If I read your post correctly, from July to end Nov/early Dec you had a faulty meter that was dead - no readings nada. Were your estimates from July to early December in line with your previous year's consumption and were you happy with the estimations for this period? Now from early Dec to late January the meter was still faulty (obviously) but it is at this point that you feel that Eon Next's estimates have been overestimated?
OK, time for you to go back into your account going back 2 years if you can to July 2021 or at the very least from November 2021 - July 2022. Can I assume that smart reads were being provided to Eon Next? If not, were you providing regular customer readings every month? Compile a list of these readings, be they smart, estimated or customer reads and you might have a basis for challenging their estimates as you can use this historical data to support your case.👍
The trouble is that when smart meters stop recording usage, it is obviously very difficult for you or Eon Next to assess what you might have used in these months. A prolonged absence of regular meter reads, prior to the meter going dead (and not recording usage), will make it very difficult for you to make your case with Eon Next or with the ombudsman.
I'll do as you say. In the meantime, here's the to-and-fro between them and me
Me: my smart meter gave no readings from July. I had a new higher efficiency boiler in August that does not keep coming on like the old one did. Please adjust my estimates to show that.
Them: we had no readings from you.
Me: my meter gave no readings. I had a new meter in late January.
Them: your meter is giving readings now.
Me: I know. I had a new one in January. The old one gave no readings.
Them: please send us the last reading on your old meter.
Me: the old meter gave no readings. I don't have a last reading from when it was replaced.
Them: we will reduce your estimates.
They then raised the estimates.