Many families who pay for their energy using a prepayment meter woke up to a shock on the first day of the new energy prices.
Some energy companies have admitted there were issues with smart prepayment meter displays updating to show the higher rates after midnight on October 1, but that was cold comfort to households who could not believe their eyes when they checked their balances to find that they had appeared to use a huge amount of electricity and gas overnight..
One mum took to a budgeting Facebook page to tell of her "complete panic" after she topped up her meter to find she was still low on credit.
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"Got up this morning electric on smart meter beeping £4 on there," she said. "Put £20 on and beeping still, £4.17 on there. Put another £20 on, still beeping, shows £6.17. Checked and it says standard daily charge £38.27. The only thing on are fridge/ freezer. How long can I turn them off without things spoiling? In a complete panic," while another said: "I hope its just a glitch. Gas is OK, ele topped up £20 yesterday down to £2.38 already."
And another said: "I had 19p on my electric and emergency was flashing. I topped up £25.00. It topped up my metre by £2.50!! My new balance is £2.69. That won't last the weekend and that was my money for electric!"
Energy companies have moved to calm customers by telling them that the readings and usage. Scottish Power told customers via its app: "We're sorry we are currently experiencing technical difficulties which are impacting how we display the energy consumption information in your account so we have temporarily switched it off."
SSE told customers: "We're writing to let you know that your In-home display will briefly show the wrong daily use amounts when your energy prices change on 1 October. It's a small issue that will correct itself in 24 hours."
One customer said: "Went to bed with 215.00 credit woke up to 20.15 left. Husband switched smart metre off and it corrected itself…"
Some households who pay for their energy by direct debit were also affected, with reports on social media of displays showing usage of tens of thousands of pounds yesterday, with one user quipping that she must be supplying the whole of Britain with her bill for of £40,266.34
EON.Next and Octopus Energy have also warned their customers that the displays might be wrong.
Energy suppliers are still recovering from a huge increase is traffic in the days leading up to October 1, as customers queued to submit meter readings in advance of the price rise.
Facebook page Energy Support And Advice UK (Community), which has nearly 95,000 members, said the page had been deluged with hundreds of worried members who had woken up to a shock energy bill.
A statement on the page said: "We are aware that thousands of you are waking up to the pre-price guarantee scheme unit rates, above the price guarantee and we are receiving hundreds of posts regarding it! This is worrying but clearly wrong. Please bear with us and don't be offended if we decline your post regarding this matter."
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