I submitted a reading incorrectly. How do I amend this?

I think you can just input the correct reading if it’s still in the same day.. up till midnight. 

I live overseas 6 months of the year in Tenerife. I will be here until late May 2023.

This has happened every year (bar one year) since 2016.

I leave connected only a small pond pump, a cctv system and an outside light in my old telephone box.

I use more or less 400 units every quarter/3 months every time.

My neighbour, as always, reads my meters twice while I am away. This time my meter is showing a usage of 10881 units since 15 Nov 2022 which equates to many thousands of pounds. I left the UK on 24 Nov 2022 and my house remains empty. Not even the heating is left on.

Obviously there is a serious discrpency resulting in my immediate call to OVO.

They have instructed a new meter is to be installed in about 3 weeks time. My neighbour will give the engineer access.

However at no point did they ease my mind over the overreading issue or even mention it further apart from taking the current reading at the onset. I have this nasty feeling I am going to get a massive bill of £7000+ and menacing no reply texts and menacing no reply emails very soon (and probably letters because they will miss that I am still away and will continue to be for several months).

How can I prevent this??

Thank you for any replies……   RW.

Your only option @Tenerifeisgreat i would think is if you have a series of meter readings (with photos if possible) so that typical usage is able to be determined. 
If these are not frequent enough (as I suspect from what you’ve already said) then a meter test of your current meter to see if it is over reading would be my next suggestion

@Tenerifeisgreat

Good advice from @BPLightlog

You haven't got long, so you need to think about whether you want to pay for and arrange a Meter Accuracy Test before your smart meter is installed else it will all be too late and more difficult to get any resolution with the meter gone.

Unless OVO has agreed something else in writing about your bills? Perhaps ask for that? 

I think there’s another thing that might help as well.

If possible, try to take a video of the Creep Test while doing it, making sure the Meter Serial Number and the readings are clearly visible as best as possible. This makes life a LOT easier later and helps to prove the meter failed that test. You still need a MAT anyway, but it never hurts to keep good paper trails.

In some cases, it MAY be possible to do a Read Dispute after the meter is already swapped out - especially when upgrading to a Smart Meter - because the data gathered from a Smart Meter can help to get some idea of what the real usage might have been before the swap.

If you can get an official test though, it makes that process a lot easier because OVO can use the data from the accuracy test to enhance the number crunching and get it pretty much bang on.

Thanks gents.  I have asked my neighbour to take a fresh reading asap. The last one was 4 days ago. 

This should show abnormal consumption and if so I will ask him to take regular photographed readings every few days until they fit the new meter.

I have also asked him to ‘feel’ for any heat.

My bills are all similar for the overseas winter periods which could be considered as evidence.

I will consider a meter test pending the readings.

I do not think this will be settled easily without the forthcoming hassle of having to defend myself.

I suppose it is a classic ‘it is what it is’ scenario.

Thank goodness I am not on direct debit.

I would suggest doing the creep test as suggested. 

I only say that as... 

We have definitely seen instances where it was something faulty or left on in the house by mistake. 

We definitely see that more than faulty meters.

Just taking photos of the meter may not be sufficient in OVOs eyes. 

That’s also why we recommend killing the power to the entire property via the fusebox when doing the test. Because then it guarantees that absolutely nothing can interfere… And also proves whether it was just some other thing guzzling tons of power.

There is nothing on in the house exept a small vcr powering 4 small dome cameras.

The temperature was 8.5 degrees centigrade inside my house the day he checked the readings

Nearly 11000 units is industrial usage. I cannot think of any one electrical apparatus (inside a normal house) that could possibly use over £7000’s worth in 3 months

Thanks for your comments and ideas.