Why does Phantom gas usage appear then disappear?

Hi @MCH59,

This is unusual. It may be worth contacting the Support team about this so they can look into your account properly for you. Unfortunately we don’t have access to your account here.

I can see your account is showing daily smart readings but it doesn’t seem like you’re using any gas at the moment?

Correct, I only use it for heating. That's why it sticks out like a sore thumb.

I did have something similar happening with static gas meter readings following a failed gas meter exchange in May 2023.

For some reason the meter numbers still got changed, and my gas billing was then being calculated against the never fitted smart gas meter, which of course was sat on a shelf somewhere and not connected to any supply.
(Just how that non-changing ‘smart’ reading was supposedly being recieved at DCC when miles away from my communications hub on top of my electricity meter is another question).

It took a few months but I did eventually get the mumbers sorted out at OVO so they were again using my manual readings from the still fitted old gas meter.
(They are coming to try again and fit a new SMETS2 gas meter in about a month).

@MCH59 Have you had a failed meter exchange in the past year or so?

Yes, it is a fully functional and installed gas meter.

The meter readings are all correct - so the phantom usage isn't reflected in the meter readings themselves - and the billing is ultimately correct, so it seems to be a database error that corrects itself when the billing finally hits the account late in the afternoon.

Could be a product of zero use. Perhaps an indexing issue. Anyone's guess really 🤷🏼‍♂️

If you select £ instead of kWh, does the amount look as if it could be the daily standing charge?  

No, I thought of that one. I wish my standing charge was just £0.03 per day 😉

Yes, could be. I'll report it, but it really isn't a big issue - as I said billing is ultimately fine. 

As much as anything I am putting it out there in case anyone else gets confused by it in the future and can see that it isn't anything to worry about it.

Hi @MCH59,

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

It seems our forum volunteers have given some good advice here. Hope it was helpful.

Please let us know if you experience any further issues.