Faulty Smart Meter, Estimated Bills, and Back-Billing rules

Beastface

Hi All,

I am with Bulb and have had a faulty electricity smart meter since September 2021 which they seem unwilling to fix or replace despite numerous requests. I've now had almost a year of estimated electricity bills meaning that no matter how frugal I choose to be in light of current pricing, I am consistently paying their guesstimates which feels hugely unfair.

I have asked a number of times for a replacement smart meter, or even just a replacement meter of any kind which will enable them to issue me with an accurate bill but no result so far.

I have done some research into the back-billing rules put in place by Ofgem and believe that they are unable to bill me for consumption over 12 months ago if they have not issued an accurate bill during that time which would mean I can very soon ask them to refund me for the first estimated bill dated September 2021.

Is anyone familiar with the legislation here who can confirm my understanding, and can anyone suggest other courses of action which might enable me to actually pay for the energy I've used?

Thanks a lot in advance,

BF

MWT

Beastface said:

I have done some research into the back-billing rules put in place by Ofgem and believe that they are unable to bill me for consumption over 12 months ago if they have not issued an accurate bill during that time which would mean I can very soon ask them to refund me for the first estimated bill dated September 2021.

That isn't how it works unfortunately, the back-billing rules are there to prevent bill-shock, that occurs when a new/adjusted bill for a period more than 12 months ago causes an increase in your bills and therefore requires an unexpected payment.

So in your case, if for example they tried to increase an estimated bill from more than 12 months ago the back-billing rules would prevent it.

Nothing in the rules will protect you from having already paid an estimated bill, only an unexpected increase in bills above what you have already paid for a period over 12 months ago.

As for getting them to do something, have you actually raised this as a formal complaint yet?

If not, do so, to start the clock ticking so you can take this to the Ombudsman.

pochase

What is the faulty part of the meter.

The display, the smart part not communicating or both?

Have you raised a formal complaint and taken it to the Ombudsman?

Beastface

Thanks @MWT and @pochase that's helpful clarification. I haven't raised it as a formal complaint, I've just been asking them repeatedly to help via support emails which isn't going anywhere. 

Raising a formal complaint is my next step then

terryburton

My advice would be to get the ball rolling as soon as possible and expect that it may take some considerable time if any problems occurred.

In my case I hit the following snag:

My electricity meter was considered faulty, but they were not willing to replace it because the installation didn't meet a certain standard concerning the proximity of the electrical incommer to the gas piping. It had been that way since the property was built.

Resolving this required the local distribution company to make an assessment and re-route the cables which would involve digging up the concrete garage floor, etc. The power company would not consult with the distribution company to state precisely their reason for (3 times) refusing to change the meter, and the distribution company did not accept the need for urgent remediation work.

The Ombudsman could not compel the remediation work, and determined that whilst this remained unresolved the power company was entitled to continue to make estimates, and that I would have to dispute each individually. They were > 400% of my metered usage and at no point could they ever accept a reading from a "faulty meter". Since we had no idea how long the meter had actually been faulty there was no reliable benchmark to go by for usage, and they simply would not accept typical usage for the type of property, number of occupants, lifestyle, etc. as the figure because it was a link detached house with a flat roof which they "couldn't model".

So they had a license to make up whatever usage they liked.

In the end I literally had to give up the property and make it the landlord's problem!

chris_n

Would buying your own check meter (about £30 + fitting ) give you ammunition to dispute their estimates. I know that's what I would look at if I was convinced I was a low user.

wild666

Beastface said:

Hi All,

I am with Bulb and have had a faulty electricity smart meter since September 2021 which they seem unwilling to fix or replace despite numerous requests. I've now had almost a year of estimated electricity bills meaning that no matter how frugal I choose to be in light of current pricing, I am consistently paying their guesstimates which feels hugely unfair.

I have asked a number of times for a replacement smart meter, or even just a replacement meter of any kind which will enable them to issue me with an accurate bill but no result so far.

I have done some research into the back-billing rules put in place by Ofgem and believe that they are unable to bill me for consumption over 12 months ago if they have not issued an accurate bill during that time which would mean I can very soon ask them to refund me for the first estimated bill dated September 2021.

Is anyone familiar with the legislation here who can confirm my understanding, and can anyone suggest other courses of action which might enable me to actually pay for the energy I've used?

Thanks a lot in advance,

BF

They should, IMHO, have a record of usage from before the meter was faulty and bill according to those usage figures. For example if your daily usage was 4.2 kWh Monday to Friday and 8.7 kWh on Saturday and 7.3 kWh on Sunday when the meter was not faulty then they could use those figures. 

Have you tried using the Bright app or Loop app on a mobile phone, the Loop app only does the SVR on the app so not really worth it if you're on a cheap fixed rate. There's also another system but I cannot remember it that is a competitor of the Bright system. 

If it the IHD that has gone then just use the smart meter to get daily/ weekly or monthly reading from.

Mobtr

You haven’t said how the meter is faulty. Is it the actual meter or the display unit that tells you what you’re using? 

Beastface

Apologies, it's the meter itself which is faulty - dead as a dodo regardless of button presses. We've had a couple of meter readers turn up during the year, agree, and take pictures of it.

SAC2334

Beastface said:

Apologies, it's the meter itself which is faulty - dead as a dodo regardless of button presses. We've had a couple of meter readers turn up during the year, agree, and take pictures of it.

Not at all uncommon for me to find a blank display on a digital electric meter on my rounds as a meter reader .

 An electric surge could knock out the display , or a very low quality electric meter like the small white Ampy meters went blank screen very easily 

Mostly occupiers were very happy with it as they just billed your normal usage as they can t or can t be bothered to recover the faulty display readings , so occupiers used as much as they liked and heated rooms with electric rather than with the gas central heating .
I don t remember finding a blank screen electric smart meter before I retired a few years ago  but theres no reason why they can t fail .

So I would say "lucky you " and hang onto it for as long as possible