Home Energy sticking to opening "industry read" (double charged units?)

instal

A couple of months ago, I switched to Home Energy for electricity.

Despite having a smart meter and the previous supplier using the correct reading for the closing read (ending '115'), Home Energy insist on using an "industry" opening read (ending '095') meaning there's a double charge of around 20 units (they are charging me for units that were already billed by the previous supplier).

After pointlessly asking me for "a photo of your electricity meter, as well as your final bill with your previous supplier." and then insisting that the photo must be "timestamped" (it was), Home Energy then said I'd have to contact my previous supplier to amend their closing reading.

I have contacted the previous supplier who asked for a photo of the final reading, which would of course give the actual reading they correctly used, not the "industry" reading that Home Energy claims.

Home Energy refuse to escalate the complaint as they say it will be an "open and closed case".

Does anyone know the best way to rectify this?

WiserMiser

Sounds like The Mysterious Third Party has overruled your smart meter.

https://justsoyouknow.so.energy/posts/2110580-opening-reading-validation-process

Home Energy give the tweaked reading to the previous supplier and that's the figure they must use. It can't be challenged unless the variance is more than 250kWh.

Normally you shouldn't give the closing reading to the old supplier, in fact, you don't even have to tell them you're leaving, the entire switching process is driven by the new supplier.

Contact the old supplier in writing (an email headed COMPLAINT will suffice) asking for a deadlock letter. Go to the Energy Ombudsman upon receipt, or after eight weeks if they don't send one.

IOWJJBTM2025

Hi,

I am in the middle of a meter reading issue where Home Energy was my previous supplier and I am now with Outfox Energy and there is a double charge.

What I have done is I opened an account with Glow for Homes and registered for free.

I had to give info of my meter and after less than 12 hours i was able to download all my data from my meter. I now have 30 minute consumption data for the last year of my meter.

By importing these into a spread sheet I have been able to show what my meter reading was throughout the day when Outlook took over the energy supply. I have emailed this to Outfox and am waiting 10 working days for them to scratch there heads.

I spoke to Outfox Energy about the reading issue and while I was on the phone they linked to my meter and was able to see my meter reading live. They do have the ability to get this information themselves but seem to want to rely upon photos.

In my case I had a photo of the meter reading that they asked for on the day they requested. My actual change of supply happened two days after this and so I do not have a photo of the day that they swapped. Hence why I have gone to the length of providing them with the 30 minute readings.

My meter reading issue is not just 20 units - it is 1499 units that I already paid Home Energy for and Outfox are asking me to pay again.

I did have a small issue with Home Energy when I swapped to Outfox Energy.

My supplier switch happened on 13th January. I was £25 in credit on 13th January. They wrote to me and said it would take 20 days to refund.

However on 22nd January (Over a week after the switch) they took another £175 direct debit from my account. I wrote to them and was told I would have to wait up to 20 days for the money to be refunded. The £200 refund hit my account on 13th Feb so was a little under the 20 days.

squirrelpie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81918705#Comment_81918705

Might as well complain to Home Energy as well about their unwillingness to help resolve the issue. Doubles the chance of getting an immediate deadlock letter :)

Phones4Chris

Edit: Original comments deleted as this thread has two users with a similar problem and I got them mixed up especially as one of the suppliers involved is the same.

@IOWJJBTM2025 it would have been more helpful if you'd given a link to your own thread.

@instal I would try again and make sure that it is a "formal" complaint to Home Energy and tell them they should be asking their "industry" people WHY are they ignoring Smart Meter readings. If they refuse, ask for a deadlock letter and go to the ombudsman. Irrespective of the current "rules" this sort of issue needs to be escalated.

BOTH - I would also write to OFGEM and Complain about why their rules allow these "industry" people to totally ignore Smart Meter readings and invent Opening and Closing readings that don't match the Smart Meter. OFGEM clearly asleep at the wheel (again!).

instal

Many thanks for all the helpful advice. An update:

I did insist that Home Energy to escalate the issue and I was referred to someone in the Complaints Team who revised the bills and said:

"I can confirm that this matter has now been fully resolved, and we have obtained your accurate readings".

I looked at the revised bills… I am now being billed from nought units!

I questioned this and was told that my meter was changed (it wasn't) and: "There are no concerns on your account."

Obviously, I am now going to have to insist on a deadlock letter so that I can refer this to the Energy Ombudsman.

I chose Home Energy on the basis of the cheapest rates (they were at least, they have actually increased the prices on 1st April). If I would have known I would have this nonsense over customer service and billing, I would have steered clear.

I would well advise anyone considering Home Energy to think very carefully.

victor2

I have twice had this happen when moving between major suppliers. In both cases I just sent the gaining supplier a copy of the final bill from the losing supplier and they matched the opening read to the one on the final bill.

It didn't involve Home Energy though.

QrizB

Does anyone know the best way to rectify this?

Your original problem was with your previous supplier (who I don't think you've named). They're obliged to follow the industry dataflows and close your account on the same reading that Home Energy open your account on, that reading being confirmed by the Data Collector (the "mysterious third party").

The Data Collector reading is allowed to be 250kWh different from the actual reading on the handover date.

I did insist that Home Energy to escalate the issue

Your problem now is that, having complained to the wrong supplier, they have also messed up your account.

You'll be able to work all this out through the complaints process and Ombudsman eventually, but you could have avoided some of this hassle by following @WiserMiser's advice:

Contact the old supplier in writing (an email headed COMPLAINT will suffice)

instal

Actually it was the previous provider, Utilita, who used the correct closing reading.

I did indeed ask them to amend their reading (as per the advice) and then escalated the complaint. They asked for a photo of the closing reading (which simply validates the correct reading they already have used).

Unexpectedly, someone in the complaints team of Home Energy got back in touch and promised to look into the matter and update the readings.

Obviously the hapless bill-payer is to blame, not Home Energy(!)

victor2

The first time it happened to me, the losing supplier (BG) used the smart meter reading, which our mysterious third party changed, so the gaining supplier (Octopus) used the adjusted reading, which was less than the actual.

When I showed Octopus BG's final bill they adjusted my starting reading to match. By then the old SMETS1 smart meter, installed by BG, was no longer smart. So both parties ignored the adjusted figure, and everyone was happy. Well I was at least!

Phones4Chris

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81953650#Comment_81953650

@QrizBToday at 6:24PM said

The Data Collector reading is allowed to be 250kWh different from the actual reading on the handover date.

I think you've completely missed the point that I made earlier, this maybe the current rules BUT …..

 I would try again and make sure that it is a "formal" complaint to Home Energy and tell them they should be asking their "industry" people WHY are they ignoring Smart Meter readings. If they refuse, ask for a deadlock letter and go to the ombudsman. Irrespective of the current "rules" this sort of issue needs to be escalated.

NOTHING will ever change unless people complain when the "rules" are clearly ridiculous. There is absolutely NO excuse for not using the actual SMART meter reading on a change of supplier. A smart meter stores 30 days of meter readings. These "Data Collectors" need to be taken to task in these circumstances (it is of course the responsibility of the supplier to sort out an issue with their "Data Collector") I would in addition to what I've already said , write a complaint to OFGEM and point out the stupidity of that rule in the case of a Smart Meter.