Gas meter error

jnsunnyday

I went to submit my gas meter reading this morning on the Octopus app.  I have a first generation smart meter which isn’t connected, so I have to submit readings monthly. 

It warned me that the reading seemed high and asked me to check it again.  It seemed correct, so I submitted it. However, Now I’ve looked at all the numbers it’s 20 times what I would normally use at this time of year. For the last few years, my usage just around 12 units in May, this reading was 213 units.  

I’ve contacted Octopus and they have just said from their perspective My usage is increased and I will have to pay.  There is no way, I have used this much energy in a month. I’ve not had the heating on at all. For context, my January December usage for Was only 80 units Per month.  When I was working at home with the heating on for part of the day every day. I live alone in a small terrace house have very minimal usage.   

I’ve done a creep test - not indicating an issue. And even called out norther power to assess whether I had a leak.  He did a through check but said all fine and whilst he couldn’t say anything officially - he blamed the meter.  

Octopus have said they can install a new smart meter but it will be 6 weeks at least.  also suggested a meter test but I have to pay £200.  Whilst I’m sure there has been an error - my very clunky first generation smart meter suggest that there was just a massive spike in May.  June is looking more normal.  Can this happen? I’m worries I’ll pay for a test and it will just say it’s fine.  

I can’t reiterate enough. I was barely at home with both being at work office and some trips in May.  I didn’t have the heating on more than half a day.  I just couldn’t have used that many units of gas.  Both representatives at octopus thought it was weird but spoke to their managers and just came back saying my usage has increased.  

Any advice? I haven’t been billed on this reading yet.  But it’s going to be large.  I can’t believe they don’t take into consideration 6 years of use age and billing history to even consider this is odd.   

Thank you.  

DE_612183

20 times a usual consumption of 12 units is 240 units usage - if the reading is now only 213 - what was the actual previous reading 999**?

jnsunnyday

Apologies.  That’s the increase in values, not the actual readings.  

And my previous May usages over 6 years have been between 8-12 units (increase from previous readings). 

this May is has randomly gone up by 213 units between readings.  

Robin9

Any chance of a photo ?

jnsunnyday

Not really sure what I could send a photo of.  But here’s my year view on clunky 1st Gen smart meter 

jnsunnyday

Even the Octopus app asked me to double check my reading because it was weird.  I submit one every month so really used to doing it.  Just post the meter units.  It’s like it’s jumped an extra 200 units.  

BarelySentientAI

That looks like an in-home display unit to me, not a smart meter.

jnsunnyday

Taking regular pics now but my previous reading was 9211, taken about 4.5 weeks ago   

jnsunnyday

@BarelySentientAI the gas meter itself has the same reading so it’s not a fault with reader (just hard to take picture of gas meter as in dark cellar).  This was all in house when I bought it 12 years ago.  I was told it was a “first gen smart meter”.  But it is not connected to anything.  Bulb told me I couldn’t  get a new smart meter because I have this, and they weren’t  prioritising replacing them.  However, octopus have said they will replace.  

Either way, it still doesn’t resolve my issue of a wrong reading for May.  

jnsunnyday

The gas meter. 

BarelySentientAI

jnsunnyday said:

the gas meter itself has the same reading so it’s not a fault with reader (just hard to take picture of gas meter as in dark cellar).  

Good.  There are a lot of threads on here of people saying "my meter is wrong" when it was only the display - but you've ruled that out it seems.