thegayle:

... So, to cut a long story short - I'm right and their system is wrong.

I'm now also being told, that even as a household of 1, I'm using energy that is same for a family of 4...

The last poster's advice that "you need to check your meter and not make any guesses" is good advice.

On your first point I don't mean to doubt you at all, but what is important is not what *you* think but what the supplier accepts in writing (a bill is in "writing"), and not a customer service advisor's pressured remark that *you* have no proof of. I partly jest, but at this moment a letter is quite possibly winging its way to you which contradicts what was discussed, closely followed by a final demand for years of backpayments. If you don't believe me read the press.

On your second point, that may (or may not) be right but I do not think a customer service advisor's remark so soon after (years?) of transposed readings has much credibility. You need to take daily readings of each register (BTW have you two meters or one meter meter with two registers)?

Given that it is also possible there is a time-clock fault it may be worth taking extra readings last thing at night and first thing in the morning.

If you post some readings it may be possible to comment about your "excessive" usage, but your meter being inaccurate is the least likely explanation.

thegayle:

Is it possible that my electricity meter is wrong? I've been searching online, and have found that it can happen for prepayment meters, but mine isn't one of those.

It can happen. I had an economy 7 timer that used to mark time at a third the rate that it should so there would be cheap electricity for one day then expensive electricity for two days. It got fixed at the tenth attempt because the engineer would just set the time correctly and nothing more.

You need to check your meter and not make any guesses. You should see it turning round at the right times and you should see it stop if you turn everything off. If you leave a 1kw appliance on for an hour, your meter should record a unit of electricity. You should hear a "clunk" when the cheap rate comes on (maybe 12:30 or 1:30 am) and when it goes off 7 hours later.

In a standard property with energy saving bulbs, you should not get worried about leaving lights on and running up a big bill. What makes the bill large is if you use the heating a lot or not.

Hi,

I've found that I have the same problem after being with Scottish Power for nearly 7 years.

I had actually called to find out if I was on the best price plan possible, due to the price increases that are coming in shortly.

After providing up-to-date meter readings, I was asked if I knew which rate was which for my electricity, as I am also on Economy 7. I stated that Rate 1 was the Day Rate, and Rate 2 was the Night Rate, to which I was told that on their system it is actually the other way round! We agreed that they would call back an hour later so that I could confirm via the readings on the meter, which reading what which.

So, to cut a long story short - I'm right and their system is wrong. I've been inputting the figures correctly (Rate 1 for Rate 1), as have the gentlemen who do the yearly meter reading checks. So it's all Scottish Power's fault.

I'm now also being told, that even as a household of 1, I'm using energy that is same for a family of 4, which I find totally unrealistic as I don't have anything more than the standard in my house. I don't have a dishwasher or a tumble dryer for the main reason of their energy consumption, so now I'm completely flabbergasted by the potential of any "arrears" being backdated (I have been assured that this won't happen, which I'll wait and see about due to past dealings with British Gas which I did actually say to the guy) but I'm also stunned at my apparent overuse of electricity that I'm being told about when I don't have anything in my house that could account for it. My appliances where in grade A when I brought them and they're not that old!!!

Is it possible that my electricity meter is wrong? I've been searching online, and have found that it can happen for prepayment meters, but mine isn't one of those.

Can anyone help?

Alsieb:

... what are the chances that we'll end up owing them money?

That is *completely impossible* to predict and anything to the contrary is just wishful thinking.

The answer will depend on several factors going back to when the meter readings were last correctly entered, what the readings were when first incorrectly entered and whether you are actually using Economy 7 heating.

There is one other issue which may be relevant. The energy supplier is legally required to make every effort to gain access for a meter reading at least once every 2 years. Most suppliers have a policy and procedure to do that more frequently. You need to find out when the supplier last read the meter. If the supplier has not satisfied the 2 year requirement and that has caused the transposition not to be spotted, it is possible the backbilling measures of the "Billing Code" may apply. Depending on the last previous correctly entered meter readings it is possible that the supplier's billing system should have been able to spot a rogue (transposed) reading. This depends on a number of factors but if it was *possible* but the supplier's system failed to detect it, that also might trigger the "Billing Code" backbilling measures.

If you want more help here, you need to post more information about the meter readings.

It's an easy mistake to make. My guess is that the correct bill will be smaller than the one with the readings the wrong way round, this is very likely if you've been using Economy 7 heating. It's still worth checking the bill before you pay.

Hi all, my partner and I moved into our 2 bed ground floor flat almost 2 years ago, our landlord set up our electricity account with Scottish Power and we just paid the bills. Our meter has two separate readings for day and night rate, after taking a reading to submit to them (my partner had been doing it before then) I realised that the figures I was inputting were the wrong way around... I've spoken to Scottish Power to verify this - they've said it'll take 7-10 days to update our bill, what are the chances that we'll end up owing them money?