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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to expect the electricity company to sort this out?

3 replies

notafruit · 20/10/2022 19:00

DD2 has moved into a flat. Her flat has a smart meter. Since she moved in in August she's been concerned that her electricity usage has been rather high. After doing some calculations it seems her usage is only slightly less than mine. In my 4 bedroom house. With 5 people living in it.
She's recently been on holiday and on return her meter shows she's used £3 ish a day when only her freezer was left plugged in.
The electricity company insist the reading is correct. The meter number is the correct number for her flat. She insists the meter is clearly wrong.
Yesterday she flipped the off switch on her meter. (All the meters for her building are in a small room) Her electricity was still on. So she turned off another meter, and another...and eventually found the meter which is connected to her flat.
She's told the company, but unless the occupant of the other flat contacts them the reckon they can't do anything. She doesn't know which flat it is. It's a big building with several floors. She can only assume, given the usage that it's one of the larger flats. Her management company can't help as they don't own the whole building, just a few of the flats. I've suggested the ombudsman, but she can't approach them until her complaint has been ongoing for 2 months, and it's only been a couple of weeks since she first contacted them.
So, AIBU to think the company should sort this out? And does anyone know how we can encourage them to sort it?

OP posts:
Anydaynowonewouldhope · 20/10/2022 19:06

Just keep escalating the complaint and then go to ombudsman.

keep good records of different readings what she’s paying etc

if she’s right - as it sounds she is - the omb will sort it out and order back pay.

she should also specifically ask for interest on the amliutband compensation for distress and inconvenience

if is causing her financial hardship she should clearly state this to the company and to the omhudsman

shw should also make an official complaint to the management company/landlord - I’m not sure that they wouldn’t have greater responsibility- they should st the very least get an electrician out - it their electrics thst are weong

TimeForMeToF1y · 20/10/2022 19:11

I would take a photo of both meters involved so that she has proof of how much she's used.

Has she had a bill to confirm the meter number, there,s always the possibility that she has someone elses smart device but is being billed for the correct meter

notafruit · 20/10/2022 19:28

TimeForMeToF1y · 20/10/2022 19:11

I would take a photo of both meters involved so that she has proof of how much she's used.

Has she had a bill to confirm the meter number, there,s always the possibility that she has someone elses smart device but is being billed for the correct meter

Yes, the number matches that on the bill, which is why they won't help. They say if the number match then it must be correct. And if she is unable to provide other supporting evidence (a burns test from the flat which is actually connected to her meter) then they are unable to help further.

She doesn't have a separate smart device thingy, it's attached to the meter. Not sure how it's supposed to work. I don't have one.

OP posts:
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