Energy supplier billing wrong address, how do I stop them?
Comments
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Sounds crap. Have you personally seen the details from the database.
If not and it's electric feel free to PM me with the details (if you want to) for a look and what I would recomend. And yes it's going to be a pain with multiple suppliers.
I used to sort this sort of stuff out back in the day and quite frankly most of the people doing it can not think their way out of a paper bag.
But htat's what you get from the no profit domestic industry we have gotten ourselves into. (no really there is no profit, why do you think so many get out of it and all the smaller companies colapse after tehy get to many customers to scale?).
Yes, I went to the website and typed in the address.
I now know that the local council, in their infinite wisdom, made the builder renumber all of the apartments just prior to the residents moving in.
That's probably what's caused this mess in the first place.
So the original apartment numbers may still be allocated to the electric meters in the database. So my friends number may have originally been allocated to the third meter number, but I do no understand quite why they are getting bills for the second meter if that's the case.
It really needs all of the individual suppliers sending their engineers down to make sure the meters are allocated correctly, but I can't see that happening.0 -
I'm trying to get my head around how this whole energy supply system works.
If the actual electricity is supplied by UK Power Networks, surely they must have a database of who pays them for the electricity used on a certain meter.
If they do, then they must be receiving two payments from two different energy companies for the same meter.
Surely they must know this and should have told one of them that they are not the supplier.0 -
Well, the latest.
UK Power Networks have said that " for some reason, xx and xxx have both been associated with the same meter serial number."
Evidently the energy companies just pay UK Power Networks the number of households they supply by the average energy amount, the do not know the amount of energy being used by a particular meter.
Anyway, I have been in contact on a daily basis with Shell, while waiting for her actual supplier to sort out the database.
They still insist that they supply her energy but have not taken up the offer of having one of their engineers in to check which meter supplies which flat.
Considering that it's been a daily email, she has now received a letter from ResolveCall saying that she needs to contact Shell by telephone within the next 7 days or one of their representatives will visit her at her address.
I'm almost tempted to let them, but making sure that I am there, so I can show them what a mess this is, and they can check which meter supplies my friends flat if they so desire.
So far I have just said that no way is anything going to be done over the phone as all communication is being recorded so that the ombudsman has all the details from contact.
Also Shell keep saying that they will not deal with my email as it's not the one registered to the account, I have told them that that is impossible because there is no account. The second email from them then answers my email.
All I keep telling them is that the meter number that they are billing my friend for, is not her meter, and to send their engineer down to check the proper supply.
What else should I do now?0 -
As long as "one of their representatives"! is not a debt collector then I would write accepting such a visit, and include in my communication a time and date for whoeveritis to attend.
I would then wait ouside the premises - not allow them entry to the flat - and explain in simple, easy to understand words what the problem is and, if necessary, give them a copy of what UK Power have said in respect of two or even three suppliers for one meter.
That's if they do bother to turn up.0 -
Why should they send an "engineer " to check who s meter is who`s. ? he can t check it anyway just by looking at it ,,Its absolutely nothing to do with a supplier if a builder has messed up with serial numbers to meters.The occupiers can do it easily enough. Its their problem not a supplier you happen to choose.Well, the latest.
UK Power Networks have said that " for some reason, xx and xxx have both been associated with the same meter serial number."
Evidently the energy companies just pay UK Power Networks the number of households they supply by the average energy amount, the do not know the amount of energy being used by a particular meter.
Anyway, I have been in contact on a daily basis with Shell, while waiting for her actual supplier to sort out the database.
They still insist that they supply her energy but have not taken up the offer of having one of their engineers in to check which meter supplies which flat.
Considering that it's been a daily email, she has now received a letter from ResolveCall saying that she needs to contact Shell by telephone within the next 7 days or one of their representatives will visit her at her address.
I'm almost tempted to let them, but making sure that I am there, so I can show them what a mess this is, and they can check which meter supplies my friends flat if they so desire.
So far I have just said that no way is anything going to be done over the phone as all communication is being recorded so that the ombudsman has all the details from contact.
Also Shell keep saying that they will not deal with my email as it's not the one registered to the account, I have told them that that is impossible because there is no account. The second email from them then answers my email.
All I keep telling them is that the meter number that they are billing my friend for, is not her meter, and to send their engineer down to check the proper supply.
What else should I do now?
A simple "kettle " test will reveal whos electric meter is who s.Turn the control valve off at the gas meter to check if it stops the gas supply. I would only do this with the other occupiers permission
As a meter reader for 20 years I ve seen it all with crossed meters to various flats. It happens in most large new build estates somewhere along the line.I m not sure which person s job it is to collate all the meters but they keep getting it wrong.
Most of the time it is when they change from plot numbers to house numbers. They are not the same
I ve even seen it with some flats in Howden where each of the 8 gas meters to each building all had the same serial number allocated to each flat, even though the meters themselves had a different digit difference . The flat dwellers were oblivious to this and just accepted whatever the current supplier billed them at.
It was impossible for me to work out whos meter is who s to get the correct reading. It needed the occupiers do do it themselves, then correctly label their meters to the appropriate flats..No "engineer ", that is code for "meter reader " can sort that problem out on his own.0 -
Why should they send an "engineer " to check who s meter is who. ? he can t check it anyway just by looking at it ,,Its absolutely nothing to do with a supplier if a builder as messed up with serial numbers to meters.The occupiers can do it easily enough. Its their problem not a supplier you happen to choose.
A simple "kettle " test will reveal whos electric meter is who s.Turn the control valve off at the gas meter to check if it stops the gas supply. I would only do this with the other occupiers permission
As a meter reader for 20 years I ve seen it all with crossed meters to various flats. It happens in most large new build estates someone along the line.
I've even seen it with some flats in Howden where each of the 8 gas meters to each building all had the same serial number allocated to each flat, even though the meters themselves had a different digit difference . The flat dwellers were oblivious to this and just accepted whatever the current supplier billed them at.
It was impossible for me to work out whos meter is who s to get the correct reading. It needed the occupiers do do it themselves, then correctly label their meters to the appropriate flats..No "engineer ", that is code for "meter reader " can sort that problem out on his own.
Hi Houbara, You wouldn't consider making a house-call to this lady's flat, would you? You seem to know what you're doing, which is a lot more than can be said for the muppets at the leccy companies she's had to deal with. It would only be a couple of hours work, and I'm sure they'll pay you for your trouble. :cool:0 -
No its up to you it seem, start with testing and labeling your friends, and maybe post a letter to everyone in the block to test and label their own, and report it to the suppler, not that it will be popular, some will get bigger bills.0
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Why should they send an "engineer " to check who s meter is who`s. ? he can t check it anyway just by looking at it ,,Its absolutely nothing to do with a supplier if a builder has messed up with serial numbers to meters.The occupiers can do it easily enough. Its their problem not a supplier you happen to choose.
A simple "kettle " test will reveal whos electric meter is who s.Turn the control valve off at the gas meter to check if it stops the gas supply. I would only do this with the other occupiers permission
As a meter reader for 20 years I ve seen it all with crossed meters to various flats. It happens in most large new build estates somewhere along the line.I m not sure which person s job it is to collate all the meters but they keep getting it wrong.
Most of the time it is when they change from plot numbers to house numbers. They are not the same
I ve even seen it with some flats in Howden where each of the 8 gas meters to each building all had the same serial number allocated to each flat, even though the meters themselves had a different digit difference . The flat dwellers were oblivious to this and just accepted whatever the current supplier billed them at.
It was impossible for me to work out whos meter is who s to get the correct reading. It needed the occupiers do do it themselves, then correctly label their meters to the appropriate flats..No "engineer ", that is code for "meter reader " can sort that problem out on his own.
We switched her meter off and checked to see if her flat had any power, it didn't.
I've told Shell this, but they are not listening, hence why I asked them to send an engineer to check. If the database is wrong, the occupier cannot correct it.
And all the correct labelling was done at first occupancy ten years ago.
I've even sent photographs of the meters.0 -
No its up to you it seem, start with testing and labeling your friends, and maybe post a letter to everyone in the block to test and label their own, and report it to the suppler, not that it will be popular, some will get bigger bills.
That has all been done and the correct flat numbers allocated to the flats. This was all done at first occupancy ten years ago.
As I said in my original post, she changed to her current supplier over 8 years ago, and it was only in the last two years that First Utility sent her a bill.
I got that stopped middle of last year, then Shell purchased First Utility, and she gets two bills a month apart, both answered by letting them know it's not her meter and that she is with a different supplier and has been for the last 8 years, then the letter from ResolveCall three weeks after the last bill.0 -
Im guessing some or all the suppliers updated their system but somehow not the national DB then.
The only thing i can think of is that everyone in the block has to check the serial number on the bill is the correct meter and has to phone up to correct it if its not.0
This discussion has been closed.
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