Is my economy 7 meter faulty?

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Leedsuser
Leedsuser Posts: 4 Newbie
in LPG, heating oil, solid & other fuels
My daughter and her partner moved into a 2 bedroom flat last October and the estimated energy costs over a 3 year period were £2181 accoring to Energy Performance Certificate which was done the month before they moved in. They've now got a bill from end October to end February for £743. They've contacted NPower and given daily readings for rate 1 and rate 2 but not had much joy. All Npower can do is tell us how much electricity costs and they think the readings are correct. The day reading in particular is increasing at speed. Npower have agreed to have the meter checked but said this is quite a long process. The flat was emply this weekend for a 3 day period so they took readings Thursday evening then again Sunday evening. they've used 3 night units and 52 day units in this period! An empty flat with only the fridge freezer the only thing left on. Any ideas where to go this as NPower were very unsympathetic and this bill is too high to be true. They've barely had any heating on in an attempt to keep bills down.

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  • dunstonh
    dunstonh Posts: 116,371 Forumite
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    and the estimated energy costs over a 3 year period were £2181 accoring to Energy Performance Certificate which was done the month before they moved in.

    EPCs are not worth the paper they are written on.
    They've now got a bill from end October to end February for £743.

    Is that using actual readings or estimated readings?
    If actual, then do remember that you use the bulk of your annual energy in that period. So, you always expect the bills covering those months to be higher. In the spring/summer months, costs will be much lower and you have to average them out. They havent had that averaging yet.
    The day reading in particular is increasing at speed.

    What hours of the day are the changeover points (it varies so dont asume)?
    Does the meter match those hours? (it is quite common for meters to get out-of-sync)

    Is the tariff they are on an E7 tariff? (often people moving into a house dont realise its E7 and use a single tariff)
    what is the cost for kwH or rate 1 and rate 2? (they would be the same if its single tariff but different if its E7_

    The bill does not actually seem that high. £743 is £148pm for that period. For 6 months of the year, they may only use £20pm when the heating is off.
    I am an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). The comments I make are just my opinion and are for discussion purposes only. They are not financial advice and you should not treat them as such. If you feel an area discussed may be relevant to you, then please seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser local to you.
  • dogshome
    dogshome Posts: 3,877 Forumite
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    Hmmm - 52 day units used over 3 days with just a Fridge running ?


    If the meter is housed in a common service room along with all the other meters, this points to a mis-identification of which is their meter - All too common in flats.


    Check by turning off all the power in the flat item by item
    With mobile phones have one person in the flat and one by the meter who tells the other to switch the kettle on ON/OFF - The meter should register the bursts of use in synch to the commands - If it doesn't it's the wrong meter
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
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    Welcome to the forum



    Storage heaters? (coming on during day?)



    Immersion heater?? Hot water??



    If Npower have agreed to check the meter, it normally means a charge if it isn't found to be defective.
  • Leedsuser
    Leedsuser Posts: 4 Newbie
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    Thanks. The meter is in a shared housing but it is clearly marked with their flat number and is the one used to read meters when they moved in. The immersion heater is off and for the 3 day period mentioned only the fridge freezer was running
  • Leedsuser
    Leedsuser Posts: 4 Newbie
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    It’s definitely E7 so there’s 2 readings. What I can’t understand is the day use while the flat was empty. Night usage is midnight to 7am so 3 units would be right for fridge freezer but 52 units for the rest of the time? NPOWER don’t seem very helpful
  • dogshome
    dogshome Posts: 3,877 Forumite
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    The fact that the meter is marked with the flat No and the bills show the same number, means nothing.


    It was the the local network supplier who installed the meters and allocated the unique Supply No. to each one, but then it was the builders who wired each flat to a meter and it's not uncommon that, that is when mistakes are made.


    Cut off all power to flat with the main Switch on the Consumer Unit for 2 hours and check the meter several times, which should show nil activity.
    If it is recording use, you have a mis-labelled meter or the meter is supplying something else in addition to your flat.


    The above is not failsafe as another flat could also not be consuming any power at the time of the test, so even if the meter is not showing power use, do the kettle test with mobile phones
  • Leedsuser
    Leedsuser Posts: 4 Newbie
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    Many thanks will try that
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