Phantom Electricity? How do I get electricity provider to check the meter

macman

So we can assume that the meters were mislabelled at install and this could go back for years?

Mstty

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dealyboy

Hi obamtl ...
Sorry to hear the news and thank you for the update.

I often follow the threads where somebody is paying/using more then they think they should, and often think that it could be me, and indeed now I think of it once it was (I was in a bedsit, PAYG, and I was paying for the hall and common areas). It is rare when somebody lucid, calm and logical correctly comes up with the 'crossed meters' answer and congratulations with your analysis.

I think the fair thing for the supplier(s) to do is (i) ensure you are refunded the difference from when you moved in, and (ii) ensure your neighbour is not penalised, whatever the rules say.

obamtl

macman said:

So we can assume that the meters were mislabelled at install and this could go back for years?

Yup it could go back as far as 20 years, when the building was completed, but it's definitely as far back as when I moved in 3.5 years ago.

obamtl

Hi folks.

A bit of an update on this one:

Bulb made no attempts to resolve this. They were supposed to send an update to a system called ECOES to start the process of fixing the crossed meter. Just before the 8-week period lapsed, they transferred my account over to Octopus (they are meant to transfer accounts with issues last, but they made it one of the first accounts they transferred). This further complicated the matter because Octopus don't have the authority to change it - only Bulb does for now.

Long story short, I filled a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman, and the complaint was upheld, compelling Bulb to revise my bills and update ECOES. I was also awarded an additional £100 for the inconvenience caused, meaning I will be getting a total of £1,700 back.

Moral of the story. Always make sure you meter is actually yours, especially when you live in a large development with lots of apartments. And Bulb are truly horrendous (but this shouldn't be a problem for too long, given they've gone under - hopefully their bad customer service doesn't sip into Octopus who have been pretty decent so far.

[Deleted User]

obamtl said:

Hi folks.

A bit of an update on this one:

Bulb made no attempts to resolve this. They were supposed to send an update to a system called ECOES to start the process of fixing the crossed meter. Just before the 8-week period lapsed, they transferred my account over to Octopus (they are meant to transfer accounts with issues last, but they made it one of the first accounts they transferred). This further complicated the matter because Octopus don't have the authority to change it - only Bulb does for now.

Long story short, I filled a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman, and the complaint was upheld, compelling Bulb to revise my bills and update ECOES. I was also awarded an additional £100 for the inconvenience caused, meaning I will be getting a total of £1,700 back.

Moral of the story. Always make sure you meter is actually yours, especially when you live in a large development with lots of apartments. And Bulb are truly horrendous (but this shouldn't be a problem for too long, given they've gone under - hopefully their bad customer service doesn't sip into Octopus who have been pretty decent so far.

Crossed meters are a common problem with new builds. 

Bulb did not go under. They were put into Special Administration by the Government and bought by Octopus as a going concern. I believe that all the Bulb CS staff who wanted to remain working in the sector were offered jobs by Octopus.

You need to check that Octopus/Bulb has managed the update properly. The correct way of doing it is to ascertain the MPAN linked to the meter and then change the billing address against the MPAN. If, and it happens, the supplier just moves the meter serial number to your existing MPAN, you will have two very unhappy neighbours. One will have a MPAN with no meter serial number,  and another will have a meter serial number that is no longer linked to a MPAN. 

Crossed meters do not happen in isolation: they tend to impact the whole development. I live in a small development of 14 homes. All but two had crossed meters. It happens when databases use postal numbers and developers use plot numbers.

Sterlingtimes

obamtl said:

Hi folks.

A bit of an update on this one:

Bulb made no attempts to resolve this. They were supposed to send an update to a system called ECOES to start the process of fixing the crossed meter. Just before the 8-week period lapsed, they transferred my account over to Octopus (they are meant to transfer accounts with issues last, but they made it one of the first accounts they transferred). This further complicated the matter because Octopus don't have the authority to change it - only Bulb does for now.

Long story short, I filled a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman, and the complaint was upheld, compelling Bulb to revise my bills and update ECOES. I was also awarded an additional £100 for the inconvenience caused, meaning I will be getting a total of £1,700 back.

Moral of the story. Always make sure you meter is actually yours, especially when you live in a large development with lots of apartments. And Bulb are truly horrendous (but this shouldn't be a problem for too long, given they've gone under - hopefully their bad customer service doesn't sip into Octopus who have been pretty decent so far.

It is good when the original poster takes the time to explain the story's outcome. I love happy endings.