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Gas kwh big jump in usage for unknown reason

  • 16 February 2024
  • 12 replies
  • 334 views

I had to submit my meter readings manually after my smart meter decided to just not send them anymore. I was unable to enter the readings online so contacted the web chat advisor. He asked me to take photographs of the meter readings due to them not sounding correct. 

I then received an updated bill stating I needed to up my DD to £1038 a month from £191 I usually pay. I'm absolutely shocked and definitely can't afford this. 

My usage is stating that I used over 7000kw of gas in January. My January 16th meter reading was 07935 KW (sent by smart meter), today's reading is 90302kw. I barely put the heating on and my smart meter shows I use around £7 a day on gas and electric (electric is always higher than gas in my house). 

What do I need to do now? Surely this is an error on my meter?

 

12 replies

L
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This is a comparison to the year before.

 

Firedog
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Where did that ‘manual’ reading for 16 February come from? It should have been about 8000, judging by the earlier usage. Did you submit it? Do you have the photo from that date?

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA
BPLightlog
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Where did that ‘manual’ reading for 16 February come from? It should have been about 8000, judging by the earlier usage. Did you submit it? Do you have the photo from that date?

Perhaps the 9 should be an 8 ?

So 8030 would make sense. A photo would be good but the present reading might also help

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
L
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The 09030 is from my meter outside. The bill for January shows they used estimates but it still doesn't make sense? Unless it's not basic maths used to work out KW/h

 

Firedog
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I think you’d better check that gas meter again: the reading you’ve given  suggests that you’ve used 1000m³ more gas than expected. 

To make sense of the kWh figure for gas consumption, here’s the formula: 4f130948-70ff-42c7-8b19-b10ca2838a84.jpg.

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA
L
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L
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It's saying my gas is on but I have no heating on or hot water running!

L
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OVO are querying my bill but this can take 10 working days! 

BPLightlog
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@Lauren87 , the reading you need for the bill is the one with m3 on the screen so 8038 not the other with kWh .
If you send that photo and ask them to correct the bill

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
L
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Is it really? Am I that stupid? I sent the picture of the actual meter to the OVO man and he inputted that figure and didn't question it! I'll send it over now, thank you for your help!

BPLightlog
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That meter is confusing (to me). You are supplied in cubic metres (m3) which gets converted to kWh for your bill. The kWh on the meter is an approx calculation and so not used. 
All the other ‘smart’ readings are using the m3 figures. 
They should have noticed when you sent the photos but obviously didn’t.

I don’t know if your meter needs a restart but as long as the ‘lever’ by the meter is on, it should be supplying gas. 
 

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
L
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I've just gone back to 'how to take a meter reading' and it clearly states to use the m³ numbers. Just me being dozy. I can relax now, knowing I'm not having to pay £1000 a month for my freezing cold house.

Thank you all for your help, I definitely got more from you guys than the online chat with OVO! Who I have dealt with twice today already, sent photographs and explained the circumstances and still got told to wait 10 working days whilst they looked into it.

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