help, I have been overcharged

jasminemoney

Hello, not sure if anyone can advise but here goes - I recently had a smart meter installed and since then my electricity and gas has been lower usage than previously. I had old meters previously where we had to provide readings to the energy company. Could the meter(s) have been faulty? And, if they were, can I do anything to claim back all the extra money we spent? We always thought our energy usage was high but had been assured there was no problem and that it was just the energy we were using but now I am not so sure. Any advice?

[Deleted User]

Could could they have been faulty? Yes.

Could you just have started to use less because you can now see your usage? Also yes.

Can you get money back because you now use less than before? No.

ariarnia

you would have to prove your old meters were faulty and for how long. which you can't do if the meters have been taken away. 

dunstonh

I recently had a smart meter installed and since then my electricity and gas has been lower usage than previously. 

How recently?

Summer was hot and Autumn so far has been very mild (Winter earlier in the year was also mild).  So, use for most people is down compared to 2021.

Could the meter(s) have been faulty?

Theoretically yes.

And, if they were, can I do anything to claim back all the extra money we spent?

How would you prove that the old one was faulty?  
What sort of difference are we looking at?

jasminemoney

Thanks everyone. I am on dual rate and have been forever. I have compared my usage since I had the smart meters installed (9th September 2022) with the same time period last year. The usage is difference in the night time rate was almost 7 times higher last year to now. The only thing we use at night is a dishwasher, which we have always put on at night. Nothing else has changed. It is ludicrous how much difference there is! We have changed nothing since having the smart meter installed, we rarely even look at the display. Our habits are still the same, no changes to the number of people in the household and no new appliances. I really don't understand why it was so high previously.

ariarnia

if you only use the dishwasher at night then are you sure you arent better on a single rate tarrif?

EssexHebridean

Hang on - you're on Economy 7 electricity by the sound of it, but ONLY using the night rate for a dishwasher? What is the reason for the dual rate supply- and how do you heat your home and hot water? 

It sounds like never mind the potentially over-reading meter (which as others have said, sadly there is likely no way of proving, now) you could be a candidate for switching to a single rate tariff.

dunstonh

I have compared my usage since I had the smart meters installed (9th September 2022) with the same time period last year. The usage is difference in the night time rate was almost 7 times higher last year to now.

September/October this year is significantly warmer than last year.  Heating for most people was on earlier last year but has barely registered this year.

The only thing we use at night is a dishwasher, which we have always put on at night.

Why are you on economy 7 then?  You need about 40% of your use to be on night rate to be better on economy 7.  A dishwasher being the only thing using night rate would not be sufficient to make economy 7 viable.

DE_612183

You can always complain to the supplier - as others have said it's hard to prove if the meters have no gone, but thats not your fault.

You can complain and ultimately go to the omburdsman - the fact that there is such a big difference means there could have been some kind of error - your supplier may look into it.

Complain first - don't be fobbed off.

Keep pushing and you may get somewhere - but get all your info / data of meter readings over the last few years to show the difference.

RobM99

As suggested - warm autumn. no heating on...maybe. It's a very "it depends..." answer.

Mobtr

jasminemoney said:

Thanks everyone. I am on dual rate and have been forever. I have compared my usage since I had the smart meters installed (9th September 2022) with the same time period last year. The usage is difference in the night time rate was almost 7 times higher last year to now. The only thing we use at night is a dishwasher, which we have always put on at night. Nothing else has changed. It is ludicrous how much difference there is! We have changed nothing since having the smart meter installed, we rarely even look at the display. Our habits are still the same, no changes to the number of people in the household and no new appliances. I really don't understand why it was so high previously.

Is there any difference in the day rate? Is that higher now than last year. Could be the reads on the old meter were transposed & now they are correct. What sort of heating do you have & how do you heat your hot water?