Smart meters

Fortyfoot

My granddaughter lives on a council estate recently built.

She noticed she was being charged for electric when not at home.

She's just been told that she is paying for another house and is out of pocket! She can't afford it.

She lives at (Removed by Forum Team).

Please help. All estate could be similarly affected


Please help Martin

QrizB

Fortyfoot said:

My granddaughter lives on a council estate recently built.

She noticed she was being charged for electric when not at home.

She's just been told that she is paying for another house and is out of pocket! She can't afford it.

Transposed meters on new build estates are not uncommon.

Who has just told her that she's been paying for a different property? Was it her energy company? If it was, they should be sorting it out, but it could take several months.

Which energy company is she with?

DE_612183

Is this flats or individual houses?

Where are the meters located?

Don't worry - if she has been paying for something that is incorrect - it will get sorted, but the Electricity company need to investigate and it may take time.

What sort of payments does she make?

Keep_pedalling

Has she checked that her meter matches the one shown on her bill? If it doesn’t then she needs to contact her supplier and give them the correct one. They should then get it sorted although cross meter issues can take some time to get sorted.

Scot_39

You say other house - so I'll assume she too is in a house and has a meter actually on or in the new property.

Haas she checked the readings are for a different meter - I assume it's smart - and a different serial number from the one on her bills.

How long has she been in the property and how far out are the readings now ?

If she can demonstrate the bills are for a different serial number meter or meters - the MPAN and meter serial numbers are on all bills and the serial number on the front of the meter - e.g. taking a photograph of the meter readings on her house - and with the actual serial number clearly shown and sending it to her supplier - then they should investigate and resolve.

And hopefully in the interim bill her to actual readings if she submits them regularly.

It might take a while though to fully resolve - some here report few to several months - as their is probably someone else - being billed for her actual meter - and they could be with a different supplier.

Sadly the problem does pop up here periodically - and I am sure someone who has gone through it will post a response soon.

Its another potential downside of people trusting suppliers and smart meters reporting readings rather than doing it yourself.  

Even with a smart meter - arguably in a new build or flat always - a good idea to take your own readings - at least until sure they match with first few bills - and then check bills always use smart - (some meters lose communications and the supplier will issue estimated bills - again over time these may accrue large over / underpayment then refund / demand ).

Fortyfoot

Thanks very much. I will pass this information to her.

She was advised by her supplier British Gas
Semi detached house