Changing energy supplier, seems readings are the wrong way around!

n30_mkii

n30_mkii

n30_mkii

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Alfreton,Derbyshire
We are just going through the process of changing supplier which we do every couple of years to get the best rate. However when entering the new readings it seems that our readings have been the wrong way around for some time. i.e the highest utilisation is on the day reading and the energy suppliers have that reading down as low/night rate. This is since we moved in (7 years ago) and tallied with the old readings that had also been incorrectly reported, so we have just carried on and not realised. Someone also comes around to report the readings every couple of months and we've not had any issue.

Speaking on the phone today with the new supplier I have confirmed with a couple of different readings (2 hours apart) that they are indeed incorrect! Now I guess that means we have been underpaying for electric for the last 7 years across different providers, but now need to try and correct this

Anyone else been in a similar situation? I don't really fancy a massive bill this time of year, but feel that we should have probably realised this or been challenged at some point when we've moved providers before, as this is probably the third time in 7 years we've changed.

The existing provider are awaiting the meter readings from the new provider, Gas is fine, but electric is now an issue. The new company have said they'll sort it, but not sure what is going to happen....

I could really do without this on the 2nd day of the New Year :-(
 
Surely you would have noticed a difference in the cost of your bills if the readings where wrong way round. I know I would.
 
i don't think you can really be held personally accountable? Technical error on your suppliers part? I wouldn't be surprised if the just simply write it off.
 
Not exactly the same situation - but last year we switched supplier over, and had to cough up over £800 to British Gas, prior to the switch over :( We are pretty lax with giving readings, so had spent almost 4 years just going off of the estimations; as we were typically below, or just over these. Unfortunately, having our boiler pack up before Christmas last year, we used a bar heater for a week or so - and weren't aware that they use huge amounts of leccy!

Not sure if it's the rule or whatever, but we had to clear our bill with British Gas on termination of our contract with them - if we had stayed, they would have just taken it back over 12 months :(
 
The new supplier said they would sort it, I'll just have to see what happens with the current supplier in terms of final bill. Glad to have picked up on it, the bills were in line with what we were paying at our previous property and have increased as expected with additions of new devices etc. Our habbits have changed to more daytime use in the last year or so now I work from home. If I get a backdated bill for 12 months so be it, any longer and I will contest it.
 
This happened to me when I had my flat, daytime and nighttime usage was the wrong way around but was in my favour.
They took responsibility for it in the end and was corrected paying me a couple hundred £ for what was overpaid.
 
ThaReaperGuy said:
This happened to me when I had my flat, daytime and nighttime usage was the wrong way around but was in my favour.
They took responsibility for it in the end and was corrected paying me a couple hundred £ for what was overpaid.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately its the other way around for me. Will just have to see what pans out I guess.
 
FYI

From 2007, Ofgem requirements state that energy suppliers can no longer try to reconcile incorrect domestic energy charges from more than 12 months ago, if the supplier itself is at fault for not billing the household correctly.

This is known as the Back-Billing Principle, and suppliers must adhere to it. It states:

"If your supplier is at fault, it will not seek additional payment for unbilled energy used more than 12 months prior to the error being detected and a corrected bill being issued."
Click to expand...

https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/energy-back-billing/

Don't worry *too* much about it imo :)
 
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