When your supplier gets your bills wrong
Key right
Your supplier must attempt to read your meter at least once every 2 years. If they have been sending estimated bills without doing this, you have strong grounds for a complaint.
An estimated bill is one where your supplier calculates your energy use without an actual meter reading. Estimated bills are sometimes necessary — for example, if you were not home for a meter read — but suppliers are required to base estimates on your actual consumption patterns and must not rely on estimates indefinitely.
Under Ofgem Standard Licence Condition 21A, your supplier must use all reasonable endeavours to obtain a meter reading at least once every two years. SLC 22 requires that bills and statements are accurate and based on actual consumption data wherever possible. A pattern of estimated bills without any attempt to read your meter is a breach of these conditions.
You can submit your own meter readings to your supplier at any time, and they are required to use accurate readings you provide to calculate your bills. If you have been submitting regular readings that your supplier has been ignoring in favour of estimates, this is a separate breach of their obligations and strengthens your complaint significantly.
If your estimated bills are consistently higher than your actual usage, you are being asked to pay more than you owe. Start by submitting an up-to-date meter reading. Compare the estimated charges against your actual consumption. Calculate the difference. If your supplier overcharged you due to poor estimates, they must refund the difference. If the overestimates persisted because they failed to attempt a meter reading for more than 2 years, cite SLC 21A in your complaint.
If you have a smart meter that is functioning correctly, your supplier has no excuse for sending estimated bills — smart meters transmit readings automatically. If your smart meter is not working and your supplier is using estimates despite this, contact them to arrange a repair or replacement. They cannot use a faulty smart meter as a reason to send indefinite estimated bills.
If estimated bills caused you to overpay, you are entitled to a full refund of the difference between estimated charges and actual usage. If the overestimation persisted due to your supplier's failure to read the meter, additional goodwill compensation may be available.
Submit a meter reading now
Take an accurate meter reading immediately and submit it to your supplier. Note the date and any reference number.
Request a corrected bill
Ask your supplier to recalculate your recent bills based on your actual readings. Keep a copy of your request.
Calculate any overcharge
Compare your actual usage against what you were billed. Calculate the difference to establish how much you are owed.
Write a formal complaint
If your supplier refuses to correct the bills or has not read your meter in over 2 years, write a formal complaint citing Ofgem SLC 21A and SLC 22.
Escalate if unresolved
If your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks, escalate to the Energy Ombudsman.
Ready to complain?
Generate a professional complaint letter citing Ofgem SLC 21A / SLC 22 in under 2 minutes. Free.
Start Your ComplaintFree escalation available. If your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks, you can escalate to the Energy Ombudsman at no cost. Their decisions are binding on your supplier.