Since discovering his electricity meter has been running 10% fast, Roy Brown has been in a protracted fight with energy firm Ovo.
Earlier this year Roy started having an inclination that the meter at his home in Murthly, near Dunkeld, wasn’t accurate.
The retired oil and gas worker started taking daily readings and became convinced something wasn’t right.
The meter has been in place since he purchased the home as a new build property 17 years ago. His supplier has always been SSE until the business was acquired by Ovo and his account transferred.
He asked Ovo to send someone to check the meter. They said they would – but only if Roy paid a £149 fee.
Roy paid this and engineers found his meter was clocking 10.13% fast. .
Ovo fast meter compensation dispute
After several missed appointments, Ovo installed a new smart meter at Roy’s home in September.
The question of compensation has been going on for months – and is still not settled.
Roy said: “My complaint right from the start is that the meter could have been faulty from day one. I could have been paying 10% more for my electricity for 17 years.
“But I can’t prove this and Ovo can’t prove otherwise.
“They reckon they have been very generous and gone back five years and repaid the overpayment. This has come to £579.
“I think they’ve gone back five years as this is the maximum they have to under Scots law.”
As well as the £579 refund for overpayments, Ovo has also repaid the £149 calibration test and given Roy £180 in compensation for missed meter installation appointments.
However, discussions are continuing about a further compensation payment as the saga has now gone on for nine months. The energy firm has offered £100 – but Roy has refused this.
“It’s been nine months of total hassle trying to get in touch, waiting on phone calls and people not turning up. Their offer is £3 a week or 36p a day,” he said.
“I said to Ovo that to be honest I’m not interested in compensation. I’d rather they went round everyone’s house and checked their meters.
“When I worked on the rigs, the insurer Lloyds of London came out and did calibration tests every two years.
“There are far more people than just myself getting overcharged. Ovo said they can’t do that – it would cost far too much.
“I’ve asked for £500 compensation and it’s been referred to another team in Ovo.”
Fast meter checks
Roy said his advice to other homeowners is to get their meters checked.
He adds: “If I had never went ahead and got the meter tested I would have been paying an extra 10% on my electric for the rest of my life.
“The best thing anyone can do is get their meter tested to make it’s accurate and they’re not paying over the odds.”
An Ovo spokesperson said Roy would soon receive a letter with guidance for taking his case to the Energy Ombudsman who will make an impartial decision on compensation.
Citizens Advice say meter faults are rare and some meters will show an error message.
One way to test is to switch off all appliances and check if the numbers on the display move.
Then switch on one appliance at a time – if the meter starts to move very quickly, it could be faulty.
Citizens Advice adds: “If it’s faulty, your supplier should replace the meter.
“They should also refund you any money they owe you as a result of the fault, for example extra money you paid on a bill.”
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