Advice Needed - Estimated Gas Reading for 4 years due to faulty smart meter

bowditch124

Hi 

I am getting more concerned about this as time is going on, In early 2020 I switched gas and electric suplliers from British gas to Eon. We already had smart meters fitted so I assumed it would be an easy switch over.

However the gas meter (smart meter) has never worked the display has been blank and so no readings have been taken and we have been on estimated reading since (all bills paid on time).

During the first 2 year we were visited by an someone wanting to read the meters which obviously they couldnt do. They informed me that they would report this back and so I assumed that someone would come and fix this issue but never actively chased it.

Finally in mid 2023 I spoke to eon and they arranged for an engineer to come out and have alook at the meter, however upon arrival he couldnt fix it as the tap was too tight. He then said he would get Cadent out to sort the issue and then we would have to come back to fix it. Cadent came however Eon havent been back out I seem to recall they did leave me 1 voicemail but as life got in the way I never returned the voicemail.

I have rang today and they said they will be in touch with me to arrange a repair. I am just wondering if they will be able to charge for 4 years extra billing in the reading is higher than the estimated bills. I have read about ofgems regulations on back billing but just wondering if that would apply i these circumstances?

Apologies for the long email, I am now concerned as for the last few months by electic meter has been on estimated bill and when I have now been charged for the real reading it has gone up abit.

BarelySentientAI

Few important bits of information needed:

Were you getting bills throughout the four years, it's just that they had estimated readings on?

Were you paying by Direct Debit and are you in credit at the moment?

Are E.ON expecting to be able to retrieve an index reading from the meter after it is repaired?

Brie

Isn't there still the actual dumb meters working?  So someone (including OP?) be able to take a reading themselves?  Or are you saying that when the put smart meters in that a whole new ballgame?  Our meters appear to be ancient but supposedly are smart enough for some companies to read.  

Meanwhile what if Eon comes back and says "wow those estimates must have been well out of wack as your real meter reading is double what was estimated and you owe £XXXXX."??  If it was me I'd be telling them that they can't charge for all that use at current rates when it's not your fault.  And that they can't charge you for what wasn't billed more than 12 months back so they would need to swallow a lot of the bill.  

imeach

The meter reader who came would have marked it as a blank screen, and that info would have gone to the supplier. 
Unfortunately most suppliers never rush to fix these and still send the meter readers out. 
I normally advise customers to let the supplier know too, so they are definitely aware. 

They will normally replace the meter, although I believe the engineers can sometimes bring them back to life, but rarely.

Highly unlikely they will be able to get a reading from the meter so your worry about a higher bill should be fine. 

chrisw

You are assuming you've been under paying. I would be more concerned that I might have been overpaying for 4 years unless my bill seemed pleasantly low.