You could be paying twice for MOP, DC, DA services!
Are you experiencing double charging for MOP, DC, DA? All Half Hourly MPANS require a Meter Operator (MOP), Data Collector (DC), and Data Aggregator (DA). To learn more about each of these services and the functions they perform please read HERE. Collectively they enable accurate and efficient billing and ensure there is not a conflict of interest between the supplier who issues your bills and the consumption recording.
If you don’t appoint your own MOP/DC/DA you will be billed for these services via the electricity Supplier. By not appointing your own MOP you frequently end up paying more than you need to, and may run into problems when switching electricity supplier, or experience billing issues.
Most Half Hourly customers appoint their own MOP, with a lesser amount of customers appointing their own DC/DA. For customers who appoint their own DC/DA there are multiple benefits such as being in control with easier access to your data, essential if you want to track your usage closely. Secondly it is economical to appoint your own DC/DA.
Since many clients rely on supplier appointed DC/DA services, these charges are frequently included in a suppliers standing charge, or applied as a separate line item on the bill. If you have your own DC/DA in place, you need to ensure these charges are stripped from any supply contract.
It is one thing to pay for DC/DA once, but no one should be paying for the DC/DA twice, i.e. to the client appointed DC/DA and to the electricity supplier. We work with customers on a regular basis to ensure they are credited for any DC/DA double charging. A common cause of this is the ‘branding’ of DC/DA services, compounded by the fact that these contracts typically run on a five year cycle.
For example, Npower used to brand their DC/DA offering as “Encompass”, and more recently as “Intelligent Analytics”. If a customer is unaware that this is Npower’s brand name for their DC/DA service they can be caught out paying both Npower for the DC/DA and also their supplier for DC/DA. The same week of publishing this post we helped a new client secure a £1,743.33 credit, which reimbursed double charged DC/DA charges from 2013 – 2018. The client approached us for assistance this month, as they had been paying Npower directly for DC/DA services on a 5 year contract. Simultaneously they were also being charged by their electricity Supplier Haven for DC/DA services. Fortunately Direct Power identified the problem and we worked with both Npower and Haven to rectify the double billing.
MOP/DC/DA contracts are frequently a five year duration. Supply contracts covering monthly bills are frequently one or two years in duration. Understandably customers can forget about their MOP/DC/DA status in the interim years, and may simply forget to inform the supplier about their MOP/DC/DA arrangements. This results in both the MOP/DC/DA sending an annual invoice for these services, and the supplier invoicing the client via their monthly charges, either as a sub-component of the standing charge, or as a separate line item.
What can you do to prevent MOP/DC/DA Double charging?
- Keep good records, be aware of all MOP/DC/DA contracts you hold, or use Direct Power to arrange competitive MOP/DC/DA contracts for you.
- Remember, many MOPS require a 12 month termination notice, so you want to plan ahead.
- Inform your supplier of any MOP/DC/DA contracts you hold when requesting prices and securing contracts, this will prevent the supplier building MOP/DC/DA charges into their quotes, Direct Power can assist you to do this.
- Get in touch with Direct Power for assistance ensuring you are not being double charged.
- Get in touch with Direct Power for assistance claiming a credit for double charged MOP/DC/DA costs.
If you have any doubts get in touch, e-mail us a copy of any MOP/DC/DA contracts you hold along with your most recent monthly supply bill. We will be glad to review the set up and work on an appropriate action plan to resolve any double billing. Get in touch with us to and let us help you sort out your double charging issues.
