Smart meter fitted and bill jumped from being £300 credit to £260 debit

[QuebecBagnet]

Which I don’t understand because we’ve always given them meter readings at least every other month. Could the smart meter be faulty? Our rate hasn’t changed as we’re on a fixed plan for any 12 months.

our payments have always covered our bills and left us in credit before so I find it odd that suddenly we’re in debt. We were literally £300 in credit the week before the meter was fitted 3 weeks ago.

Have been told I need a tinfoil hat but I don't trust these smart meters at all as have had so many similar stories! The power company really chasing to have one fitted but I'm holding fast!

I had nightmares with a smart meter. Posted on here at length. Turned out the meter had stopped working and tried in home display was maxing out at the end of the day so it looked like we were using something like £15 a day electricity. I was so stressed and was told the meter was fine then it wasn’t then it was replaced and put into dumb mode so I’m back to meter readings.

Ours was faulty - huge bills for an empty house at the time. It does happen.

Have you looked at your actual ongoing usage and how this compares?

I haven't got a smart meter, so this might be a stupid question - but can you still take an actual reading from the main meter?

Sadly I had to have one for the cheap deal. We have a little handheld widget which tells us how many pence per hour and day we’re using. Seems to settle at about 3p an hour and obviously go up when we put the oven on, etc. So doesn’t seem like we’re using excessive amounts

I’ll ring them up. I’m sure I’ll be fobbed off and told my previous readings were wrong or something. The day we had the meter fitted someone at work warned me about this, she got a bill for £1600. She went to the ombudsman and everything but had to pay it.

Apparently , as I looked into this at the time.
older meters can run slow so when a new meter is installed it reflects correct usage hence the leap.

Oh no! That’s rubbish but sounds about right.

This is what I dread if I ever decided to get one. What happens if you move house and the new owners put one in and theres a big change?

I’d guess the new owners would be liable because you take a meter reading when you move out.

Ii doubt this is anything to do with your meter

ehen energy companies work out your payments they estimate your usage 12 months into the future

theyll just be estimating using the new much higher rates which gives a debit position needing higher payments

same things just happened to me no new meter fitted

But I’m not on higher rates? I’m fixed until Sept next year.

Dh is worried the meter guy wrote the reading from the old meter wrong. Dh didnt check it so if that’s the case we’re stuffed. 🤷‍♀️