Faulty meter

  • rogi1's Avatar
    Level 6
    I recently had a new electricity meter installed after reporting a faulty one that was giving higher than normal readings (confirmed by visit from engineer) My problem now is that from the time of reporting the fault in August to getting a new meter in November i've gone from being just in credit to £ 420 in debit as i assume the higher readings were used to calculate my bill. Also my monthly payments have doubled. I've spoken on the phone a couple of times to eon but not sure if this will be refunded in some way now that the new meter is working.
  • 12 Replies

  • Best Answer

    retrotecchie's Avatar
    Level 92
    Best Answer
    @meldrewreborn

    If you have contacted your energy supplier (the company sending the bills) about your electricity meter readings but remain unhappy at the outcome, you have the right to request an independent test of your meter.
    Although the test is free, you may have to pay your energy supplier for organising it if your meter is found to be working correctly, which was the case for the vast majority of meters tested in 2021.

    The process

    1. Ask your energy supplier for an independent test of your meter. You will be contacted to agree a time for its on-site testing. This will be done by an independent examiner, in the presence of an operative from your supplier.
    2. It’s best to note your meter reading and serial number on the day of the visit.
    3. The examiner will carry out checks on your meter while it is still in place and discuss your concerns with you.
    4. Your meter will then be removed by the operative and a replacement installed. Your meter will be taken away by the examiner to an approved laboratory for further testing.

    Unfortunately if the meter has already been swapped, it might not be so easy to do after the fact.

    Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player. I DON'T work for or on behalf of EON.Next, but am willing to try and help if I can. Not on mains gas, mobile network or mains drainage. House heated almost entirely by baby dragons.
  • JoeSoap's Avatar
    Level 91
    @rogi1

    When you say you’ve spoken on the phone, have you asked about crediting your account to compensate for the meter being faulty?

    Maybe send an email explaining exactly what has happened so far. If a test meter was fitted alongside your faulty meter then they should know by how much it was over-recording your consumption. This could be used to work out how much you were overcharged during the period since you reported the fault and the meter being changed.
    I'm an Eon Next dual fuel customer with no particular expertise but have some time on my hands that I am using to try and help out a bit.
  • Mailman's Avatar
    Level 60
    I recently had a new electricity meter installed after reporting a faulty one that was giving higher than normal readings (confirmed by visit from engineer) My problem now is that from the time of reporting the fault in August to getting a new meter in November i've gone from being just in credit to £ 420 in debit as i assume the higher readings were used to calculate my bill. Also my monthly payments have doubled. I've spoken on the phone a couple of times to eon but not sure if this will be refunded in some way now that the new meter is working.

    What are your new daily reads like compared to those of yours in a previous thread where you detailed your electricity usage over a period of time?

    The advice given above by @JoeSoap seems to be a good way for you to proceed so long as you can demonstrate that your daily usage rate since the new meter has been installed is considerably less than what it was in summer when you first reported it in the above thread. 👍
    Last edited by Mailman; 14-11-23 at 22:46.
  • Mailman's Avatar
    Level 60
    If a test meter was fitted alongside your faulty meter then they should know by how much it was over-recording your consumption. This could be used to work out how much you were overcharged during the period since you reported the fault and the meter being changed.

    I don't think we know if this is what has happened so perhaps @rogi1 can advise.
  • rogi1's Avatar
    Level 6
    @rogi1

    When the engineer checked the old meter he didn't say that a test meter to compare with the possible faulty one was an option, just said that i should ask to get a new one fitted. The new one seems to be o.k, i've used about 25 kwh in a week where i was using an average of about 20 kwh per day from daily readings over a month. The final figure on the old meter was taken when the new one was installed so eon should have this.
    When i was on the phone to explain the situation they said that they would get back to me but so far no one has. I checked my usage back over the last 12 months before finding the fault so i would have thought it would not be too difficult to work back and just give an estimated bill based on those until i submit some readings from the new meter.
  • meldrewreborn's Avatar
    Level 91
    @rogi1

    i seem to recall that suspect meters should be tested somewhere to see if they were under/ over recording . Perhaps @retrotecchie or @theunknowntech knows for sure.
    Current Eon Next customer, ex EDF, Zog and Symbio. Don't think dual fuel saves money and don't like smart meters. Chronologically Gifted. If I offend let me know by private message, but I’ll continue to express my opinions nonetheless.
  • meldrewreborn's Avatar
    Level 91
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Size:  65.3 KB@retrotecchie

    by keeping this process quiet, the supplier denies the customer the opportunity for testing to be carried out and their suspicions confirmed.
    Last edited by meldrewreborn; 17-11-23 at 07:22.
  • retrotecchie's Avatar
    Level 92
    @meldrewreborn

    According to statistics from the Office for Product and Safety Standards, a government body, only around 7% of electricity meters tested are found to be over-reading. The figures for gas meters out of accuracy are significantly higher at almost 42%.
  • meldrewreborn's Avatar
    Level 91
    @retrotecchie

    7 % over-reading is a hell of a lot. Do the 42% all over-read, and is there a difference between bellows type and electronic flow meters?