Opening meter readings

Rogerthecat

I switched on 1 June and submitted day and night readings. Here we are half way through August and my new supplier is still estimating my bills, even though I have a Smart Meter. They seem to have an opening reading (agreed with previous supplier) much higher than my current reading, so therefore it cannot calculate a correct bill. Obviously, this also means I have been overcharged by my previous supplier. I have started a dispute and submitted monthly readings with photos. How long should I wait and what is my next step if is still not resolved?

MeteredOut

Did you submit a final reading to your old supplier. How much does the new suppliers opening reading differ from what you think it should be?

But, so long as the previous supplier's closing reading matches your new suppliers's opening reading, unless there is a significant difference in tariff rates, any overcharge is likely to be pennies and most would not bother chasing.

Ultimately, if not happy, you raise a complaint and if still not happy with their resolution, take it to the energy ombudsman after 8 weeks.

Alnat1

There will be no energy charges from your new supplier until your meters catch up with the "opening reads". You will only be paying daily standing charges.

WiserMiser

On the changeover day you should have submitted the reading only to the new supplier.  They drive the process, and the reading is then verified and sent to the old supplier.

Rogerthecat

I did not submit a final reading because the Smart Meter was working ok. 

The opening reading that was apparently agreed with the old supplier was 800kwh more than my reading. Even after ten weeks, I have not used that much, so it is still higher than my current readings.

The new supplier are estimating the readings and billing me via direct debit. I hope this will sort itself out once the opening readings have been corrected. 

Rogerthecat

Thanks for your comments 🙂 

Swipe

It sounds like your smart meter was not working with the new supplier in time for the switch date so defaulted to an estimate that was accepted by the old supplier. Have you spoken with them to confirm that they can now communicate with your meter?

Scot_39

Rogerthecat said:

I switched on 1 June and submitted day and night readings. Here we are half way through August and my new supplier is still estimating my bills, even though I have a Smart Meter. They seem to have an opening reading (agreed with previous supplier) much higher than my current reading, so therefore it cannot calculate a correct bill. Obviously, this also means I have been overcharged by my previous supplier. I have started a dispute and submitted monthly readings with photos. How long should I wait and what is my next step if is still not resolved?

AFAIK the normal pull to new supplier is meant to agree the readings - day and night in your case - at agreed handover.  Small errors are tolerated - but 800 kWh is non trivial (months of summer electric for me)

And you imply that has been done - by your overcharged statement.

But many suppliers unless switch on a multirate deal - have been know to presume single register operation - on smart TOU tariffs as well - even on old PC 2 / multirate meters.

Or Am I reading to much into the plural readings at old - but the singular reading in other parts of the post.

So that the old final bill readingS match the new suppliers bills first readingS.

Why have you switched to singular reading ?

Was your meter relatively new - the 800 kWh error possibly in a new meter (I guess maybe after most of the winter if use off peak heating ) the old night rate reading - others have fallen foul of single rate single reading - say register 1 based at some suppliers - vs old dual rate register 1 + register 2. 

Unless their was a massive difference in the rates - for that 800 kWh extra - I suspect the cost wouldn't have been that high - but it is a worryingly large number.

Can you give a table of the readings for the last 3 - 4 months last at old before switch, provided to new, at new since.

Companies can and do reject readings when genuinely out of sync - the question is why they are out of sync.  

And there has to be a good - or maybe a bad - reason why the new supplier ignored your switch date readings by potentially months of use.

Do their ignored readings - their actual smart readings on file - match your meter readings now and the MPANs/serial numbers on bills match as well ?

Rogerthecat

Hi Scot, thanks for your reply. I have the same Smart 1 meter with 1-day and 2-night. Not changed meters. The day readings only varied by 11kwh, so I can live with that. My night reading at the end of May was 8560, compared with 9338 (a difference of 778) which they say they got from my old supplier (semantics). At 25p per kwh, that's £194.50 overcharged. I only use around 160kwh per month during the summer on the night meter.

When I use their app, all of my previous readings had disappeared. 
WOW - I HAVE JUST CHECKED AGAIN AND THE FIGURES ARE NOW CORRECT.
Lets hope my next bill reflects that. I just need to get the refund now from my old supplier. 

Thanks anyway.