Energy usage - incredibly high in new house - meter issue?

[TreeDice]

I'm not sure if this is the right board but I'm looking for some advice so thought I'd give it a go!

I purchased a property in Dec 2020 as a first time buyer. As it was across the country from where I was renting at the time, due to Covid, I was unable to move in until Feb 21. Crucially, I was not able to get a meter reading until I moved in in Feb. I figured this would not be a huge issue as there was no-one in the property and nothing switched on between Dec and Feb (the property was completely empty, boiler on holiday mode, nothing else in the property).

I spoke to my energy provider the day I moved in with meter readings from that morning. All set up successfully and I've been paying by direct debit ever since.

I received a bill in Mar time that showed my consumption between Dec and Feb (i.e. while I owned the property but before I moved in) as £600. This is a huge amount for three months given that my bills are usually around £60 a month (two person household). Electric seems to be the suspect with it showing incredibly high usage (around 6,000kwh over those first three months despite nothing electric being in the property).

I spoke to the energy company who recommended a smart meter and to see what my consumption was for a 6 month period and to call back. I agreed to the smart meter and have received monthly bills since, none of which have been over £60 for gas and electric combined.

I'm getting ready to ring the provider again in the next fortnight and wanted to see if anyone had experienced anything similar? I'm really confused as to how it could have happened in the first place (faulty meter? Incorrect meter reading from the person leaving? System error?) and I'm worried about trying to pay off the extra £600 that is currently showing on my account (although I have paid off my bills for my actual usage every month on time).

Any thoughts?

Anyone had anything similar?

They probably did it deliberately to encourage you to get a smart meter installed.

They would have likely used estimated opening readings that were incorrect. Have you contacted them and asked them to re-estimate them? Are you also sure nothing was left on (eg underfloor heating etc) from when you bought to when you moved in?

I'm fine with the smart meter to be honest - saves me having to send them meter readings every month.

Definitely nothing on, it was an empty shell. On the first call, they said as I'd never been with them before, I'd have to do 6 months so they could probably estimate my usage. The issue is, I wasnt in the property at the time so it should be super, super low. I can proof my tenancy was still ongoing in my rented flat and that I was still paying council tax etc there.

Paying the £180 for those three months would be better than having to pay the £600 though I guess...

I'm also assuming the previous tenant gave meter readings when they sold the house so I'm wondering how that works?

Previous owner obviously gave the wrong readings

Or left the immersion heater on

We haven't touched the immersion heater and our bills are back to where we'd expect them.

I can see this being a bit of a battle ...

Sounds like the previous owner/tenant gave the wrong readings when they moved out. As in, they told the provider the readings were, say 5500 when they were actually 8000 - so you have been billed from 5500 to whatever it is now, not 8000. I would have whinge at the energy company - and ask to raise a complaint. They should have processes to flag if someone puts in a very low reading (because they’ll know what they generally use) and you can explain that you were not able to visit the property due to covid and ask for the additional amount to be wiped. They’re not obliged to (someone has used the energy after all, and it’s not their fault you didn’t get a reading earlier on) but good companies should be understanding.

Previous owner obviously gave the wrong readings

Yep. Either as a genuine error, or to try and stick the next tenant with an inflated bill.

Either way, not sure what you can do - even if you weren't moving in permanently, you should have attempted to get your own meter reading right at the start of the tenancy.

Yeah, I definitely dropped the ball on the meter reading.

Not that it's an excuse, but I was on the shielded list and wasnt able to travel. We tried to delay the sale but it wasnt possible.

I wont be making that mistake again!

I guess I'll have to plead my case with the energy provider and see how far I get ... wish me luck!

Thanks everyone

I agree with the posters above - the wrong readings were given by the previous occupant.

You need to argue that the meter readings you gave them were the same as they were in Dec.

Incorrect meter reading from the person leaving

This.

Id go to the Citizen advise for assistant with this

it clearly isn't correct as the future bills when you are living in the property aren't as big

When I moved in to my house, I was quoted £27 for 5 days! The gas hadn’t even been turned on at that point.
Called and explained this and the bill was reduced to the standing charge per day about £1 🙂