Over frequent requests for meter reading. Intentional?

Milarky

As the title suggests, it seems that my electricity biller wants meter readings more than monthly (which would be the frequency a sane organization would want to deal with) and I want to 'control; the exercise by submitting reading only once per month at the same time. But I can't 'train' them and they issued a demand for a new reading just 27 days and issued a bill 29 days since the previous.

Do you think this is part of a process of grinding down customers to opt for smart meters?

born_again

Who is the biller?

Gerry1

It's quite possible for the meter reading and billing dates to change if your supplier is migrating users to a new billing system as British Gas and EDF are.

maman

We're getting frequent requests from British Gas for meter readings. 

It wouldn't be so bad but 6 weeks ago we had a third set of SMART meters installed and the screens are still blank so it's impossible!

I'll be calling them yet again this week. ☹️

It's the meter screens themselves that are blank, not just the monitor. 

EssexHebridean

No.


(additional text to make post long enough)

amanda1024

If the billing seems out of sync, are you able to ask the supplier to shift the bills to a different date? I’ve not had issues with submitting meter readings at irregular intervals - who’s the supplier requiring them more than monthly? What are they going to do if you just don’t?

Bendo

There was a time my SMETS1 meter was in some weird limbo where it wasnt recognise by MPAN but could be found via IHD MAC and usage data available on n3rgy.

Sainsburys / Eon weren't interested in raising the apparent error with DCC nor replacing them with working SMETS2 meters so for about 18 months every request for a reading was met with a simple reply that if they wanted reading, they knew where the meters are.

dunstonh

Do you think this is part of a process of grinding down customers to opt for smart meters?

No.

it sounds more like monthly billing and wanting a reading a few days in advance of it to use on the bill.  Yes, a smart meter would make it easier but manual readings would work fine in this respect.

The number of days in a month would influence the gaps.  February being a short month, for example.

Scot_39

Bendo said:

There was a time my SMETS1 meter was in some weird limbo where it wasnt recognise by MPAN but could be found via IHD MAC and usage data available on n3rgy.

Sainsburys / Eon weren't interested in raising the apparent error with DCC nor replacing them with working SMETS2 meters so for about 18 months every request for a reading was met with a simple reply that if they wanted reading, they knew where the meters are.

Failure to provide readings over such a long period - is only likely to lead to billing errors due to estimated billing. 

Overpayment is bad enough.

But worse in many respects - is prolonged underpayment - followed by a sudden immediate demand for the outstanding amount - typically with only weeks to pay.

And after 18 months - that demand could be in £100s or even £1000s in more extreme cases.

And not an approach therefore to be recommended.

Scot_39

Milarky said:

As the title suggests, it seems that my electricity biller wants meter readings more than monthly (which would be the frequency a sane organization would want to deal with) and I want to 'control; the exercise by submitting reading only once per month at the same time. But I can't 'train' them and they issued a demand for a new reading just 27 days and issued a bill 29 days since the previous.

Do you think this is part of a process of grinding down customers to opt for smart meters?

No

In fact with my supplier - it's part of the current T&Cs to provide them with monthly readings - manually if not smart metered.  Hardly surprising since they now operate a monthly billing cycle.

I'd just get into the habit of submitting on the nth day of the month - and your bills will be regular.

Bendo

Scot_39 said:

Bendo said:

There was a time my SMETS1 meter was in some weird limbo where it wasnt recognise by MPAN but could be found via IHD MAC and usage data available on n3rgy.

Sainsburys / Eon weren't interested in raising the apparent error with DCC nor replacing them with working SMETS2 meters so for about 18 months every request for a reading was met with a simple reply that if they wanted reading, they knew where the meters are.

Failure to provide readings over such a long period - is only likely to lead to billing errors due to estimated billing. 

Overpayment is bad enough.

But worse in many respects - is prolonged underpayment - followed by a sudden immediate demand for the outstanding amount - typically with only weeks to pay.

And after 18 months - that demand could be in £100s or even £1000s in more extreme cases.

And not an approach therefore to be recommended.

It was a two year fix. I knew my exact usage and checked it frequently via Hugo and Loop and it was in line with what I'd told them my usage was and hence their estimated bills.

I'd have supplied reads at the of the fix although in the end the issue the meter was resolved so it wasn't needed.