British Gas - Meter Issue

envirogirl

Hi all, 

BG have recently sent me a bill for elec' from Jan-March and the usage has doubled for no reason.  I have no new appliances, haven't changed m routine and I am very energy conscious, everything is switched off at the wall apart from fridge and broadband. My usual spend even with charging EV 3 times a week on night tariff is around £60 a month in total.  The recent bill was over £350!!

I raised this issue with then and that it was physically impossible for me to have usage this high as a a single person in a small 2 bed house.  As you can imagine they have come back and said that's what the smart meter is telling them so its obviously correct and I have used it.  They did comment that this quarter was exceptionally high in comparison to last 8 years of living in the property.  

They are now sending out an engineer to complete a meter check in a few weeks and commission the smart monitor (third attempt)  and I am aware I will be charged if they cant find a problem!

After countless letters to them and emails with the CEO copied in, my response from the Executive Complaints Team has been very poor and unsupportive. Their opinion is well the meter is telling us you have used it so you must have!  Fast forward to this weekend I have now received a demand letter from Lowell.  I have ignored this so far and continued to pay my normal £60 a month online.

To add, in January this year my smart monitor stopped communicating with the meters and they had to replace the gas meter (3rd time in 8 years), to date the smart monitor remains in fault mode and they are unable to commission it. This all happened around January and I believe there to be some systematic error with the meters.  Obviously they aren't having it and I am told to be expected to pay the bill and the £170 for the meter check!

I have bought a plug in energy monitor and measured each appliance and everything with a plug and the output is all within the manufacturers guidelines, so nothing is rinsing the electricity.  I have turned off the supply in the box and took readings a few hours apart and the reading remains the same, so nothing on their side is drawing/giving me elec. 

Could you brilliant people offer me some advice on what to do next, as said, it is impossible even with the energy increase costs to have used this much electric.  

My last communication with them on email with the CEO copied in was that I am seeking legal advice.  My fear is they wont find an issue with the meter and they will stand firmly. 

PLEASE HELP!!

QrizB

BG have terrible customer service but billing is a simple arithmetic problem.

Can we have your meter readings, please, and dates? Your current readings, taken today, plus those from your last three or four bills.

Also a photo of your meter, if you don't mind sharing.

Robin9

When sending the readings from the bills please include the letter which follows the meter reading -  A C E S or our read/your read.

envirogirl

Hi both, Yes I can upload the current bill with the personal info blocked out.  Its the historic data that proves the usage has shot up. I will try upload now.

envirogirl

See Attached

Gerry1

Think kWh not ££ when referring to meters and billing accuracy, otherwise it gets muddled up with tariff changes.

Try doing the Meter Sanity Test.

You seem to be billed every three months.  Monthly billing gives an earlier understanding of unexpected consumption changes.

Why are you on a multi-rate tariff when you have gas?  Do you have an EV?

debitcardmayhem

Do use electricity for heating and or hot water? It would also help if you upload the bill for Sept-December

Keep_pedalling

Gerry1 said:

Think kWh not ££ when referring to meters and billing accuracy, otherwise it gets muddled up with tariff changes.

Try doing the Meter Sanity Test.

You seem to be billed every three months.  Monthly billing gives an earlier understanding of unexpected consumption changes.

Why are you on a multi-rate tariff when you have gas?  Do you have an EV?

The OP said he has an EV in the opening post.

Keep_pedalling

I would expect your biggest usage would be you off peak EV charging but from Dec 20th you peak rate use is massively over your off peak usage. Either you are charging at the wrong time or the peak and off peak readings are back to front.

Robin9

As per @Keep_pedalling    you are only using 2 kWh / night .

Gerry1

Keep_pedalling said:

Gerry1 said:

Think kWh not ££ when referring to meters and billing accuracy, otherwise it gets muddled up with tariff changes.

Try doing the Meter Sanity Test.

You seem to be billed every three months.  Monthly billing gives an earlier understanding of unexpected consumption changes.

Why are you on a multi-rate tariff when you have gas?  Do you have an EV?

The OP said he has an EV in the opening post.

She may not appreciate that !