[LesM]

Hi we are pretty consistent users of dual fuel and for some reason this month the smart meter readings show 1182 units ? I have looked back at the past year and our readings are between 350 and 500.

Any ideas I have checked all appliances and with nothing substantial on the red flashing light goes bonkers for a while and then settles down only to proceed to go mad again within a few seconds.

Help!

[theunknowntech]

Heya @LesM!

That doesn't sound healthy to me and I think it's time I flexed my muscles a bit. I've been eager to get another challenge after delegating so many threads to the moderators recently. For this one, please could you also post photos of your meters as I want to do a quick visual check.

I'm not usually a fan of using copy/pasted replies, but for the Creep Test stuff I do have to use it for the instructions as they're quite long and complicated to type out.

Before you get started, I strongly recommend only doing this test during daylight hours for your own safety and you may want to have a torch handy just in case. Please also make sure to safely shut down and turn off any sensitive electronics and gadgets like your computers, TVs, games consoles, Wi-Fi Router, Smart Home gadgets and anything else that might be affected by having the power suddenly go off. You can leave the fridge/freezer on though and keeping a couple of lights on is helpful so that you know when you're done.

If you're happy to go ahead, here's what to do. These steps might sound a bit tricky as I generally copy/paste them directly from what Blastoise186 gave me, but they should work.

1. Locate the electric meter and fuse box/consumer unit
2. Take a quick meter reading and note it down - you'll need it later
3. As you're on Prepayment, please make sure you've got some credit and you're not in Emergency Credit - otherwise it can disrupt the test. If you don't have much left, now is a good time to top-up!
4. Turn off the power to the entire house using your consumer unit - it'll only be for a few minutes so don't worry about being off-supply for a long time
5. Observe your electric meter for about five minutes. the red metrology LED (or the spinning disc in older meters) should stop completely and the meter should not clock any usage after the first 30 seconds or so
6. After five minutes, take another meter reading and note it down
7. Turn the power back on
8. Compare the two readings you took at the start and finish of the test

If the meter is not faulty, the two readings should be about the same. However, if they're massively different and/or you noticed the metrology LED (or spinning disc) continue to run and/or the meter was still clocking usage despite the power being off, then there's almost certainly a fault with the meter itself. In this case, you'll want to request a Meter Accuracy Test. It'll cost around £160 upfront and you'll get this back if the meter is confirmed to be faulty, as well as having the meter replaced and a refund issued for the lost credit once E.On has managed to figure out how much it's thrown into a black hole. Please bear in mind that the test fee is not refunded if the meter is found to be working correctly. With that being said, if it failed the Creep Test then that's already a very good sign that the meter probably is faulty - the MAT is still required to make it official but doing the Creep Test first might save you wasting £160.

And now it's back to me. Please provide me with the results of your Creep Test and I'll be happy to analyse them. Something to me doesn't sound right and I want to either prove or eliminate a meter fault as early as possible.

I'll be here if you get stuck.

[LesM]

Hi the average monthly units used over the past 2 years has been 350. So the 1200 for Jan is almost 4 x!. I took a meter reading thus morning at 8.15 I got back in at 1pm and its already clocked 44 units with no one in the house ! That I think will amount to approx 9 units an hour and scarily x 24 will equal 108 units a day . The maths then go berserk as 31 days = 3348 units per month@

[theunknowntech]

That's an awful lot of usage and something definitely doesn't sound right there. Did you manage to do the Creep Test I mentioned? If you haven't yet, there's no rush of course. But this will help me to determine if your meter is faulty and I really do think that this needs to be figured out.

Don't worry, if my theory is proven to be correct and the meter is confirmed to faulty during a Meter Accuracy Test, I can promise you that you'll get a full refund of all overcharges.

[UKDave51]

Those figures are very clearly way out of line, as we know these days talking to customer are at any company is near impossible, i cant imagine what you are going through, refuse to pay your bill or cancel your DD and they will be in touch immediately.
Bloody strange how action is required one way bot not the other.

[Landmark]

Take it easy Dave😮 remember:

• we are in the middle of a crisis that amounts to a perfect storm
• we don't live in a perfect world

[Beki]

@UKDave51 I know I work for E.ON Next, however I am really proud of how many ways customers can get in touch with us. Take our social media platforms at the moment - the average response time to talk to an Energy Specialist is 8 minutes..and we are available 24/7, 365 days a year. I personally think that is an awesome achievement.

@LesM We definitely to get this looked into as it doesn't seem right. But just checking....do you have any new tech in the house? A hot tub or an electric vehicle? Anything that could be consuming a lot of power?