BG to Octopus switch - discrepancy in closing and opening meter read

wrf12345

Scot Elec tried this on with me when I left them and absolutely refused to change it despite many letters until... I threatened them with the European bureau of consumer rights and they changed their reading to the actual reading within hours (old gas meter but turned off for the summer so they could read it if they could be bothered). Alas, we are not in the EU and large companies are regulated by people who dream of getting cushy jobs with the people they regulate, so very little consumer protection anywhere, not just on energy.

alicef

Well, well.  This is BG's response 16 days after I requested that they redo my final bill, billing me up to Octopus' opening read.

Quote
Thank you for your recent email regarding your meter readings.

Based on the information you have provided the new proposed read of 01641.5 is under the industry tolerance of 250kWh for electric, we would not be able to dispute the current change of supply reading on this occasion.

Your next bill from Octopus energy will include energy used from the read 01641.5 which means you have paid British Gas up to the reading of 01605.5. (The difference is within industry tolerance and can not be disputed). 

As this part of our company policy you enquiry/complaint will now be closed as resolved.
Unquote


I don't understand.  Does this mean that BG can't bill me for the units between 01605.5 to 01641.5?

[Deleted User]

I don't understand.  Does this mean that BG can't bill me for the units between 01605.5 to 01641.5?

Both suppliers have to use the industry agreed switch reading to open and close your accounts. Contact Octopus and ask them to deal with BG. The 250kWh figure quoted is for a situation when the industry agreed reading differs from that shown on the meter.

alicef

In spite of going back to BG again, they say they can do nothing and they won't revise the Final  bill.   @[Deleted User] I can't get up the enthusiasm of employing more of my time, engaging with Octopus to see if they can persuade BG to bill me for the discrepancy. 

Quite frankly, I think I have tried hard enough to cough up for the units.  

[Deleted User]

alicef said:

In spite of going back to BG again, they say they can do nothing and they won't revise the Final  bill.   @[Deleted User] I can't get up the enthusiasm of employing more of my time, engaging with Octopus to see if they can persuade BG to bill me for the discrepancy. 

Quite frankly, I think I have tried hard enough to cough up for the units.  

You need to go for the head not the tail. Give the problem to the gaining supplier. Tell Octopus that you have had a Final Bill from BG with an incorrect Change of Supply (CoS) reading. Octopus is required to deal with this on your behalf. The whole process is described in this link.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2018/10/rec_v2.0_-_switch_meter_reading_exceptions.pdf

Your problem is that BG thinks that you are disputing the agreed CoS reading which you can do if the actual meter index reading is more than 250kWh out from the CoS supply.

In sum, tell Octopus that BG has used a different reading to close your account from the one that Octopus has used to open your account. This can be resolved with a supplier to supplier phone call. 

jennifernil

We had a somewhat similar happening when we moved from Outfox the Market to Octopus back in May.  

We have smart meters, but sent the actual readings to both of them.   Octopus opened our account with readings for both gas and electricity slightly higher those we sent in, and our final bill from OTM , just within the allowed time, used slightly lower readings.   The total difference in money was about £5 in total.   OTM refunded our credit after 2 weeks, so we thought that was it.

However, yesterday, after 5 months, we got a bill from OTM demanding £2.05 for the electricity part.  Nothing about the gas yet.

I have sent them the money.

alicef

@jennifernil Yes, I expect BG will get round to billing me in their own good time.  When is a final bill a final bill?  Have BG got 6 years to redo the bill or just 12 months?  Anyhow, I won't be losing any sleep about it as the amount owed is small.

What I don't understand is, even though I now have a SMETS2 meter, Octopus sent me several emails requesting a manual meter read, and even though I ONLY communicated reads to Octopus - BG still managed to close on a read different from the one Octopus opened with.

badmemory

Then they wonder why people get into debt.  It really is time they sorted their billing systems out.  As for send us a manual reading free translation, send us a manual reading then we can ignore it.

alicef

@badmemory Give the amount of my time I've invested in trying to assist BG to correct their billing ...I'm leaning heavily towards if it is a screw up on the suppliers' side the cost is down to them.