Why is a refund from switching when you have a Smart Meter 2 not instant

wonderbison

Hi

I have a Smart Meter 2, and my direct debit is still active

I switched from Scottish Power to Octopus on the 29th of September

Scottish Power took a direct debit payment on the 1st of October, not ideal because Octopus ALSO took a direct debit, however, mistakenly, I thought, "Oh I am on a Smart Meter 2, readings all sorted on switch day, I will get my refund pretty quickly".

Seems that is not the case and I cant understand why that would be, talking to Scottish Power it could still take 6 weeks (the same as pre Smart Meter 2)

Anyone know why it still takes so long?

Thanks

debitcardmayhem

Inept supplier, welcome to the world of SP, Octopus should be better going forward. I hope you read your meters and a photo of them when switching.

la531983

I am struggling to see a connection between what type of electric/gas meter you have and the speed of a refund being processed by the banking system and/or an energy company, maybe I am misreading.

Gerry1

For some strange reason The Mysterious Third Party has to verify the opening reading with the new supplier. This adjusted reading has to be used by the old supplier.  Presumably this procedure  introduces delays?  It may once have made some some sort of sense (to prevent people massaging the readings to pay for more usage at the lower rate) but it seems daft that it still applies even if you have a smart meter.

EssexHebridean

la531983 said:

I am struggling to see a connection between what type of electric/gas meter you have and the speed of a refund being processed by the banking system and/or an energy company, maybe I am misreading.

The readings process should in theory be quicker and easier due to smart metering, however I suspect that due to the need for agreement to still be struck between the suppliers, in real terms it probably hasn't made much if any difference!

powergen_insider

There might also be some delay to account for protection against an unauthorized or inadvertent switch.

la531983

EssexHebridean said:

la531983 said:

I am struggling to see a connection between what type of electric/gas meter you have and the speed of a refund being processed by the banking system and/or an energy company, maybe I am misreading.

The readings process should in theory be quicker and easier due to smart metering, however I suspect that due to the need for agreement to still be struck between the suppliers, in real terms it probably hasn't made much if any difference!

Well yes but a supplier is going to take the same length of time to refund a payment, regardless of what type of meter you have. Having a smart meter doesnt grant you quicker refunds through the banking system, unless I am missing something. 

powergen_insider

la531983 said:

EssexHebridean said:

la531983 said:

I am struggling to see a connection between what type of electric/gas meter you have and the speed of a refund being processed by the banking system and/or an energy company, maybe I am misreading.

The readings process should in theory be quicker and easier due to smart metering, however I suspect that due to the need for agreement to still be struck between the suppliers, in real terms it probably hasn't made much if any difference!

Well yes but a supplier is going to take the same length of time to refund a payment, regardless of what type of meter you have. Having a smart meter doesnt grant you quicker refunds through the banking system, unless I am missing something. 

The processing time for the refund might be the same, but an automatically obtained meter reading could be more quickly verified and accepted - reducing the delay before triggering the banking process.

Wouldn't be instant still, but could avoid waiting to see if there was a readings dispute.

wonderbison

la531983 said:

I am struggling to see a connection between what type of electric/gas meter you have and the speed of a refund being processed by the banking system and/or an energy company, maybe I am misreading.

Prior to smart meters I could see there could be a delay from customer readings and someone double checking that the readings were within some sort of tolerance and signing them off, so there could be human delay in there while those checks took place

However with a smart meter, they are supplier readings so no checks required and as soon as they are hit in the system (switching day) then it should be pretty instant turn around (at worst a week)

wonderbison

Gerry1 said:

For some strange reason The Mysterious Third Party has to verify the opening reading with the new supplier. This adjusted reading has to be used by the old supplier.  Presumably this procedure  introduces delays?  It may once have made some some sort of sense (to prevent people massaging the readings to pay for more usage at the lower rate) but it seems daft that it still applies even if you have a smart meter.

And that is fine but its a Smart Meter.... there is no customer involvement in the readings and so an agreement should be instant. Not sure how you can massage a Smart Meter

debitcardmayhem

The point is you have 14days I think to change your mind