Faulty electricity meter clocks 'could be costing households thousands'

[Michael Browne]

Incorrect electricity meter clocks are going unnoticed, meaning millions of households on reliant tariffs could be paying too much, consumer group Which? has warned.

 

The watchdog said its members had come forward to warn that their meter clocks had been showing the wrong time, potentially leaving them "significantly out of pocket".

 

About 3.9m UK households are on time-of-use tariffs, such as Economy 7 and Economy 10, which offer customers a lower rate for electricity during some hours and a higher rate for others.

 

Gary Day, a retired engineer from South Wales, told Which? he had saved himself and three neighbours more than £2,300 after discovering their meter clocks were wrong by several hours.

 

They were all on time-of-use tariffs with supplier Swalec, which supplies gas and electricity to customers throughout Wales.

 

Day told Which? magazine: "I have only checked four meters, and every single one of them was wrong. I am horrified that there might be hundreds of others that have these clock errors and don't realise it."

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/feb/20/electricity-meter-clock-fault

[mattlamb]

As a former meter reader, I can confirm timeswitches are often hours out. It does often work in the customer's favour too though.

 

 

Not deliberate mischarging by suppliers, but meter readers should report back on faulty timeswiitches when they read meters - and then the offices should act upon these reports.