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Estimates and Actual's

  • 9 February 2021
  • 25 replies
  • 124 views
H

Hi 

I inherited Pure Planet when I bought my home in June and its all fine in most respects. I’ve been sending readings monthly (most of the time) but when i look at my tariff and usage tab it is all based on the estimates they are giving at a completely different time of the month to the ‘actual’s’ I’m sending.  I.e  I send my readings on 9th of the month and they add in estimates on 24th of the month and then base my usage on that??? so 24th Jul-23rd Aug?  Any thoughts?  

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Best answer by woz 9 February 2021, 13:17

@Heppers7 

Welcome belatedly, (I came to this thread late)

This is interesting, I wonder if you’ve discovered a bug in PP’s systems that no one has spotted yet…

hmmm

May I suggest if you can be bothered that you use help&support>ask a question (wattbot) to ask whether your reminders can be set to synchronise (at minus 3 days) with your statement date?

Persist through the instant bot replies until it says your message has been sent, it might be useful to copy the url of this thread and refer them to it.

Will you let us know what happens?

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25 replies

Angelabikerbabe
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi ,
You're talking to fellow PP customers on this forum, and as such we don't have access to customers accounts. But we will help if we can.

it depends when you submit your readings.
For example, If you submit them 2 days before your payment date, PP will estimate the usage for the last 3 days, but use your readings for the rest of the month. 
When PP request my readings , I don't send my readings until the last day possible. Eg. PP say they need them by 1st, I send mine 31st. And mine are not being estimated. 
However, when you submit your next ones, previous ones will be adjusted.
https://community.purepla.net/statements-and-billing-43/estimated-readings-on-my-statement-10321


Hope this helps.

(BTW, I don't work for PP. I'm just a customer, like you)
S
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi @Heppers7 

Just to add to Angelabikerbabe's excellent answer, your statement is always issued on the same day each month, the 'monthiversary' of the day your account opened. As she says, if you give a reading that day it won't be based on an estimate. If you don't, the estimate takes into account the latest reading you have provided. It means it's as accurate and up-to-date as possible - and bear in mind that in the end you will only ever pay for energy you have used. 

Stephen

D
Userlevel 7
Badge +8

@Heppers7

You have been sending your readings too early, so they will be estimated.

If your statement is produced on the 24th, you ideally need to send your readings on the 23rd

Growing OLD is inevitable, growing UP is optional
H

Thanks both,  yes I’m not overly worried as like you say I’ll only pay what I’ve used and it will go down again in a few months with the summer/winter tarrifs.  That said my ‘ past readings’ list has all my actuals and all their estimates…??? I’m not sure why they need to do the estimates if i’m providing actuals every month which is 9th of each month ( moving in day essentially).  Their estimates are based 2 weeks after that… Pay day for them is 1st of each month so not really sure how any of it tally’s up.  What are they actually basing my monthly payment on??? Their readings or mine?  

S
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi there

Your monthly payments are based on an initial estimate of your annual usage. As your actual readings reveal your actual usage, it may become clear that the original estimate was wrong and needs to be adjusted - so every six months your account is reviewed and your payments adjusted if necessary.

The monthly statement is based on a reading for the exact same day each month so that the monthly comparisons make sense.

Bear in mind this is all done by computer. It simply gets the prompt to produce your monthly statement and uses the latest information it has to work out a reading and calculate your monthly usage. If that latest information is your reading, it will use that. Otherwise it makes an estimate taking into account the last reading you gave.

Hope that explains it better!

Stephen

PS

You should be getting a prompt each month to give your reading 2-3 days before your statement is produced. I wonder if you are not getting that because you are giving your reading on your own monthly anniversary, as it were. I just put an alert in my calendar to provide my reading on the day my statement is produced, and I don't get an estimate at all. Then I'm a nerd...

 

 

 

H

Kind of… :joy:   They are prompting me on 9th so thats when I send them, but doing their estimate 24th…?? so i think that’s what’s throwing me off a bit. They did review recently and put the price up as i was using more than the previous owners did at the same time of year last winter.. ( not sure how they were a family with 2 little ones so must have been freezing!!!)   But we are family of 3 adults one of which now must work from home so I guess heating is on and off all day… plus i’ve turned the radiators up as they didn’t get very hot at all ( safety for the little ones who lived their before i suppose)… 

H

I haven’t got anything useful to add - but m y surname is Hepburn!

H

Best name ever!!:heart_eyes: I wont bore you but I am actually Audrey Hepburn…(well until i married a few years back)  so maybe we are related?? hahaha

 

 

S
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Kind of… :joy:   They are prompting me on 9th so thats when I send them, but doing their estimate 24th…?? so i think that’s what’s throwing me off a bit. 

Aah! No wonder you are confused! I wonder, @Nataly if it's possible the statements or the reminders are being produced according to the previous owner's timetable? They're clearly out of sync... Pure Planet probably should, can and will put that right. In the meantime, if you want to avoid the estimates, send your reading on the 24th…

Stephen

woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

@Heppers7 

Welcome belatedly, (I came to this thread late)

This is interesting, I wonder if you’ve discovered a bug in PP’s systems that no one has spotted yet…

hmmm

May I suggest if you can be bothered that you use help&support>ask a question (wattbot) to ask whether your reminders can be set to synchronise (at minus 3 days) with your statement date?

Persist through the instant bot replies until it says your message has been sent, it might be useful to copy the url of this thread and refer them to it.

Will you let us know what happens?

H

@Heppers7

Welcome belatedly, (I came to this thread late)

This is interesting, I wonder if you’ve discovered a bug in PP’s systems that no one has spotted yet…

hmmm

May I suggest if you can be bothered that you use help&support>ask a question (wattbot) to ask whether your reminders can be set to synchronise (at minus 3 days) with your statement date?

Persist through the instant bot replies until it says your message has been sent, it might be useful to copy the url of this thread and refer them to it.

Will you let us know what happens?

I can try…??? it is just an automated service though isn’t it?  So not sure if it will have any impact.  

woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

@Heppers7

Welcome belatedly, (I came to this thread late)

This is interesting, I wonder if you’ve discovered a bug in PP’s systems that no one has spotted yet…

hmmm

May I suggest if you can be bothered that you use help&support>ask a question (wattbot) to ask whether your reminders can be set to synchronise (at minus 3 days) with your statement date?

Persist through the instant bot replies until it says your message has been sent, it might be useful to copy the url of this thread and refer them to it.

Will you let us know what happens?

I can try…??? it is just an automated service though isn’t it?  So not sure if it will have any impact.  

@Heppers7 

I imagine it’s quite worrying for Pure Planet that you thought that to be the case.(said constructively not critically)

It isn’t just an automated service, it’s real human customer services and they will reply. 

The instant answers are bot replies but if that doesn’t help your question then goes to a human which is why I said persist through bot replies. A reply from the team isn’t instant but you will get one.

 

woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

Best name ever!!:heart_eyes: I wont bore you but I am actually Audrey Hepburn…(well until i married a few years back)  so maybe we are related?? hahaha

 

 

ha,  I can see some genealogy research staring here. You do know if you start it will never end…

 

H

@Heppers7

Welcome belatedly, (I came to this thread late)

This is interesting, I wonder if you’ve discovered a bug in PP’s systems that no one has spotted yet…

hmmm

May I suggest if you can be bothered that you use help&support>ask a question (wattbot) to ask whether your reminders can be set to synchronise (at minus 3 days) with your statement date?

Persist through the instant bot replies until it says your message has been sent, it might be useful to copy the url of this thread and refer them to it.

Will you let us know what happens?

I can try…??? it is just an automated service though isn’t it?  So not sure if it will have any impact.  

@Heppers7

I imagine it’s quite worrying for Pure Planet that you thought that to be the case.(said constructively not critically)

It isn’t just an automated service, it’s real human customer services and they will reply. 

The instant answers are bot replies but if that doesn’t help your question then goes to a human which is why I said persist through bot replies. A reply from the team isn’t instant but you will get one.

 

I’ve sent a message over but it is just a bot reply which couldn't pick up on my request and gave offers for answers they thought might be appropriate but weren’t in this case.  I didn’t know you couldn’t have a call as they are solely online which is a bit odd but that's the times these days I guess. I could have my query passed to a ‘real’ team member  to reply and they have said I can expect a reply within 3-5 working days.   As you say not a criticism, but not many ‘human’ interactions available. I hope that in an emergency you can get to speak/type to a real person though.   

woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

@Heppers7

Welcome belatedly, (I came to this thread late)

This is interesting, I wonder if you’ve discovered a bug in PP’s systems that no one has spotted yet…

hmmm

May I suggest if you can be bothered that you use help&support>ask a question (wattbot) to ask whether your reminders can be set to synchronise (at minus 3 days) with your statement date?

Persist through the instant bot replies until it says your message has been sent, it might be useful to copy the url of this thread and refer them to it.

Will you let us know what happens?

I can try…??? it is just an automated service though isn’t it?  So not sure if it will have any impact.  

@Heppers7

I imagine it’s quite worrying for Pure Planet that you thought that to be the case.(said constructively not critically)

It isn’t just an automated service, it’s real human customer services and they will reply. 

The instant answers are bot replies but if that doesn’t help your question then goes to a human which is why I said persist through bot replies. A reply from the team isn’t instant but you will get one.

 

I’ve sent a message over but it is just a bot reply which couldn't pick up on my request and gave offers for answers they thought might be appropriate but weren’t in this case.  I didn’t know you couldn’t have a call as they are solely online which is a bit odd but that's the times these days I guess. I could have my query passed to a ‘real’ team member  to reply and they have said I can expect a reply within 3-5 working days.   As you say not a criticism, but not many ‘human’ interactions available. I hope that in an emergency you can get to speak/type to a real person though.   

@Heppers7 Yes indeed

There is an EMERGENCY option in your account menu. 

Just to add to the thread, although it isn’t critical, in all cases the meter reading reminders should be sent 3 days before your statement date. If that isn’t the case for you it needs to be fixed. 

I will add that your account balance is only accurate on the statement date anyway,  assuming the readings are sent at the last moment so it doesn’t really matter that much, and the nearer to that date you send the readings, the closer any estimation of remaining days will be.

If you think about it PP are charging you to a particular date otherwise they would have to send out a statement every time someone sent a reading in (which makes no sense) which is why the reminder should be in sync.

S
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi @woz @Heppers7 

Just to say that earlier in the thread I asked @Nataly (staff member) if she might be able to look into this, or ask one of the team to look into it…

Regards, Stephen

woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

Hi @woz @Heppers7 

Just to say that earlier in the thread I asked @Nataly (staff member) if she might be able to look into this, or ask one of the team to look into it…

Regards, Stephen

@stephenrand oops applelollogies, I was busy and must have scanned past it. 

Nataly
Rank

Hey everyone, 

Loving all the really useful and in-depth help/advice on this thread :thumbsup:

This defo does sound a bit strange @Heppers7 - your statements should be sent a few days after your meter reading reminder email. I think this is one for the Member Services team to investigate, as they can see your full account details and check everything’s been setup OK following your move in. 

So it’s great you’ve already messaged them - let us know what they find! 

A

I put my readings in on the 5th or 6th of the month and they ALWAYS estimate on the 8th so are you saying I should put the readings in on the 7th? Someone in this thread says three days before but they doesn’t seem to work? I’m completely confused.

Strutt G
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi Adrianu9,

Its PP’s cool reminder and from month to month it makes no difference.

I send mine on the prompt and resend meter reads on the statement date 3 days later on the the statement (joining anniversary) date so its not estimated. Statement is pinged by email (+ updated in the account) the next day.

Its just a mind set, cos 3 days estimated will be so close to actuals and the reminder keeps customers on track. If they reminded us on the statement date many peeps I guess would complain as allows no time. This is not unique to PP apart from the APP moon prompt.

Post back if still confused.

Peace

 

Everything is impermanent
woz
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

I put my readings in on the 5th or 6th of the month and they ALWAYS estimate on the 8th so are you saying I should put the readings in on the 7th? Someone in this thread says three days before but they doesn’t seem to work? I’m completely confused.

@Adrianu9 The estimated use in your case is only for the last one or two days, if you submit on 7th it won’t be estimated. The reality of the last day or 2 estimation is virtually no difference to your statement balance, in other words ir doesn’t matter. The Statement balance even with no estimation is only valid for that one point in time. As soon as you’ve submitted your readings the usage will change because you’re using energy.

The nearer to your statement date you submit the more accurate it will be at that point in time only.

Have I succeeded in further confuzzulating this?

Strutt G
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Soda pop

Everything is impermanent
Bev
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

What!?!?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Enjoy the simple things in life
Strutt G
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

None of that or I’ll send you to Coventry

(I’m in clanger mode)

Everything is impermanent
Bev
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Enjoy the simple things in life

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