First, work out what doesn't match
There are several different problems customers describe as "my meter readings are wrong".
The number on your bill may simply be lower than the meter today because you've used electricity since the bill was produced.
But there could also be a genuine problem.
Your supplier may have used an estimated reading despite you providing an actual one.
A reading may have been entered incorrectly.
A multi-rate meter may have more than one register and the readings may have been allocated incorrectly.
The meter serial number on the bill may not correspond with the physical meter you're looking at.
The meter may have been exchanged and the billing history may need checking.
Or the problem may go back through several bills rather than affecting only the latest one.
Don't start by assuming which of these has happened.
Start with the meter and the bills.
Photograph the meter properly
A meter photograph can be much more useful than typing a reading into an email.
Start by taking a clear photograph of the whole meter.
Then photograph each relevant display or register.
Keep the original photographs.
If the meter cycles automatically through several screens, photograph the relevant screens as they appear.
If you need to press a button to move between displays, don't change settings or interfere with sealed parts of the meter.
Do not guess which register is which simply from its position on the screen.
Day, Night, Rate 1, Rate 2 and Total registers
Multi-rate electricity meters can record consumption across more than one register.
Depending on the meter and tariff, you may see descriptions such as Day, Night, Rate 1, Rate 2, R1, R2 or Total.
Do not automatically assume Rate 1 means Day and Rate 2 means Night.
Meter configurations vary.
The important question is which physical meter register corresponds with each register the supplier is using for billing.
If that relationship is wrong, simply submitting another reading may not solve the underlying problem.
Actual readings versus estimated readings
Look at how the reading is described on the bill.
If it is estimated, compare it with the actual meter.
If you previously submitted an actual reading, check whether that reading appears in the billing history.
One estimated bill does not necessarily mean something has gone seriously wrong.
The concern is when estimates are significantly different from reality, actual readings appear to have been ignored, or incorrect information has affected billing over a longer period.
Meter serial number check
Check the meter serial number printed on the bill against the number on the physical electricity meter.
If they do not match, do not assume the bill relates correctly to the meter in front of you.
Take a photograph showing the physical serial number and ask the supplier to confirm which meter it currently has registered for the supply.
What if the problem affects old bills?
If the problem appears to have existed for months or years, don't look only at the latest bill.
Work backwards through the billing history.
Identify when the readings first stop making sense.
Keep copies of bills, meter photographs, emails and readings previously submitted.
If the supplier corrects the meter or register information, ask whether historic bills also need to be recalculated.
A corrected current reading does not necessarily answer what happened on earlier bills.
Backbilling caution
If correcting the account leads to historic charges being raised, there may also be a separate question about backbilling.
Do not assume that every business automatically has 12-month backbilling protection.
Ofgem's 12-month backbilling protection applies to domestic customers and qualifying microbusinesses, subject to relevant conditions and exceptions.
A business can qualify in relation to one fuel and not necessarily the other.
Do not assume that all charges older than 12 months must automatically be removed.
What if the supplier doesn't resolve it?
If you believe the billing remains wrong, raise a formal complaint with the supplier and keep the complaint reference.
Explain exactly what remains disputed and attach the evidence again.
For eligible microbusiness and small business customers, the Energy Ombudsman may be able to consider a dispute after the supplier has issued a deadlock letter or once the applicable eight-week period has passed.
Not every business is eligible.
Warning signs that need further investigation
Investigate further if:
- The serial number doesn't match
- The bill uses registers you cannot reconcile with the meter
- Day and Night consumption suddenly appears to reverse
- Readings move backwards without an obvious meter exchange
- Actual readings repeatedly disappear or are replaced by estimates
- Consumption changes dramatically without a corresponding change at the business
- A large catch-up bill appears after a long period of questionable readings
None of these automatically proves the supplier has made an error. They are reasons to investigate.
Why we take meter photographs seriously
We recently investigated an electricity account for a large dairy farming business after it received a catch-up bill for £183,717.22.
Photographs of the physical meter were repeatedly provided during the investigation.
The Day, Night and Total readings had been mixed up in the billing process.
Correcting the meter register issue resulted in an approximate £94,000 credit.
A separate challenge relating to applicable backbilling resulted in a further approximate £50,000 credit.
In total, approximately £144,000 was credited to the customer's account.
That is an extreme example and most meter-reading problems will not involve anything close to those figures.
But it demonstrates why an unusual bill should be investigated rather than guessed at.
What to send your supplier
When raising the issue with your supplier, give them enough information to investigate the problem properly.
- Your account details
- The supply address
- Clear meter photographs
- The meter serial number
- Photographs of every relevant register
- The date the photographs were taken
- The bill or bills you believe are wrong
- A short explanation of what doesn't match
Copy-and-paste supplier message
I'm querying the electricity readings being used on my account. I've attached photographs of the physical meter showing the meter serial number and the relevant registers. Please confirm: 1. Which meter serial number you currently have registered for this supply. 2. Which registers you are currently billing. 3. Which physical meter register corresponds with each billing register. 4. The reading history held against each register. 5. Whether any of the readings used for billing have been estimated. 6. Whether the discrepancy affects any previous bills and whether those bills need to be recalculated. Please do not simply replace the latest reading without checking whether the discrepancy affects the historic billing on the account. Please confirm the outcome of your investigation in writing.
The Best Energy Rates Desk
When someone tells us their meter readings don't match their bill, we don't start by guessing which number is right.
We start with the evidence.
Photograph the meter.
Identify the registers.
Check the serial number.
Compare the readings with the bill.
Then work backwards through the account if something doesn't make sense.
The important thing is to find out whether you are dealing with one incorrect reading or a problem that has affected the account for much longer.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the electricity reading on my bill different from my meter?
It may simply be because the bill was produced using an earlier reading and electricity has been used since then. But the bill could also contain an estimated reading, an incorrectly entered reading or a register that does not correspond properly with the physical meter. Compare the reading date, reading type, meter serial number and registers before deciding there is an error.
What should I photograph on my business electricity meter?
Photograph the whole meter, the meter serial number and every relevant reading or register. If the meter displays Day, Night, Rate 1, Rate 2 or Total readings, photograph the relevant displays rather than sending only one number.
Does Rate 1 always mean Day and Rate 2 mean Night?
No. Do not assume that Rate 1 is Day and Rate 2 is Night. Meter configurations vary. The important thing is to establish which physical register corresponds with each register used by the supplier for billing.
What if the meter serial number doesn't match my bill?
Photograph the serial number on the physical meter and ask the supplier to confirm which meter it has registered for the supply. A serial-number mismatch should be investigated rather than ignored.
Why has my supplier estimated my reading when I sent an actual reading?
Ask the supplier to confirm whether your submitted reading was received, whether it passed its validation process and which reading was ultimately used for billing. Keep evidence of the reading you submitted and any meter photograph taken at the time.
Can Day and Night meter readings be mixed up?
Register information can sometimes require investigation where the physical meter and billing records do not correspond. Do not assume which register is wrong. Photograph the displays and ask the supplier to confirm the relationship between the physical registers and the billing registers.
Can an incorrect meter reading affect old bills?
Potentially. If incorrect information has been used over several billing periods, historic bills may also need investigation. Establish when the discrepancy first appeared and ask the supplier whether earlier bills need to be recalculated.
Can my business energy supplier backbill me for more than 12 months?
It depends on the business and circumstances. Ofgem's 12-month backbilling protection applies to qualifying microbusinesses and is subject to conditions and exceptions. It does not automatically apply to every business energy customer.
Should I just send another meter reading?
If the problem is simply an old estimated reading, a new actual reading may help. But where registers, serial numbers or historic readings do not correspond, submitting another number may not identify the underlying problem. Ask the supplier to investigate the discrepancy.
Can The Best Energy Rates help if I don't want to change supplier?
Yes. Supplier billing problems, meter issues and account disputes can be investigated separately from changing energy supplier. We can look at the evidence and help establish what needs to be queried.
Related guides
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How we check business energy bills for errors.
SSE bills, meter readings and backbilling
Backbilling rules and meter reading guidance for SSE customers.
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Agriculture business energy
Energy advice for farms and agricultural businesses.