The supplier has incorrect meter numbers in the system - what to do?

Hello everyone,

We have received the welcome letters from our supplier here in the region (Pfalzwerke). They have enrolled us in the basic supply. We have 2 meters, and Pfalzwerke wants a hefty €390 in advance payments. Of course, we don’t want to pay that, so we wanted to switch to another electricity provider based on our actual, calculated electricity consumption.

In doing so, we noticed that both meter numbers on the welcome letters are incorrect. A phone call with Pfalzwerke Netz revealed: Indeed, their system currently has the two meter numbers from the letters on file. The two meter numbers that are actually on our meters are unknown to them. When I asked what I should do now, the staff member at the hotline didn’t have an answer either. He advised me against signing a contract with the wrong numbers (those in the system), as they might potentially belong to someone else (??). Signing a contract with the actual meter numbers probably wouldn’t work either, since these are unknown to the grid operator in their system.

Do you have any idea how I should proceed now? I don’t want to be stuck with their basic supply. Especially since their reputation in the region matches their Google reviews: they are apparently very overwhelmed and understaffed right now. A prompt clarification from the grid operator isn’t to be expected.

What would you do? And would you pay these absurdly high advance payments? Honestly, I don’t see why I should. Those are not my meter numbers, the calculation has no basis and is also not comprehensible. They don’t have SEPA from me yet. I’m considering simply not paying when the first advance payment is due or disputing the payment because it’s not my meter number. Is the contract even valid? Firstly, the number is incorrect; secondly, the cancellation policy states that the period is “14 days from the day the contract is concluded.” The contract is dated 14.8., but the letter informing me of these conditions only reached me on 28.8., and it was also sent to the construction site address where it was only “left” due to lack of a mailbox. Also, the meters were only installed later than the contract conclusion date stated in the letter.

However, I do not want them to cut off our electricity. The first advance payment will be due at the end of September. I am considering handing this over to a lawyer if it heads in that direction and nothing is clarified by the operator by then? Furthermore, I am considering simply signing my desired electricity contract with the CORRECT meter numbers, as visible in the meter box, and waiting to see what happens?

Furthermore, I am considering simply going ahead and signing my desired electricity contract with the CORRECT meter numbers, as seen in the meter box, and waiting to see what happens?

The employee of the network operator told you that your meter numbers are not stored in their system. And your network operator will remain Pfalzwerke Netz even with a different supplier. So if you now register with a different supplier using the numbers that are not stored, PW Netz will have no choice but to reject this registration because of unknown meter numbers.
I suspect you have to solve the problem somehow with Pfalzwerke Netz.

Why don't they just correct that?

Caution - the numbers on the meter are not necessarily the meter numbers that the grid operator reports to the electricity company! In my case, I have a heat pump cascade, and this is NOT the case!

First, you need to, as correctly stated, extract the correct meter numbers from the grid operator. I don’t want to demotivate you now, but for me (different federal state) this actually took almost three years (!) and a massively triple-digit number of emails and phone calls before I actually ended up with the heat pump electricity in the heat pump billing! No joke! Just this weekend I actually received the admission from the supplier that they had taken a four-digit amount too much from me so far and will refund it.

So without recognized meter numbers, a contract with the electricity provider will not work. If they receive a meter number from you, the first thing they do is ask the grid operator and if they do not maintain this number, they will reject it.

The one from is a completely different topic. So cascade with virtual meter numbers has nothing to do with incorrect numbers in the system. If necessary, involve bnetza.

Why don't they just fix it?

Muahuahua, I'm laughing myself to death - that may seem very simple to you, but in the life of the network operators such cases are simply not foreseen, there is no checkbox for that.

So yes, the network operator has to assign the corresponding meters correctly. Nothing is more difficult than that. Even if they are regular meters without cascade.

Serious question: Is something like this really an issue for the Federal Network Agency? I still have a few bones to pick with my network operator.