Electric Meter Faulty? Will I get a massive bill?!

[DCC777]

Hi Guys

Just signed up to the forum to get a bit of advice on a problem I have with my electric meter (pay as you go/ keycard). I say problem however it's actually NOT. Until I end up receiving a HUGE bill.

It started about a year and a half ago. One day I topped up my key card as usual after it had went into the emergency. I put £25 on it and popped the key into the meter and it still said £1.00. It didn't register the credit after several attempts, I'm sure you could understand the frustration that would come along with that.

Despite that the electric didn't cut off as it normally would with £1.00 left in the emergency. So I tried to top more onto the key in a hope that it would redeem itself. I actually had the lady who served me previously check that the sale did go through properly.

Again with several attempts the meter would NOT accept the credit and nor did it cut off.

As time went by, at first I was a bit worried then as you would felt ach well if it's not working I'll leave it be... Till a year and a half later as I'd pretty much just got used to it.

I mentioned to my service provider when I was sorting out my gas meter getting replaced that I think I had an issue with my electric meter and they said someone would look at it. This never materialised.

One day I got a knock at the door from the service provider looking to get a meter reading, this was usually pretty rare that they would come or I'd usually end up missing them. As you would expect I was thinking CRAP!! He'll end up thinking I have done something with the meter like tampered with it. Which totally isn't the case. So I said I think the meter is playing up, it's not accepted my top up nor has it changed. His response was that it would probably sort itself out. I didn't argue with him over the matter. Why would I?

So my worry is that someday I will get a letter asking for ALL this money that I'd owe them. Can they do that? Even if I made the issue aware and they weren't bothered to sort it?

Do the keys store the information of how many times they were topped up?
Do the meters store this information.

I heard that they would struggle to bill me an appropriate bill as they wouldn't know how much I actually used in that period?

Obviously I don't want it to get to the stage I owe them a couple grand, but at the same time I'm benefiting from it in a way.

How would you guys play it? I'm certainly not a criminal by any means and if they ever checked it properly they would see I've never tampered with it. I've never seen this before either. Could I get into trouble by NOT doing everything in my power to MAKE them fix it?

Any information would be great.

Thanks

D.

 

[Marvo]

Maybe you can post a picture of your meter so we can see what type it is?

I'd just report it that you think it's not accurate. I guess it's up to you whether or not you fess up that it's been like that for a while. You say 'I'm certainly not a criminal by any means' but by leaving it a year and a half you've certainly been willfully dishonest so.......

 

[Sintra]

I will happily come and exchange it for my fully functional meter FOC.

 

[Darkwood]

Your issue here is you have been actively receiving free Electricity for 18months before taking any steps... because no payments have been made this will amount to theft because you didn't notify your supplier, the unknown here is what is wrong with the meter ... it may be the case that it is just a crediting and usage fault but still able to acknowledge and log when a pre-payed keycard was successfully used so they may be able to estimate the electricity owed... if they meter is totally knacked you may be lucky by ringing and expressing your key cards won't work and display only showing £1 and your worried your going to be cut off.

Im gobsmacked you sat on it for 18months then decided you may get a big bill?

The gas meter situe' is a totally different department of your supplier and not surprised nothing ever happened.