Two standing charges for the same supply and meter

CAH80

Hi,

I recently found I have a complex meter with 3 readings, a day and night reading for my electric and a third reading for my heating (electric also). My energy company E.On have set up a second account for the heating in July after discoving this also, and have backdated my estimated usage and billed me for it since I moved in a year ago, amounting to nearly £500. I wasn't made aware I had this kind of meter, and have a credit on my first account as I was overpaying for what I thought was my total energy cost. Obviously I don't have readings for the third number as I didn't know it existed, and nor did they know I had this kind of meter until July. Obviously they want me to transfer and pay the excess immediately for the second account and have threatened late fees etc.

My question is can I avoid paying a standing charge on one of the accounts for the year, I only have a single cable going into a single meter, and although there are two MPAN numbers and two seperate bills due to the creation of my second account, by definition a standing charge is for the care and service of that single supply. I'm being asked to pay ~50p a day on each account  bill (£1 a day) for a two bed flat. I asked E.On this and they said I have two accounts so pay two standing charges which isn't how their website describes standing charges... And in that case the second account was only created 3 months ago so why am I having to pay for the last 12 months?

Someone please make it make sense for me and let me know if I have any chance of reducing my £500 bill.

Thanks

macman

What is the name of your tariff? If you are on E10, Heatwise or another complex tariff that typically allows you 10 hours of cheap rate electricity per day, then the downside is that you have two MPAN's and two standing charges. The only way out of this is to switch to a single MPAN meter, for which you will normally be charged, and go to a fully supported dual rate tariff such as E7. This however means that you lose the extra 3 hour afternoon or evening boost that E10 gives youj.
You'll have to do the maths to determine if you really need to stay on E10 or could be sufficient with E7.
Only the legacy suppliers support E10, but switching is for now not a part of the equation anyway, though it might be in the future.

CAH80

Hi macman,

Thanks for response. I'm on Next Flex tariff, both MPAN numbers indicate an Economy 7 meter. 

 

DE_612183

what are your unit rates for all three meters?

pochase

To my knowledge there was an Ofgem decision a while back that suppliers cannot charge two standing charges.

Not sure if this is the one that applies

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/supplier-compliance-requirements-customers-restricted-meters

[Deleted User]

pochase said:

To my knowledge there was an Ofgem decision a while back that suppliers cannot charge two standing charges.

Not sure if this is the one that applies

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/supplier-compliance-requirements-customers-restricted-meters

That's the one - but it's slightly more complicated than you indicate.

If a customer has one of the unusual arrangements with two MPANs (a Restricted Meter Infrastructure customer) - they should be free to switch to a 'normal' tariff offered to people with a single MPAN.  If they move to a conventional tariff, they should then only pay a single standing charge.

Similar to your suggestion, but customers still on a complex tariff are allowed to be charged multiple standing charges.

In the OP's case though, if they are actually on Economy 7 (which is a simple meter tariff) then they should only be charged a single standing charge.

Mobtr

Can they put both meters on the one account? 

CAH80

Hi all,

thanks for all messages. After 3 weeks of back and forth, E.On removed my second standing charge and refunded for the full length of my tenure as well as back dating and adjusting the estimates, bringing the bill down nearly £200. In conclusion, if you have two standing charges for one electric supply and one meter, make sure to question it.

[Deleted User]

A good resolution, thanks for letting us know.

SAC2334

My friend up in Aberdeenshire is on a THTC ( Total Heat Total Control ) tariff with SSE (Ovo billing )

 
.Last year the OFGEM ruling came into place automatically when Ovo took over the supply side for SSE and cancelled one of the standing charges . He has two meters .Heat and Standard . The heat is wired only to his NSH and the hot water tank . Standard meter is wired to the rest of the house power and lights .

The heat meter is controlled by Radioteleswitch. A weird set up where the supplier controls the on and off according to the weather and does not publish any times as it varies so much .He has no idea when it switches on and for how long its on for .

Rates are 25 p heat and 41 p standard and 51 p dsc . This is supposed to be the EPG for THTC tariff s with SSE...Seems very high compared to EDF N.Scotland rates ,He can only afford to run one NSH
Radiotelswitch is due to end next March when SSE say they will just switch the Heat meter into an Economy 8 meter.