Hi there, we have just taken on a small holding, the national grid have run power to the barn from the station...however at this moment in time there is no meter..am I right in thinking that the meter will be fitted by the electricity company that we decide to use?? and also could you give me a rough idea of price or is it free if we are going to be using them as our energy supplier?? thanks in advance for any help

I would be grateful if anyone could give me any help in dealing with a bizarre situation in regard to Eon. I own a rental flat which is handled for me by a professional lettings and management company. There was an eight month rental void in the flat from the beginning of August 2009 until the start of a new tenancy on the 15th April 2010. During this period the flat was untenanted and empty. The first six months of the void period showed normal meter readings for an empty flat, according to Eon. However, they claim that from February 2010 until the start of the new tenancy on 15th April 2010, the meter reading jumped by 10,000 units from a reading of 71,705 on 16th February, to one of 81,725 on 15th April. This is totally impossible. Eon are attempting to charge me over £1000 for this. The meter is an old fashioned mechanical one; not a dial type, but one where the numbers go round separately on wheels. I first became aware that there was a major problem with Eon last week -early July- when the lettings agents, who had been dealing with Eon over this, contacted me to say they had learnt that my details had been passed by Eon to an external debt collection agency in May. Horrified, I rang Eon, but they were completely unhelpful. I have not had any replies to my email queries and requests for information from Eon. I put in an official complaint to them on 4th July. In addition to this, Eon do not even have the correct address for the flat; the address they have been using is for a nearby block of flats, so it is surprising that any correspondence has arrived at all. The letting agents dealt with this until recently. They are a local firm, they are impartial, and belong to a professional body. They tell me that they have repeatedly explained to Eon that the flat was totally empty over the period in question, and that this normally satisfies the other utilities when this situation arises. However, they say, Eon was different. From the beginning they were totally intransigent, and seemed intent on collecting the money, whether it was owed or not. The facts are as follows: 1.The flat was empty from August 2009 - April 2010; there is confirmation of this from myself, the letting agents, and the man who lives in the flat directly beneath. 2. We can provide copies of rental agreements with dates, and confirmation from the council tax office that the flat was empty. 3. No other utility has claimed there was any usage at all during this period, only Eon. 4. The previous tenant, who vacated in August 2009, did not leave any electricity on. This would have shown up in the meter readings. It does not. 5. Letting agents had been conducting viewings at the flat. They confirm it was unoccupied. The flat was immaculate after the first tenant left in August 2009, and it remained so throughout. I know that the flat was empty over the period in question. I know that the claimed electrical usage did not take place in that flat. Ten thousand units/ a thousand pounds' worth of electricity used in a small empty flat, suddenly, within two months is ridiculous. I know that I am receiving demands for money I do not owe. The latest stage in this is that Eon have stated that they now think that the meter may be faulty, and would I agree to it being tested by an external body. I understand from a consumer group that the meter examination is a last resort when all else fails, and more or less covers the company with the ombudsman. I am supposed to sign a document in which there is a clause which I believe signs away my rights to further investigation, should the meter be found not to be at fault. In addition, Eon have told me that the meter examination is likely to take six months. All this is beyond the pale. Already it has been a stressful, time consuming ordeal. I have had to take time off from my own work to research this, and try and get information from Eon (almost impossible). I have no intention of letting them string this ordeal out for a further six months. Can anyone give me any sound advice on this? Is the meter examination a good idea, and if it determines the meter is not faulty, what is the position then? My feeling is that I should finish dealing with Eon, whom, on the evidence of the letting agents and my own experience, have no interest in listening to reasonable argument and evidence, but are intent on their own agenda. Rather than wasting any more time, I should perhaps wait for the statutory eight weeks to complete, and take it straight to the ombudsman, who hopefully will be able to make some sense of what has happened. Is the ombudsman able to carry out tests on meters and electrical supplies, if necessary? I would appreciate any advice at all on this.

Recently, having received a British Gas statement of account for gas showing a large account credit - we are on a monthly payment plan - I enquired about getting a refund, for which a meter reading was requested. I was then contacted by a BG 'energy expert' who queried the lack of similarity between the meter reading I submitted and previous quarterly readings. It turned out after investigation and an exchange of emails with the BG 'energy expert' that owing to a "...system error..." admitted to by the 'expert', all my previous readings had been truncated on the last digit so that, e.g., 02307 units was recorded in the system as 230, and the same may also be true of a BG estimate that followed a change of meter last August, as that turned out to be particularly low. The result of the accumulated errors in our gas consumption record, and the subsequent correction in the account using the correct value of my last meter reading, is that the account is now in arrears to a sum greater than the previously reported credit, and BG are now requesting a monthly payment more than double the current one - which we can ill afford to pay. BG have apologised but is that as good as it is going to get? Is there any other means of redress given that it is their system errors that have landed us in this situation? trapp1st

We had a water meter fitted 27 days ago. During the install the chaps who fitted it said the pipes were very old, the job was very difficult due to the closed space and because of this keep an eye on the readings to make sure there's no leakage and if there is report it immediately. I have done so every morning without failure noted the readings and have a detailed log. Yesterday we were out all day and this morning when I took a reading the number was far higher than it should plus I noticed the wheel was spinning and we'd only just opened the front door. Spoke to SWW reporting the leak and asked that the previous reading be noted because I didn't want to pay for the leak what we're not using if it turned out that the leak is at the meter - he said we could be charged as he couldn't guarantee we'd receive a leak allowance. I've turned the water off at the stop-cock and the wheel is still turning on the meter. Where do we stand with our rights (statutory - durability) on this if this is a fault at the site of work carried out by their workmen and the leak appears within 28 days of the installation date? We'd love to keep the meter as this has already more than halved our bill.

Hi all I was just wondering if anyone could help? We have prepayment meters for both gas and electric and both with British Gas. They were in the property when we first started renting it so have carried on with them. Does a person have to come out and read them? I am sure I read on their website that we don't need them to as it is done automatically via the card and stick thing (this was september 2009). I am sick and tired of people knocking on my door - I won't let them in as I don't trust them and on pay as you go phone with minimal credit to ring and check their ID. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your response

I have a Southern prepayment meter for gas. Yesterday morning had to use the emergency credit, then topped up £5 this evening. Had used £3.49 of Emergency credit and had 1p taken off for "debt" - I think this is just a tariff adjustment. I was therefore expecting to have £1.50 available for gas and then £5 Emergency Credit again. Instead I have £2.99 available for gas, but I'm assuming no Emergency Credit on top, as I'm guessing the £1.50 of Emergency credit I hadn't used is added to the £1.50 normal credit I would have had. How is this as I have repaid the Emergency Credit in full?