but they are also saying the average customer has a 50/50 ratio, yours is already better than that with 55/45. So not sure why you believe that your figures are totally unreasonable?

Gman2022

No.  I didn’t know about the issue until 3 weeks ago.

the Guardian had an article in press back in 2014 which I searched up AFTER seeing the clock was wrong.
I have had no training in reading meters.
its the electrical company responsibility to ensure my billing is correct.  It is my responsibility to pay.  Which I have done.

i had no idea about this issue until a few weeks ago.   Its not my intention to have anyone over just to get my billing correct as I have been over charged.

Gman2022

My meters readings are 55peak/45peak.   However I have not been a peak user.
everything is on a timer.  The article said they will honour 30/70 peak/off peak.
on that basis I have been over charged massively.

I don’t have hot water in the house as never used to immersion tank as used electric shower.  

[Deleted User]

Hi,

how much do you reckon you've bee overcharged?

You don't know how long it's been out, but if starting 5½ hours late at night then was finishing 5½ hours late in morning.

So, probably didn't switch until about mid morning, which allowed you to use washing machine, dryer, dish washer, oven still at cheap rate, and heaters would stay warm longer because of later charge.

Gman2022

I have requested bills going back 15 years and will work out the usage based on 70/30 as the average. 

Gman2022

All my energy intestine appliances (including all heating) have been programmed on timers to go on at 2am whenever used.  As per the advertised tariff.   

2am removes any element of seasonality due to BST/GMT clocks.
at 2am it’s been charging me peak for years.

hence my issue and I clearly have been overcharged.