Electric Metre Number incorrect on Account

IainJamesH

Good Afternoon All,

Looking for some advice I moved into a new build flat in October last year and have my electricity through British Gas (incidentally they also installed the metre's at the block of flats), in April this year when doing a reading I noticed that the serial number on my metre did not match what my account listed.

I contacted British Gas and provided them the evidence (photographic video etc) that this was so and have essentially been fobbed off by them for about 4 months while asking for the same evidence to be sent multiple times.

At the end of July I recieved the following from them.

"Good Morning

It seems the meter serial number matches the following property:  .

 
As there is no account in the tenants name we are unable to contact this customer to confirm their MSN.

Advised by the specialist team:

Can you ask your customer to reach out to

Ask ask them to contact us to confirm MSN and change their name on to the account.

Thank you so much for your patience whilst we look into your enquiry.


Many Thanks, 
Foziah, BG"

The problem is I can't get in touch with them, I have tried numerous times and even contacted the Housing Association who have also tried to get a hold of them to no avail.

British Gas are now saying that they are going to close the complaint even though I explained that I was unable to get a hold of them.  I requested that they send an engineer out to verify the metre and they have refused.

Obviously I am now unsure what to do as they clearly have me listed as the wrong metre and I am worried of what could happen in the future should the person that has my metre id have problems.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

This is not uncommon with new builds.  Use this procedure to make a formal complaint, making sure you get a reference number.

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/complaints.html

Keep everything in writing so that you have an audit trail, avoid Chat and telephoning.

Go to the ombudsman upon receipt of a deadlock letter or after eight weeks if they don't send one.

IainJamesH

Thanks for the advice Gerry, so far everything has been in email so I have records for it all thankfully. Initially they had it listed as an "enquiry" so have escalated it to complaint and threatened them with going to the ombudsman so will see if that helps if not will go do as you suggest .

[Deleted User]

Sadly, transposed meters is all too common on new builds. What you need to do is identify the correct meter for your property. Then you need to speak to the supplier and ask them to do a database check to identify the MPAN that the correct meter serial number is linked to. The supplier then needs to change the MPAN listing to your postal address.

DO NOT break the MPAN/meter serial link. Mixed up meters on new builds can impact a number of your neighbours. If the supplier breaks the MPAN/meter serial number link then one of your  neighbours will end up with a MPAN and no linked meter, and another will end up with a meter and no MPAN.

On my small development of 14 homes: 12 properties had transposed meters. In the end, I walked around all 14 properties; noted down the correct meter serial numbers and property addresses and I passed the completed list to SP New Connections (the DNO that installed the meters).

Why does this occur? Builders use Plot numbers and meters are often installed well ahead of a postal address being allocated to the property. Plot 6 ends up on the database as No6 when the actual postal number is 14.