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Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Hi Fiona, you can search the Community for words like ‘solar’ to check other’s experience. Also check your meter by turning off all appliances on a sunny day and see if it is recording as consumption. If this is the fault it will need an electrician. Before Smart meters the older meters used to run backwards when solar was in excess of consumption but some smart meters cannot cope with that situation. (Apparently)
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Davc no my meter readings were not estimated before the smart meter was fitted. What has happened is that the smart meter has not been wired in correctly, it records what my solar panels produce and not what I use. My compaint is with the ombusdmen and I am going after compensation, since Scottish Power refused to acknowledge that there was a problem. Even the ombusdmen could see there was a problem straight away, when my smart meter recorded no electricity usage on some of the Winter days and astrononmical use on Summer days. Scottish Power customer service is appaling they dont listen and they think they are always right!
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Hi all,
Firstly I am SO relieved to see that I’m not the only one being driven totally mad by this issue with Scottish Power.
I could have written the majority of messages on here, I have exactly the same problem. Smart meter installed in March and monthly debits have been increasing hugely over the year and now I’m paying over double what we were paying this time last year even though nothing has changed (if anything we’re totally paranoid so trying not to use anything unless necessary!!)
Whenever I speak to Scottish Power I end up being on the phone for hours going round and round because they simply say that’s what we’re using. And what can you say to that?
My question is, has anyone actually managed to get this sorted? What can I do to solve this?
Thanks in advance.
Firstly I am SO relieved to see that I’m not the only one being driven totally mad by this issue with Scottish Power.
I could have written the majority of messages on here, I have exactly the same problem. Smart meter installed in March and monthly debits have been increasing hugely over the year and now I’m paying over double what we were paying this time last year even though nothing has changed (if anything we’re totally paranoid so trying not to use anything unless necessary!!)
Whenever I speak to Scottish Power I end up being on the phone for hours going round and round because they simply say that’s what we’re using. And what can you say to that?
My question is, has anyone actually managed to get this sorted? What can I do to solve this?
Thanks in advance.
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Hi Victoria, Sorry to hear that. Are you one of the people with solar panels? That combination causes a lot of problems. If not then are your meters working or are you on estimated readings? If not it is a mystery, There is no reason to think smart meters measure kWh any different to ordinary meters. Try turning everything off and see if the meters stop recording. Finally do not believe what the IHD or App tell you, the only way to tell your consumption is true is from your real bills which should match the readings your meters are showing.
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Thanks so much for your reply. No, we don’t have solar panels.
To be honest, I haven’t looked into my bills in detail and I’ve just been relying on the conversations that I’ve had with SP and believed that the info they have given me is right. However, reading back through these comments is making me think that I need to really get my head around my bills.
I assumed that because we have a smart meter that we can’t be on estimated bills? That’s the point of them isn’t it?
Yes, good plan, I’ll try switching everything off.
What does IHD stand for? (Sorry!)
I’ve just been looking into it further and noticed that on our consumption graph in April (a month after our smart meter was installed) there’s a HUGE spike that is an estimated bill. I’m not sure why and now I’m wondering if that’s what is causing the problem and giving us the debt maybe?? Sorry to give even more questions....!
To be honest, I haven’t looked into my bills in detail and I’ve just been relying on the conversations that I’ve had with SP and believed that the info they have given me is right. However, reading back through these comments is making me think that I need to really get my head around my bills.
I assumed that because we have a smart meter that we can’t be on estimated bills? That’s the point of them isn’t it?
Yes, good plan, I’ll try switching everything off.
What does IHD stand for? (Sorry!)
I’ve just been looking into it further and noticed that on our consumption graph in April (a month after our smart meter was installed) there’s a HUGE spike that is an estimated bill. I’m not sure why and now I’m wondering if that’s what is causing the problem and giving us the debt maybe?? Sorry to give even more questions....!
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
No problem Victoria. IHD is the hand held display they give you with the smart meter. Keep checking the bills and make sure they line up with the what the meter is saying. The IHD will give accurate kWh data but hopeless history and £ values.
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Hi I contacted the ombudsman and they were helpful they said I was entitled to change my meter back if I was not happy with the service of the smart meter and also to contact Ofgem which I will do today. When I contacted Scottish Power customer service two people agreed my bills were high and one said they were in line !!! I was told to make a complaint with microgem. I also asked whether their smart meter was compatible with solar and was told that it was !!! I also looked up the CEO of Scottish Power email which I have got and will be sending them an email . I think the more official complaints that are made the better.
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Hi again Fiona, thanks for the update, please keep us informed because it will help other customers with the solar power + smart meter problem.
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Thanks for this Fiona, it’s really helpful to hear your progress.
I called SP yesterday and there appears to be two issues that I need to dispute: 1) my average KW use per day is 10 kw more than at the same time last year (14 kw more in May-July than the same time the previous year which is double the usage!). Absolutely nothing has changed in the house, there’s no explaining the huge increase although the smart meter was fitted in January. Apparently I can pay £50 to have a checking meter installed, great.
2) I have 2 estimated bills. December 2017 was for £420 and April 2018 was for £590!!!!! Before everything started going wrong I was only paying £110 per month for my 3 bed house!The guy on the phone said that as I had the smart meter installed in January there’s no way it should have been estimated. Therefore I have been struggling to pay back a debt that is entirely made up!!! I know that I should’ve noticed on my account before now but I’m furious!!!
I’ll see what happens next with my complaint but I’ll definitely email the CEO once I hear what they’re going to do about it. I agree, the more people who complain the better.
I called SP yesterday and there appears to be two issues that I need to dispute: 1) my average KW use per day is 10 kw more than at the same time last year (14 kw more in May-July than the same time the previous year which is double the usage!). Absolutely nothing has changed in the house, there’s no explaining the huge increase although the smart meter was fitted in January. Apparently I can pay £50 to have a checking meter installed, great.
2) I have 2 estimated bills. December 2017 was for £420 and April 2018 was for £590!!!!! Before everything started going wrong I was only paying £110 per month for my 3 bed house!The guy on the phone said that as I had the smart meter installed in January there’s no way it should have been estimated. Therefore I have been struggling to pay back a debt that is entirely made up!!! I know that I should’ve noticed on my account before now but I’m furious!!!
I’ll see what happens next with my complaint but I’ll definitely email the CEO once I hear what they’re going to do about it. I agree, the more people who complain the better.
Re: Smart Meter showing incredibly high usage
Hi everyone I took my complaint regarding the smart metre not working correctly with my solar panels to the ombudsmen. After months of stress and Scottish Power denying there was any issue even though it was obvious that something was wrong, the ombudsmen has ruled in my favour. I have been rewarded compensation and all my bills for the past 17 months have to be recalculated based on average daily usage before the smart metre was fitted. I am not stopping with the ombudsmen, as I have a letter from a legal representative who works for a solar panel company stating that energy companies should not be fitting these smart meters with solar panel as the technology is not there yet and all the energy companies are aware of this. I have taken the issue to the house of commons and I will do everything I can to stop this deception for customers
