New Gas Meter Installed - Readings Now Double What They Were

Gizmonster | 19:03 Tue 11th Feb 2020 | Home & Garden

21 Answers

.... as above really.

Someone came out to check the gas meter after we informed our supplier that we could smell gas in the meter cupboard. It was found to have a very small leak and was replaced. My missus is very organised and has all the previous monthly meter readings going back a few years and for some reason the meter readings are now roughly double what they were for the same month last year. This has been going on for a few months now, so it wasn't just a one-off.

We have informed our energy supplier and they have reassured us that the new meter is probably not at fault. They've told us to perform a "creep test", which we have and the meter is not creeping. We only have a gas fire, which is rarely on, as the central heating is on a timer; a gas hob, which hardly gets used and our combi boiler. They are saying that one of these must be at fault. We have not increased our usage and nothing has altered in the house in any way whatsoever. Our energy supplier have said they'll replace it and have it sent away for testing; but if it comes back as not faulty, we'll be liable to pay the testing fee, which is just short of £200.

Anyone any idea how likely this new meter is likely to be faulty?? It just seems too much of a coincidence that as soon as the meter is replaced, the meter readings double :(

Selling House

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fiction-factory

Maybe it was your old one that was faulty? Maybe there is a leak? Try turning the gas items off and see what readings you still get. What was the creep test?

The Builder

Just a thought, Giz. Don't shout at me, but, perhaps it was the old meter that was under-reading. ;o(

It did have a leak after all.

Gizmonster

Question Author

If there was a leak, I'd probably smell it, as I could smell gas in the meter cupboard when the old one was there.

I suppose the old one could have been faulty by registering too slow; but we were paying approx £80 - £100 per month for gas and electric for a house which is occupied by 2 people; both of which work 3-4 days of the week, so house is empty then.

The creep test is where you turn all gas appliances completely off and take a meter reading. Leave everything for an hour or so and the meter should not have moved. If it has moved, then the meter is "creeping" - which means it's showing that you're using gas, even though you're not. Anyway, we did a creep test and the meter isn't reading.

Gizmonster

Question Author

^^^^ the meter isn't creeping

ladybirder

How many rooms in your house Giz as that makes a difference? My gas and electricity combined is £40/month for a 1b flat and I'm retired.

Old_Geezer

You could try bringing in the ombudsman. They don't seem to have much power and aren't always that bright, but their involvement may encourage the supplier to be more reasonable. Otherwise, maybe your old meter was reading low !

Try running with an electric fire and microwave meals for a while instead. Unfortunate time of year but maybe do without the c/h and buy a few electric fan heaters for use during a testing period ?

Gizmonster

Question Author

It's a 2 bedroom semi with 8 radiators in total throughout the house. Central heating is on for just over an hour in the morning and approx 4 hours in the evening and that's it. It's quite a warm house, so even when the central heating goes off, there's usually no need to put the fire on.

ladybirder

So when it the CH switches off at night, has the temperature dropped very much by the morning before it comes on again? For instance, my thermostat is set at 22° in the evening and is still at 21° in the morning or 20° if it's been particularly cold as we have good insulation. Are you still setting your temperature at the same level?
Last year I was paying £33 so mine has gone up by 20% this year but that is for gas and electricity.

Gizmonster

Question Author

When I get up in the morning the CH has already been on for 15-20 mins, so house has been heated again, so no idea if it drops overnight. I'd guess it hasn't dropped too much, as the timer goes off at either 8.15 or 8.30pm and it's still not cold when I go to bed between 11 and 12.
The thermostat is set around 17 - 18 degrees .... so it's not set that high.

Gizmonster

Question Author

Gas usage with old meter:
Dec 2016 - 48 units
Dec 2018 (2017 unavailable) - 50 units
Gas usage with new meter:
Dec 2019 - 117 units

Gas usage with old meter:
Jan 2019 - 55 units
Gas usage with new meter:
Jan 2020 - 88 units (away on holiday for 2 weeks and thermostat was set to approx 15 degrees).

Am I the only one that thinks something just isn't right here??

DTCwordfan

you are paying for being honest but at least you are safe.

Gizmonster

Question Author

Right ..... we've finally sussed this .... having checked through some old bills .....

Our energy supplier will now be receiving a sarcastic email, for not spotting the obvious ......

.... how are we meant to know that our old meter recorded the usage in cubic feet and our new meter records it in cubic metres??
They're 2 completely different readings. The conversion rate is to multiply by 2.83 which is roughly how many more units we're using .... but the bill works out roughly the same.

I'm relieved to finally get to the bottom of this' but a bit angry with our energy supplier, as they should have surely known that the old meter measured in different units to our new one. I was "that" close to having our meter sent off for testing .... I would have been landed with a bill for roughly £200 as it's clearly not faulty.

ladybirder

Wow. I bet you'll be on the phone first thing in the morning. Well done. What a relief for you.

fiction-factory

If the conversion rate is 2.83 the old one must have measured per 100 cubic feet. The units should have been showing on the statements

EDDIE51

Sorry, but Cubic Meters have been the unit for a good few years now . I actually thought all meters were now Cubic Meters. I remember our Meter being replaced Years ago !

Gizmonster

Question Author

//// If the conversion rate is 2.83 the old one must have measured per 100 cubic feet. The units should have been showing on the statements ////
Yea you're correct :)

//// Sorry, but Cubic Meters have been the unit for a good few years now . I actually thought all meters were now Cubic Meters. I remember our Meter being replaced Years ago ! /////
When the guy changed our faulty meter, he told me how long ago it was installed. I can't remember the exact year, but it was in the 1980's lol :P

gingejbee

I'm such a clever so-and-so....having read your OP, my first thought was "not the same units, I'll bet - particularly if the replaced meter was an old one". (I know a few people who had the same problem!)