Changing supplier - agreed reading

danco

I changed supplier from Bulb to GEUK  in mid-August. GEUK were slow in sending my reading to Bulb, only doing so in late September. The result is that Bulb generated a final bill based on an estimate that is much higher than my reading, and have taken a direct debit.

GEUK tell me that Bulb has now agreed a reading (the one I sent GEUK). But Bulb (on Twitter) have said they need to wait for the data flow stating the figure to come through , and have also said to please give it 2 weeks for them (GEUK) to send your first read with them to us. This does not make sense to me if a reading has been agreed, it should now just be up to Bulb, without anything further needed from GEUK.

Or am I going to have to push both firms to state that they have agreed?

[Deleted User]

The gaining supplier is responsible for managing the transfer of a supply. This includes asking the consumer for a meter reading which is then industry-validated. The validated reading is then passed by an industry data flow to both suppliers to open and close your accounts. Suppliers are required to use this reading.

Ask your new supplier to explain the validation delay (it’s their data collector that does the validation) and to confirm that an industry flow has been sent (get the date if you can). The switching process is explained in this graphic: note some of the lines are a 2-way flow.

pochase

A high estimate would be to your advantage, so why are you fighting it?

[Deleted User]

pochase said:

A high estimate would be to your advantage, so why are you fighting it?

It is only to the OP’s advantage if both suppliers use the same reading: that is not how I read the OP’s post. I suspect that Bulb has issued a Final Bill to get around the fixed time penalty knowing that under SLCs it has the right to issue a correction when the validated reading is received.

molerat

pochase said:

A high estimate would be to your advantage, so why are you fighting it?

Only if the higher read "prepaid" for consumption after a price rise.

pochase

molerat said:

pochase said:

A high estimate would be to your advantage, so why are you fighting it?

Only if the higher read "prepaid" for consumption after a price rise.

Which would be the case.  GEUK fixed tariff was more expensive than the April SVT.

But @[Deleted User] is correct, problem is that the suppliers seem to be using different readings.

danco

Yes, it's the different readings that is the problem. If those readings were accepted by all parties, I would be paying twice for some supply.

And it is probably true that Bulb have acted to avoid whatever the fixed penalty is. But they have taken the direct debit already, which I had not expected.

That graphical explanation helps.