Who else has dodgy or incorrect Eon meter readings lately?

  • SmartMeterQueries's Avatar
    Level 5
    Hello!

    I'm building a thread for community, action and solidarity of people who've had incorrect readings on Eon smart meters, and been hit with big bills and/ or heaps of hassle because of this. You are not in this fight alone, even if you're told there are no errors with this technology.

    I've been "gas-lighted" (apt) by an Eon customer service person who insists a smart meters cannot be wrong, and is refusing to re-asses or update my gas bill. This is despite endless evidence, photos of the reader, manual recordings, and an Eon staff member who let slip in writing that my meter is faulty.

    If my bill this week doesn't get adjusted to accurately reflect my real usage, I will be pulling out all the stops to hold Eon accountable. I can't tolerate liars or the fact that families are being forced to choose between food fuel from these errors.

    I'd love to be able to find others in this position, so when this heartless person at Eon says a meter reading can't be wrong, I can have proof in numbers.

    Thanks all, and good luck with your fight agaisnt corrupt billing
  • 13 Replies

  • Best Answer

    retrotecchie's Avatar
    Level 92
    Best Answer
    @SmartMeterQueries

    Can you show us the actual meter readings on which billing has been based for the periods in question? How many were 'smart' readings, how many were manually submitted readings and were any actually submitted by a meter reader?

    The usual reason for bills needing to be recalculated is where smart readings have not been taken so estimates have been used instead to 'guestimate' a monthly bill. If your readings have gone down rather than up, that suggests that an estimate has been used at some point, and then corrections have been applied once a definitive reading has been used. From your screenshot, it seems that estimates are being used. That happens when the smart meters can't send readings and you haven't manually submitted a reading in it's place.

    You are also paying by a method other than direct debit, so that isn't helping matters. You'd pay rather less if you set up a DD, and that can be a variable DD rather than a fixed monthly amount if you prefer.

    I know smart meters are supposed to make life easier and make billing more accurate, but it seems in your case that readings haven't been submitted, either 'smartly' or manually so estimates have been used in their place. Add to that the changes in tariff every quarter (assuming you are on the variable rate Next Flex option), that creates a whole can of worms with recalculation if you don't provide accurate readings on cap change dates (01 Jan, 01 Apr, 01 Jul and 01 Oct).

    I don't have a smart meter, but I submit manual readings every month without fail. Even folk with smart meters still like to submit manual readings quarterly to make sure the billing is accurate when the price cap changes. Smart reading scheduled dates rarely coincide with tariff changes.

    Go into the meter read history on your online account and see what the reads say (SMART, Estimate or Manual). That will give you some idea as to what is transpiring.

    My meter read history looks like this and you can see estimates have been used on occasion, but an accurate manual read will get things back on track very quickly. As it happens in my case, E.On Next are far more likely to actually underestimate than overestimate!

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    Last edited by retrotecchie; 21-05-24 at 12:29. Reason: Typo
    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.
  • SmartMeterQueries's Avatar
    Level 5
    Please share below anyone else who had huge and obviously wrong meter readings from Eon this month?

    I'm building a thread for evidence, action and solidarity. A deeply unhelpful Eon representive claimed a smart meter can't be wrong, despite my many photos of evidence.

    I want to stop being 'gaslighted' about my incorrect gas bill

    Thanks all
  • SmartMeterQueries's Avatar
    Level 5
    Please share below anyone else who had huge and obviously wrong meter readings from Eon this month?

    I'm building a thread for evidence, action and solidarity. A deeply unhelpful Eon representive claimed a smart meter can't be wrong, despite my many photos of evidence.

    I want to stop being 'gaslighted' about my incorrect gas bill

    Thanks all
  • WizzyWigg's Avatar
    Level 87
    Evening @SmartMeterQueries If you haven't already done so make a formal complaint via unhappy@eonnext.com . If your complaint can not be satisfactorily be resolved after 8 weeks it gives you the ability to take it to the Ombudsman. You can find more information and procedures here: https://www.eonnext.com/unhappy
  • SmartMeterQueries's Avatar
    Level 5
    Thanks - I've looped in that email, and will keep my fingers crossed!
  • Andy65's Avatar
    Level 47
    Hi @SmartMeterQueries

    Firstly, which meter are you referring to - electric, gas or both?

    Can you supply more detail on the problems that you're experiencing, why you think that the readings are incorrect, have you carried out a creep test etc?
  • Andy65's Avatar
    Level 47
    Hi @SmartMeterQueries

    As frustrating as meter/billing problems are, can you please refrain from making multiple posts on the same subject. It will most likely hinder getting the help and advice that you need and it certainly won't help anyone else in the future who may have similar issues. Thanks.
  • SmartMeterQueries's Avatar
    Level 5
    Hello.

    It's my gas meter.

    My Jan reading was 4319, and my Feb reading was 4406, but my 14th April reading appears to have gone back in time and shows 4395

    My bill for May is £187 and I'm told it stretched back to January, but I've always paid every bill I've been sent, and take regular photos of my meter to check usage. I was first told my large bill was due to me using 200 units in April and May.

    A screenshot should be attached for reference. Thanks

    When I showed this usage was not possible from the photos, I was told it's backdated costs I owe. But I'm unclear about these.
    Attached Images Attached Images  
  • SmartMeterQueries's Avatar
    Level 5
    @Andy65 Please see reply above with pic, thanks

    It says there have been some reverse charges, but even accounting for these, I can see how I've underpaid by £187 based on my actual usage