Handover Meter Reading When On Half Hourly Data Billing

Reed_Richards

Only suppliers (and, more recently, Meter Data Retrievers) have access to the daily readings.

I don't know what a Meter Data Retriever is. Does this mean I could access my own daily readings from a Meter Data Retriever?

Ildhund

From the oracle:

Meter Data Retriever (or MDR)	means, for a Smart Metering System or a Device and any period of or point in time, the User that is appointed by the Smart Data Service as the Meter Data Retrieval Service in respect of the MPAN relating to that Smart Metering System or Device.

One of the band of 'mysterious third parties' who provide data services to suppliers and networks, for example. They were probably invented to deal with the massive amounts of data involved in MHHS. There aren't many of them yet, so you might have trouble finding one to retrieve your readings for you, and if you did manage to, the service probably wouldn't be free. You could ask n3rgy, who already have an authentication system in place for domestic consumers.

Parties	Parties Who Have Completed the DCC User Entry Process
B Global Metering Limited	Yes - Meter Data Retriever
IMServ Europe Limited	Yes - Other User, Meter Data Retriever
N3rgy Data Limited	Yes - Other User, Meter Data Retriever
Stark Software International Limited	Yes - Other User, Meter Data Retriever
TMA Data Management Limited	Yes - Meter Data Retriever

https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/documents/sec-sections/sec-section-a-definitions-and-interpretation-2/
https://smartenergycodecompany.co.uk/documents/sec/sec-parties-list/

Chrysalis

It can be more than pennies, when I switched form Octopus to Tomato energy, Octopus decided to bill multiple weeks at SVR instead of Agile all because circa one day was missing for day before switch. Then combined it with an elevated (so high it was at fantasy level) estimated final reading as the icing on the cake.
I dont know when the current system got implemented, but I find it a poor system, I have done two migrations on this current system, and on both occasions there hasnt been a seamless end/start reading for both suppliers. Instead the suppliers just seem to do their own thing independently and use the rules to prevent customer supplied reading being applied when its offered. Old system seemed better.
But also given we are told smart meters keep usage data for long periods of time, this new complicated system, shouldnt even be needed on smart meters, and only be considered for legacy meters.
I am guessing its a long time before the system is next reviewed.

Chrysalis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82044190#Comment_82044190

If true they should probably extend this to at least 3 days, ideally a week. When I was on Octopus, they data was always circa 2 days behind so logically they would need 3 days to get migration day data. EON interestingly I always see up to about 9am of the current day (which is similar to what Bright showed before I got its CAD).

Ildhund

@Chrysalis wrote:

When I was on Octopus, they data was always circa 2 days behind …

I'm afraid we're still confusing usage data with meter register readings. The 'smart meter data' that both suppliers have access to on changeover day is indeed the register readings - what you can read from the meter itself. Suppliers won't necessarily show any half-hourly usage data until the next day, but 'Other users' might return more recent figures.

I don't think there's any mechanism yet for reconciling the customer billing between two suppliers on changeover other than by agreeing register readings. If one supplier ignores these readings altogether (like Tomato did, I think), then things are bound to go awry. Changeover billing will have to be calculated manually, and that is both time-consuming for everyone concerned and expensive for the suppliers.

Bearing in mind that manually-submitted readings only use whole units, there should be no difference between Reading 0 + Usage 0>1 and Reading 1. This isn't the case, though, for multi-rate meters' individual register readings (e.g. Economy 7's day and night readings).

Chrysalis

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82044976#Comment_82044976

All 3 suppliers ignored them for me. Octopus insisted my supplied readings couldnt be used due to regulation, even though they themselves went rogue using a estimated reading.
Tomato well they were just a mess.
EON also didnt use readings I gave them, even after asking for them from me. There is no starting read, earliest one is a test one they did.
I remember being told on here the reading is supposed to be agreed by gaining and losing supplier, and I simply have never seen that happen in my case.
Remember I reported Octopus decided to bill me on SVR for several weeks in which case index readings become relevant.

At least many years ago if a customer supplied readings, they were used.

squirrelpie

There was conversation upthread about midnight readings, but surely the readings that should matter are those taken at the time that ownership of the property changes, and that is usually noon although a different time can be agreed by the parties. Hence perhaps why both suppliers can access the readings during the whole day.

Ildhund

I can't remember which way you're switching, but in any case it's the gaining supplier that's responsible for having the changeover reading set. The customer tells the supplier of choice what the opening reading is. The number is submitted to the 'mysterious third party' for checking, and if it's within allowed limits of what the losing supplier claims the figure is, all's well. The trouble is that the 'allowed limit' is, IIRC, 250kWh - three or four months' consumption for someone like me.

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82045162#Comment_82045162

… and that is why so many had issues when switching to Tomato as they were failing to complete the industry flows properly thus denying the losing supplier the ability to issue accurate final bills and also lumbering them with penalties for failing to issue the bills in a timely manner…