Monthly 'boost' of energy bills.

JimSweetman55

This is about something that I have experienced. I do not know if others are experiencing similar, but I am posting this in order to raise awareness.

It is my habit to go onto my energy supplier's (OVO) website on a daily basis and to record their readings from my smart  meter.

Following a chat with a neighbour about comparing energy bills, I noticed something unusual.
Looking at the end of the billing period, I noticed that the energy cost recorded on OVO 'Billing history' was higher than what I had recorded. The difference between the two was about two days usage at that time.

Due to different times of taking the meter readings, I accept that there would be a difference in recorded cost - but not two days worth! 

I am presently trying to talk with OVO, but they are not being very responsive.

cannugec5

I’m with Octopus. 

I submit my meter reading on the last day of each month. 

I’ve noted that this is recorded by Octopus consistently as being the previous day. 

Thus when there is a price change they add an extra (estimated) reading on the First of the month. This adds an extra 2 days usage to my bill. 

To me it makes perfect sense as I don’t take readings at midnight and don’t have a functioning smart meter for them to do so. 

Qyburn

cannugec5 said:

I’m with Octopus. 

I submit my meter reading on the last day of each month. 

I found that didn’t work well with Octopus, due to them expecting my readings on the same day each month. For example I gave a reading on 30th Sep, which as you say they treated as 29th. Then before I could submit at the 3nd of October, they produced an estimated bill up to 29th October. Made worse in my case as their estimates were always ludicrously high.

It works if you give the reading on the 1st, which they then back date to the previous midnight, giving you a bill covering exactly a calendar month whether the month had 28, 29, 30 or 31 days.

EssexHebridean

As Octopus can't attribute a time to when the reading was taken, just a date, they mark as being valid as at close of the previous day. Logical, when you come to think of it. Of course if anyone making manual readings wanted a full and totally accurate bill for each and every month they could take the reading at midnight on the final day of the month and submit that the following day...might be a bit much of a faff for most folk though!