Excessive electric bill - company supposedly claiming back money for previous supplier.

DopeydogsDad

 I moved into my current house in February 2021 after moving back to the UK from Europe. I opted for Scottish Power and have been with them since then without any problems. The house was fitted with a smart meter and the only power coming into the house is electricity.
My monthly bills varied between £65 to £95 over that period depending on who was invading which country. In January this year I decided to opt for a cheaper provider and so on 21st Jan I started to switch to 100Green.
The switch was completed by 24th January, by which time the final bill of £20 to Scottish Power had been paid and 100 Green took over. My first bill from 100Green arrived on 5th of February and was for £20.51. I had a  new updated smart meter fitted on 24th February, with the reading from the previous one duly noted.
Yesterday I had my second bill from 100Green and was absolutely stunned when I saw it was for £599.32.
I was straight on the phone to them this morning to ask why it was so high and was told that it was for unpaid electricity I'd received from my previous supplier. I've told them that I'm not paying it as I'm a pensioner and this bill represents nearly a whole months pension, to which I was sarcastically offered a payment plan!
I have been on the phone to Scottish Power this morning and they couldn't believe what I told them. For a start what 100 Green was doing is apparently illegal. The person I dealt with was extremely helpful, and in the end I asked him if they would have me back. So I am now back with Scottish Power, but still with this £599 bill hanging around my neck. 
To put it into consumption, 100 Green claim I've used over 4000kWh of power in a month. My rate of use, as logged by Scottish Power over the 4 years I was with them was 1800 kWh per year. 
I have told 100Green that I will pay for any electricity I have legitimately used, but will not pay the claimed amount and if they want it then I will go to court. 
A question I have, is where do I stand on this and what can I do about a big company threatening me like this. I'm afraid I did loose it on the phone and asked if the person at the other end had worked on the Horizon computer system.

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

DopeydogsDad said:

I had a  new updated smart meter fitted on 24th February, with the reading from the previous one duly noted.

What were those reading(s)?

What were the closing reading(s) from Scottish Power?

What readings did 100Green use on your bills?

What does your new meter read today?

DopeydogsDad said:

Yesterday I had my second bill from 100Green and was absolutely stunned when I saw it was for £599.32.
I was straight on the phone to them this morning to ask why it was so high and was told that it was for unpaid electricity I'd received from my previous supplier.

It sounds to me as though there was some sort of mistake with the change-of-meter. Possibly a transcription error, possibly a "hidden" register on the old smart meter if it had previously been used for a dual-rate tariff.

DopeydogsDad said:

A question I have, is where do I stand on this and what can I do about a big company threatening me like this. I'm afraid I did loose it on the phone and asked if the person at the other end had worked on the Horizon computer system.

The devil's always in the detail. Share those details and we can help you understand what's going on.

Robin9

DopeydogsDad said:

........................The house was fitted with a smart meter and the only power coming into the house is electricity.

More details please.   If you are only electric what form does your heating take ?   Is it storage heaters, panel heaters, underfloor or just a focal fire..?

1800 kWh does sound extremely low.


Please look very closely at that bill -  does it show the readings at the time of exchange on Feb 24 -  look at the meter and the sticker on it. Are the numbers the same ?  Look again at the meter and note the serial number - is it the same on the bill ?

Gerry1

Are you on a two rate tariff such as Economy 7 or Economy 10?

DopeydogsDad

Thanks for the replies, I'll try and answer some of the points.

1. When the new meter was fitted, the techy took a photo of the old readings and wrote them on a card which is fixed inside the meter cupboard. It gives details of the old and new meters as well.

2. On speaking to 100Green this morning, they wouldn't tell me what they had on their records.

3. Scottish Power have the same readings as me, and are happy that I owe them nothing from my previous time with them.

4. My heating and water is oil fired/log burner. My cooking hob is bottled gas (I live in a rural community). The lights, oven and kitchen white goods are all that run off the mains electric.

5. I have a day/night tariff, so cheap rate at night (2359 till 0700).

6. 100Green claim that the previous supplier worked off of estimated bills. On speaking to Scottish power he said that was nonsense as they could/can read my smart meter every 30 minutes if they wish. 

dunstonh

1. When the new meter was fitted, the techy took a photo of the old readings and wrote them on a card which is fixed inside the meter cupboard. It gives details of the old and new meters as well.

Those numbers form the basis of the billing.

3. Scottish Power have the same readings as me, and are happy that I owe them nothing from my previous time with them.

When you left the old company, did you give them an accurate meter reading or was it an estimate?
Did the new company use the same opening meter reading?

6. 100Green claim that the previous supplier worked off of estimated bills. On speaking to Scottish power he said that was nonsense as they could/can read my smart meter every 30 minutes if they wish. 

Whilst that is what smart meters can do when connected and submitting data, it doesn't mean they do.   Some require manual readings.  Especially common in rural areas with limited connectivity.

It doesnt really matter what Scot Power did as its the changeover meter readings that matter.   If you gave Scot power lower figures for both meter registers and the new supplier used those same figures, then you have just transferred the cost you should have paid under the old supplier to the new supplier.

Can you give us with both of the meter readings and dates and state whether they are marked as estimate or actual.     We cannot help with the information.

5. I have a day/night tariff, so cheap rate at night (2359 till 0700).

Why do you have economy 7?   That makes daytime costs higher and overnight costs lower.    What devices are you running that have a heavy draw that can be taken overnight?   e.g. economy 7 heating (you say you don't have that).  Electric AGA?   Electric car?