Crazy electric bill - commercial premises (1)

[u587162]

I’m with a large energy supplier (begins with O) and have what is known as a CT Supply meter. We are a small dental practice and our energy consumption is relatively low. We’ve been experiencing erratic bills and even no bill for six months. I have an active complaint ongoing since January and again since a July with the regulator now involved but they are hopeless.

We’ve suddenly received a bill for July for £5300 and another one for £450 pm when last year, when we took over the business it was about £80-100 pm.

I believe our consumption to be about 10kw per day because I’ve measured the 4 digit digital meter reading many times over the year including intraday sometimes. After a long investigation by the supplier they are now saying the charge is correct despite initially saying they agreed it was wrong after I sent pictures of the reading. They say that my CT meter is actually 5 digits and that a data reader dials into my meter (it’s not a smart meter) and they see 5 digits and not 4 (which is displayed on ours).

They say that our meter reading consumption needs to be multiplied by 10x. The means we’re using 100kw a day is impossible.

Below is their detailed email explanation. I’d really appreciate some help on this because something is not right.

Supplier response:
Your meter is shown as 4 digits meter readings, the 10x multiplier on your meter which means while your meter is showing a consumption of 10kWh, this is 100kWh as the remote meter reading is 5 digits. This multiplication factor is due to the CT supply (Current Transformer) and the meter has been configured due to the expected consumption in your property.

Next steps:

1.Our first step is to perform the accuracy test on your meter and I have listed the instructions below. As discussed, our recommended time is 10-15minutes however if you wish to process this for longer, please do.

Creep Test

Turn off your power at the fuse box.

Take a photo of the meter reading.

Wait 10-15 minutes.

Take another photo of the meter reading and if the digits on your meter are still going round it's highly likely the meter is faulty. We will still need to test it though.

If it didn’t move it is less likely to be faulty.

2.Our next step is to discuss the possibility of a meter exchange, I have reached out to our metering specialist today to ask if a meter exchange would result in the configuration showing 5 digits as opposed to the 10x multiplication factor. I will provide further confirmation on this once I have an update, I have also requested confirmation on whether we can remotely reconfigure the meter to show 5 digits rather than 4 to avoid disruption on your side.

If a meter exchange will result in 5 digits rather than 4, we can proceed with a request for the out of hours appointment on a Saturday as agreed.

 

[u587162]

I’m with a large energy supplier (begins with O) and have what is known as a CT Supply meter. We are a small dental practice and our energy consumption is relatively low. We’ve been experiencing erratic bills and even no bill for six months. I have an active complaint ongoing since January and again since a July with the regulator now involved but they are hopeless.

We’ve suddenly received a bill for July for £5300 and another one for £450 pm when last year, when we took over the business it was about £80-100 pm.

I believe our consumption to be about 10kw per day because I’ve measured the 4 digit digital meter reading many times over the year including intraday sometimes. After a long investigation by the supplier they are now saying the charge is correct despite initially saying they agreed it was wrong after I sent pictures of the reading. They say that my CT meter is actually 5 digits and that a data reader dials into my meter (it’s not a smart meter) and they see 5 digits and not 4 (which is displayed on ours).

They say that our meter reading consumption needs to be multiplied by 10x. The means we’re using 100kw a day is impossible.

Below is their detailed email explanation. I’d really appreciate some help on this because something is not right.

Supplier response:
Your meter is shown as 4 digits meter readings, the 10x multiplier on your meter which means while your meter is showing a consumption of 10kWh, this is 100kWh as the remote meter reading is 5 digits. This multiplication factor is due to the CT supply (Current Transformer) and the meter has been configured due to the expected consumption in your property.

Next steps:

1.Our first step is to perform the accuracy test on your meter and I have listed the instructions below. As discussed, our recommended time is 10-15minutes however if you wish to process this for longer, please do.

Creep Test

Turn off your power at the fuse box.

Take a photo of the meter reading.

Wait 10-15 minutes.

Take another photo of the meter reading and if the digits on your meter are still going round it's highly likely the meter is faulty. We will still need to test it though.

If it didn’t move it is less likely to be faulty.

2.Our next step is to discuss the possibility of a meter exchange, I have reached out to our metering specialist today to ask if a meter exchange would result in the configuration showing 5 digits as opposed to the 10x multiplication factor. I will provide further confirmation on this once I have an update, I have also requested confirmation on whether we can remotely reconfigure the meter to show 5 digits rather than 4 to avoid disruption on your side.

If a meter exchange will result in 5 digits rather than 4, we can proceed with a request for the out of hours appointment on a Saturday as agreed.

 

[u587162]

The two pics attached here show a meter reading at 512pm yesterday and 912, 4 hours later. The surgery was empty with myself and a colleague doing admin work with no machines on except a few lights, a computer and a small kitchen fridge running.

It shows 1 unit of electricity consumed meter reading 007081 and then 007082. 1kw I can understand but under their formula and this being a CT meter, we’ve used 10kw. No heaters were on either.

 

[Wayners]

Organise a second meter ( check meter) to compare and test.

 

[robinbanks]

Is it possible for you to flick the main trip switch at night, and see if the readings increase even though nothing in your building is drawing?

My past boss was most surprised to find, when he was having an electric car charger fitted, that his neighbour's house was wired into his meter..

Have you considered purchasing your own, separate, CT clamp based energy monitor? They're a DIY fit, no electrician required; if you know how to read and peg washing on a line you have all the necessary skills to fit one. It doesn't have to be hugely accurate to detect a suspected 10x difference (though they're pretty good), something like a standalone Owl Whole House Energy Monitor for example

 

[Murdochcat]

Takes weekly readings from the meter at the same time / day so you get a handle on what you are using.

With the older bills you got did you check the actual readings to the bills?

 

[RepairingDave]

Your meter does have 'x10' displayed on the right hand side, but will no decimal point it is making the readings 10 times higher than they should be.
It looks like someone has configured the meter wrong - the difficulty is proving it.

Surely you meter reading of 007082 is a 6 digit reading?

Also, remember your usage is measured in kWh (kilowatt hours), I don't want to sound awkward, but you never know with the person on the other end of the phone/email.

 

[u587162]

Takes weekly readings from the meter at the same time / day so you get a handle on what you are using.

With the older bills you got did you check the actual readings to the bills?

I have taken both daily and weekly meter readings in the past, the situation is no different. Which is how I came to the conclusion that my average daily consumption is 10kw or 10 units according to the meter.

My readings go back to May 2023 when we took over the business. They were billing correctly for about 5-6 months circa £80pm before receiving no bills from Jan to July 2024 before I alerted them to it and then suddenly one large back dates bill.

The previous owner also had similar issues receiving a £10k bill but it got rectified I think. Something about the energy supplier after 12 months cannot claim money back for an incorrectly overcharged bill or something like that is what the energy supplier has told me.

 

[u587162]

Your meter does have 'x10' displayed on the right hand side, but will no decimal point it is making the readings 10 times higher than they should be.
It looks like someone has configured the meter wrong - the difficulty is proving it.

Surely you meter reading of 007082 is a 6 digit reading?

Also, remember your usage is measured in kWh (kilowatt hours), I don't want to sound awkward, but you never know with the person on the other end of the phone/email.

Yes am aware of the 10x display but the agents at the energy supplier didn’t realise this until it went to investigation after I kicked up the complaint.

You make a valid point about it being 6 digits rather than 4, I guess we ignored talking about the 0 prefixes. I guess then they should be talking about a 7 digit meter I don’t know.

Can you pls clarify what you meant by your final paragraph I didn’t follow.

 

[RepairingDave]

Can you pls clarify what you meant by your final paragraph I didn’t follow.

1 unit is 1kWh, whereas you put kW in your posts (maybe unintentional). It isn't a big difference, but you have to be careful with some of the awkward souls working for the energy companies.

If you say you are using 10kW a day there is probably someone out there daft enough to think you mean you are using a 10kW appliance all day!

 

[SUNRAY]

10KWh per day doesn't sound much for a dental practice, that is roughly a constant 1KW or 4 Amps through the day. However runless it's large practice, 100KWh per day seems an aweful lot.
Your 1KWh for 4 hours of admin isn't much but feels sensible where 10KWh weels like lots.

Multimeters with a current clamp are available which include data storage. This can be clipped onto your main tail and gice a running total, some will be downloadable and provide a graph of useage.

Why do you have a CT meter, an overall photo of the setup of meter consumer units etc may be useful.

 

[SUNRAY]

Request to merge both threads sent.