Anomalously high gas bill - from British Gas

CazeryBird

This is just one part of a longer email responding to various things the BG person has said. I mentioned the SAR in my last email to him and he said that's a different department so nothing to do with him.

His first para was him asking whether I understood how meter readings worked...I told him yes.

He also said:
"We do not hold the daily or weekly smart data on your account, The account only shows the meter readings used for billing.  Should this information be available from the DCC this would be provided to you on the DSAR."

I could copy over his entire email, but it's long and much of it is quite condescending repetition of things already discussed so not really worth sharing.

I don't know whether to read anything into him saying:
"I have also checked over the historic usage on the account again and cannot see anything incorrect apart from one jump on readings."
It's the first and only time anyone has referred to this as incorrect. Or am I misinterpreting his meaning?

brianposter

It sounds like you are not really dealing with the right person because anyone accustomed to investigating anomalies would almost automatically want to see daily readings.

That said, if he has seen something incorrect, one would expect the matter to be referred to someone appropriate and all you should need to do is check that they are looking at the appropriate dates. 

CazeryBird

I asked Loop about the differences in kWh between them and BG and they said:

If Loop and the Bright app are showing similar usage patterns, it suggests there may be some inconsistencies that aren’t currently reflected by British Gas. Without running diagnostics on the hardware, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what's causing the issue.

As a third-party service, our access to smart meters is regulated by OFGEM and quite limited - smart meter maintenance and troubleshooting fall under the responsibility of energy suppliers...

...As your energy supplier is signed up to the Smart Energy Code and its objectives so where data is not made available including for third party services, they will need to be compliant under this objective:

"Enable the DCC to comply at all times with the objectives of the DCC licence and to discharge the other obligations imposed upon it by the DCC licence". Refer to: What are the SEC objectives?

CazeryBird

brianposter said:

It sounds like you are not really dealing with the right person because anyone accustomed to investigating anomalies would almost automatically want to see daily readings.

That said, if he has seen something incorrect, one would expect the matter to be referred to someone appropriate and all you should need to do is check that they are looking at the appropriate dates. 

Not once has this been suggested as a course of action. They just say that the meter readings match up so the bill is correct 🤷🏻‍♀️

It sounds like I should ask him to refer me to a technical specialist who can run the diagnostics suggested by Loop? Presumably, as its a computer thing they have a log which can be checked. (I've requested all data on record as part of my SAR so will find out anyway...).

QrizB

CazeryBird said:
His first para was him asking whether I understood how meter readings worked...I told him yes.
He also said:
"We do not hold the daily or weekly smart data on your account, The account only shows the meter readings used for billing.  Should this information be available from the DCC this would be provided to you on the DSAR."

From what others have said on this forum, your smart meter should be recording a daily index reading at or near midnight. This is in addition to all the 30-minute data.

The index readings should all be/have been available to BG, althhough your meter may only store 13 months of data and so if BG haven't got records from the relevant periothose index readings may not be available.

brianposter

It sounds like you need to find out what "one jump on readings" involves. 

MABLE

In my case they deleted all my actual smart readings and replaced them with estimates. Now they have obtained an actual reading I am more than £900 more in credit than should be,l

CazeryBird

brianposter said:

It sounds like you need to find out what "one jump on readings" involves. 

this is what I am focusing on now.

I mentioned in a brief holding email that I have been told meters can be faulty then go back to normal. They say they will only consider this if I can give examples of Ofgem accredited cases showing this..

brianposter

As I have said before, it seems unlikely that the problem is a faulty meter so there is no point in getting into an irrelevant dispute. Any electrical equipment may have intermittent faults. 

CazeryBird

brianposter said:

As I have said before, it seems unlikely that the problem is a faulty meter so there is no point in getting into an irrelevant dispute. Any electrical equipment may have intermittent faults. 

Ah, I thought we could still check to make sure it wasn't a past issue. But sounds like that's unlikely to be possible and as you say, pointless.

So I focus on finding out when the jump occurred. I would hope the SAR would show this.
I'm also asking the supplier the account was transferred to what readings they had and from where. As the transfer was erroneous I never gave any opening reading to them and don't think they asked for a closing read either.