Energy Supplier changing Meter Read History

Spoonie_Turtle

bigg said:

Thank you everyone for the replies, so far. I know I need to pay something but not the £6-£7 thousand they have estimated. As a very rough guess, I would say it’s £500-£1000. I’m happy to pay for what has been used. One property is empty, with just a low energy bulb on, to make it look lived in. The other property uses minute amounts of electricity. The property where I’m self isolating has bills of £300-£400 a month which I pay regularly. Unfortunately, they are all with the same supplier. I want to change suppliers but don’t know how to do it without paying their astronomical estimates. The bit that gives me sleepless nights is the fact that they are changing the Meter Read History. I know it sounds crazy. That’s how they get away with it.

The parallel with the Horizon Scandal is the fact they are lying to me and falsifying the readings. That’s why I’m not mentioning any names and why I want to change suppliers. Probably 3 different ones next time. I feel like a criminal and all I’ve done is self-isolate for 4 years.

What's the heating situation in the empty properties?

You've been told the likely reason for replacing your readings with estimates.

Would be helpful if you'd answer the other questions members have asked, motivated by a desire to help you.

Scot_39

bigg said:

The supplier will remain unnamed.

I am still self-isolating, since the pandemic started, about 4 years ago. I have 2 other addresses which have been getting estimated readings. It was almost impossible to submit readings, due to my self-isolation but I forced myself to go out and I submitted readings last year in July. One of them was removed from the Meter Read List and the other remained but the bill was not adjusted.
I submitted readings last week and the same thing happened..

Also, within the last couple of days, a meter reader entry was added from 2022 which is fictitious. This bumps up the estimates, for one property.

I have written them a letter of complaint, as suggested by ofgem and could wait up to 8 weeks for a reply.

I want to change supplier for all 3 properties but I don’t trust them any longer and am worried that the meters will be tampered with, before or after I change, when they get them back. I'm concerned they will accuse me of submitting incorrect readings.

I have been retired for a few years and was looking forward to a quiet and peaceful time pursuing music which I live for.

I am prepared to go all the way to court, if necessary but would prefer to settle this easier. They obviously think I am by-passing the meters. I don’t have clue how to do that and it sounds a bit dangerous.

I recently received an email saying that a DD was going up from £10 to £600 pounds a month. That's ridiculous. So I cancelled it. It sounds like the Horizon scandal all over again. The big company tramples all over the little man, out of greed. 

Also, there is another dimension to this story. I was informed that the tariff would be higher, if I cancelled the DD. They have put the higher tariff on the DD property and left the lower tariff on the non-DD property. I have been communicating with their customer services and ask for the tariffs to be swapped. they have told me twice now, that it has been done but it's still the wrong way round. I don't understand what they are playing at.

Basically they are trying to con me out of £6-£7 thousand pounds.

Please can anyone suggest a solution to this and can I make sure the meters go to an independent inspector.

I really don’t know how to proceed.

Firstly - sorry to hear you are still so restricted - my own family has clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable - some not at all elderly - in it - it's a constant risk / quality of life struggle - to get on a bus/train unthinkable for some, even go to shop or restaurant by car etc needs thought.  One of them was bed ridden for 7-10 days over Xmas and New Year - but luckily not ill enough to need treatment - tested positive AM on Xmas day of all days. The rest of us still pay for tests before meeting with those family members.

But getting back to bills - £10 wouldn't cover the standing charge on the electricity meter in the cheapest region (London c£140pa) - let alone one of the more expensive - as it is now upto in N Wales and Mersey DNO region - c£227 - if also have gas - add another £108pa.

You probably need to get photographic evidence of the meter readings.

A colleague had to send digital snaps from phone for 3 months (or 3 4 week periods was iirc the stipulation as he read the email out one day - but they took the actual agent reading as one of them - so 3 trips in total) when ran into billing issues for an empty parent's home - and had to be present for one physical meter reading by agent - as meters internal.

Years ago - my mum who was on PSR - had 2 meter reader visits 6 weeks apart - before they would rebill - based on 4 past readings - 2 by agents and 2 by family - all ignored as far as billing went.

If in a good signal area - in retrospect - upgrading to smart may have been a better option for infrequently used properties - to maintain accurate billing - but again became tricky / impossible during isolation.

Unless you are renting them out on some basis - the actual consumption shouldn't be that high - but assuming you are leaving some lighting for security or minimal heating over winter for pipes and/or damp protection it will not be zero either.

You would need to supply past and present readings for the whole period - for anyone to comment on the actual costs - but suspect £10 will be far too low - and without any readings - and a TDCV cap of £2500 - over 2 homes for n years - £6-7K isn't impossible either - if they are querying readings and therefore applying typical consumption numbers by type or area.

So go back through old bills and find the last genuine bill based on actual readings - or even old estimates - and compare to current readings on a property by property basis

And do the maths.  Bearing in mind to factor in all the 6 monthly and now 3 monthly prices changes during the period of contention - and as above - don't forget to add SC.

And try to keep each property separate - it only adds to confusing trying to mix them (although can understand the temptation / frustration it adds ) - even if all billed in your name - I assume they are separated by address or MPAN's for those addresses.

It may also be worth trying to get help - e.g. Citizens Advice or another energy charity grouping - in liaising with the supplier - and trying to resolve actual likely spends - if you have start and points.

bigg

I'd prefer not to go into further details.
I hope it doesn't end up in court. If is does, I am prepaired to defend my position. That could be months or even years away. Hopefully, I will have finished self-isolating by then.

Spoonie_Turtle

bigg said:

I'd prefer not to go into further details.
I hope it doesn't end up in court. If is does, I am prepaired to defend my position. That could be months or even years away. Hopefully, I will have finished self-isolating by then.

That's your prerogative but it does rather shut down the possibility of advice that you asked for in your original post.

Robin9

Before you go to court you need to get your ducks in a row.

You will need to back to a reading/bill which both parties agree.

You will need a current reading which both parties agree with.

You will need details of all the tariff changes in the period.

What is the bottom line of the accounts - please give us the reading from the bill (inc the letters A C E etc) , your reading and the amount owed.

I do not believe that the company's lie -  they may well be incompetent and do not help themselves. (I'm is a dispute where the left hand doesn't talk to their right -  just generates lots  of more work for all)


Start with the property you live in


Then argue your case through CAB/MP etc.

I don't accept your Horizon comparison -  lots of lies and omissions, yes. I don't recall any deliberate fiddling the books - that was poor computer programming.

EssexHebridean

bigg said:

I'd prefer not to go into further details.
I hope it doesn't end up in court. If is does, I am prepaired to defend my position. That could be months or even years away. Hopefully, I will have finished self-isolating by then.

Absolutely your right, but I would have thought it was better to try to get things squared up before any possibility of your credit file being trashed, especially as it may well be that it is relatively easy to sort things. It's worth remembering that "having your day in court" is all well and good, but coming out of it anything other than worse off does very much rely on you being in the right on the position you are taking, and that may well not be the case here. Many judges these days also take a fairly dim view of people pushing a situation purely to get that day in court as well. 

If you want to change suppliers then assuming the property you live in is up to date with payments, you can start with that one, there's no reason not to get that one away from a supplier that you currently have no faith in. 

Ayr_Rage

Get someone to read all the meters and take photographs of those readings, submit them and go from there.

Nobody is cheating you, the estimates are just that and until YOU give them the full information about the status of the properties and actual readings you will be in an eternal limbo.

No scandal here at all, just the inability of the parties involved to get their ducks in a row. 

GibbsRule_No3.

Curious, did the £300 we were given the other year, spread over 4 months, get paid per house, if so was that taken off the accounts? If one property is empty and other not using much, that should have helped.  Who is occupying the occupied property and are they responsible for their own energy or is it included in your rent from them, if you are receiving rent?

bigg

Sorry folks but this is a live situation and things are moving. I can’t currently comment. Thank you all for contributing.

BellaBlondykeTheThird

Could be a case of the OP realising they need to get everything straight their end with readings and evidence before moving forward with each if the three properties.

Just goes to show a warning for others don't let this stuff slip and keep on top of your dumb meter readings and bills.