Legal requirement on meter reading

[steveR]

I have just had a less than satisfactory call with eonNext regarding a big refund being due to me. Essentially, they will not, as they have not had a meter reading since Feb 2023. I suggested that was not my problem and we have always had an annual meter reading for years, and the unpleasant woman I had unfortunately been transferred too informed me that, "I must read the meter monthly, or have a smart meter" and then got very defensive and agressive when I diasagreed....

Long and short. the call was terminated soon after, and I will submit the meter reading in writing AND a formal request for the Refund and confirmation in writing of the refund (this last sent her into a spin!!) as I did not want it on my account as a credit!!!

Just what is the legal requirment these days? All I can see is reference to some older Code of Practice and to dated regulations. All seem to indicate that the supplier should read the meter at least annually... The CoP post dates the introduction of smart meters, so I am wondering if anythiong has changed...

 

[Netherfield]

It's not much good contacting Ofgem either, they won't get involved without getting a deadlock letter from your supplier.

No doubt you're talking to someone in either South Africa, India or Pakistan. I had to ask 3 times for someone else to speak to because I couldn't understand what they were saying.

Never had a problem with Npower, until Eon took them over.

 

[steveR]

It's not much good contacting Ofgem either, they won't get involved without getting a deadlock letter from your supplier.

Ofgem website not much use either...

No doubt you're talking to someone in either South Africa, India or Pakistan. I had to ask 3 times for someone else to speak to because I couldn't understand what they were saying.

Never had a problem with Npower, until Eon took them over.

The initial CS guy David was an East Midland chap from his accent and very helpful, the little Madam I got then at least spoke English clearly, albeit with a strong Indian accent, but did not give her name... Very quick to start feeling like a victim on behalf of her colleague from last year, who had failed to carry out his promise....

 

[Lincsman]

I have just had a less than satisfactory call with eonNext regarding a big refund being due to me. Essentially, they will not, as they have not had a meter reading since Feb 2023. I suggested that was not my problem and we have always had an annual meter reading for years, and the unpleasant woman I had unfortunately been transferred too informed me that, "I must read the meter monthly, or have a smart meter" and then got very defensive and agressive when I diasagreed....

Long and short. the call was terminated soon after, and I will submit the meter reading in writing AND a formal request for the Refund and confirmation in writing of the refund (this last sent her into a spin!!) as I did not want it on my account as a credit!!!

Just what is the legal requirment these days? All I can see is reference to some older Code of Practice and to dated regulations. All seem to indicate that the supplier should read the meter at least annually... The CoP post dates the introduction of smart meters, so I am wondering if anythiong has changed...

Sorry but you should have stopped sending them money before it got out of hand, ironically Eon messed mine up and i agreed a payment to sort it after negotiation, they then deleted my account, so i now have nowhere to send meter readings... or money!

PS I think they have a duty to read at least every 6 months.

 

[Netherfield]

You may get a lot of promises to ring you back, but they never did with me.

This was over a disputed payment, they wanted to see a copy of a bank statement showing the payment. try putting a bank statement in a copier, it won't work, took months before the bank came up with some sort of code to send them which verified the payment.

To this day they have never acknowledged they were wrong and I was right all along, the amount just disappeared from statements they sent out, I sent 4 monthly payments after the one that went 'missing' all via the same details held by my bank in Bacs.

Bunch of tossers.

 

[Lili]

I have just had a less than satisfactory call with eonNext regarding a big refund being due to me. Essentially, they will not, as they have not had a meter reading since Feb 2023. I suggested that was not my problem and we have always had an annual meter reading for years, and the unpleasant woman I had unfortunately been transferred too informed me that, "I must read the meter monthly, or have a smart meter" and then got very defensive and agressive when I diasagreed....

Long and short. the call was terminated soon after, and I will submit the meter reading in writing AND a formal request for the Refund and confirmation in writing of the refund (this last sent her into a spin!!) as I did not want it on my account as a credit!!!

Just what is the legal requirment these days? All I can see is reference to some older Code of Practice and to dated regulations. All seem to indicate that the supplier should read the meter at least annually... The CoP post dates the introduction of smart meters, so I am wondering if anythiong has changed...

Email the CEO and Director at EON head office on this list. Mr Lovatt and Mr Norbury and tell them the situation. The Big people in charge dont like problems. Its bad for their PR.

https://www.ceoemail.com/

 

[Netherfield]

Email the CEO and Director at EON head office on this list. Mr Lovatt and Mr Norbury and tell them the situation. The Big people in charge dont like problems. Its bad for their PR.

https://www.ceoemail.com/

You would think so, I did try the ceoemail and guess what, it's just the same people who intercept the emails and no-one replied from that, just got an acknowledgement it had been received.

 

[Exfarmer]

I believe they only need to read the meter physically every 2 years by law and this was relaxed during Covid.
If their is any dispute send them a reading with a photo of the meter and reading(s) make sure you get the meter serial number and it is useful to get the Mpan number into the shot if you can ( I have Mpan numbers posted next to mine as it helps meter readers too get the correct meter when there are several in the near vicinity.
With digital meter readings remember that the first number which comes up may not be the accrued Unit figure as some may have up to a dozen or more readings from Day/Night/Export/date/ time of day/max usage and some strange figures which I have never understood. I believe some of the meter readers do not either

 

[Kidds]

I bought this house nearly 6 years ago, can't recall the meter ever being read.

 

[deleted user 837354]

I can tell you now, no company is installing a smart meter of any kind here.

 

[trebornella]

I,m with EON and have never changed supplier since it was eastern electricity in the 1980's. Meter readers stopped coming since covid and now get a reminder meter reading required email every month, which I do. No problems with that so far and have a monthly DD set up which works fine with me. What puzzles me and the reason for commenting, is there a set time for change over to 'cheap' rate. Always assumed it was midnight to 7am, but my meter time is set so that cheap rate is 10.30am till 4.30 pm. Not complaining, but is it just me or is this common ?

 

[som farmer]

It's not much good contacting Ofgem either, they won't get involved without getting a deadlock letter from your supplier.

No doubt you're talking to someone in either South Africa, India or Pakistan. I had to ask 3 times for someone else to speak to because I couldn't understand what they were saying.

Never had a problem with Npower, until Eon took them over.

we have a large problem with one meter, huge bill, need a hammer to beat in into them, had the bailiffs out twice, despite strenuous efforts to sort it, we actually had a dispute chap out from SE, and sorted it, till the next bill came ....... rung chap up, apologies for cock up, result, back to threatening letters, and the bailiffs.

we refused them entry, on cleansing etc, that meter in a barn, with cattle in we let matey above take a photo of the meter.

but, you cannot go through the ombudsman, until SE have had a chance to sort it out, we are at the stage of, 'sorry we haven't sorted out your complaint, please can you allow us more time'. We have all the e'mails from them, and ours to them, theirs continually contradict the previous one, no idea what will happen in the end, but l doubt we will be paying the £1,000's they say we owe.

have a friend who they repaid £21,000 to, his dairy meter, which has been around the clock several times.

our meter they are querying, runs a few lights, and the bore hole pump, so, l am registered disabled, and our house is on our supply, and it waters livestock, they cannot cut us off

the problem was, they haven't read the meter for 15/20 yrs, we gave up telling them years ago, and completely ignored our meter readings we sent them. Claimed to have read it regularly, each bill was estimated, now claiming they read in 2018, and saying that's what we owe.

 

[Exfarmer]

I,m with EON and have never changed supplier since it was eastern electricity in the 1980's. Meter readers stopped coming since covid and now get a reminder meter reading required email every month, which I do. No problems with that so far and have a monthly DD set up which works fine with me. What puzzles me and the reason for commenting, is there a set time for change over to 'cheap' rate. Always assumed it was midnight to 7am, but my meter time is set so that cheap rate is 10.30am till 4.30 pm. Not complaining, but is it just me or is this common ?

That is a b****r but afraid you will just have to live with it
Power cuts have sorted the meter, one job of the meter readers was to keep them on time

 

[Blue.]

I can tell you now, no company is installing a smart meter of any kind here.

Unfortunately it's going to be forced on us you can't get an analogue meter anymore.

 

[Old apprentice]

They came to put a smart meter in and the fitter just said no can't do that took photos and left they have never come back.

 

[mixedfmr]

EON come out once a year here, late summer 23, so we shall see
When they last came, I had over payed 3k, so for a while they charged me 1p/ month, I was just pleased to be in credit , rather than debt
Some EON person of foreign parentage rang me to put a smart meter in, told them i was too buisy in season to do that, so put them off a bit longer
Got to keep that up as long as possible, the number of reported cock ups with them is growing. Rather not have another spy on the place, bad enough DEFRA drones buzzing me

 

[trebornella]

Unfortunately it's going to be forced on us you can't get an analogue meter anymore.

You dont have to have a smart meter, just refuse any request or offer to change and they cannot do anything about it (yet)

 

[Exfarmer]

I think if you have solar p[anels claiming FITs you cannot refure legally. Whats more if you knew your current meter was going backwards and you refuse it could be fraud

 

[PeterPrestbury]

You dont have to have a smart meter, just refuse any request or offer to change and they cannot do anything about it (yet)

True, but certainly with domestic tariffs, unless you want to stick on variable rate prices and pay a premium price per unit, more and more tariffs will include the requirement to have a smart meter fitted within 60 days.

In terms of the original qu. what is the legal requirement for reading the meter ?, as far as I know there is a recommended provision for them visiting to check the meter installation, but it's not necessarily their responsibility to read the meter (though cannot see why they wouldn't if their on-site checking the meter).

Rather than Ofgem, you might need to check your supply contract first, as I suspect there is something in the small print that you are obliged to provide them readings on an x basis (monthly, quarterly, at least annually, etc). It would be very unlikely that they've not put that in there, if only to cover their ar5es.

 

[Exfarmer]

A few facts about meters
firstly the meters are managed by an independent metering company
second , they have no connection to , suppliers, generator, or network operator (DNO)
thirdly, they have absolutely no interest in your consumption
or the power transmitted to you from the generator
this is to ensure complete independence from generator to consumer ”ensuring” you are ‘fairly billed.’
the problem is that there is no pressure on the meter operator to do sod all.
the supplier pays for reported consumption and the consumer pays for that figure the rest is network losses which we all pay for through higher bills
for this the meter operator is paid an astronomic sum of up to £400 a year to supply a meter costing between £50- 200 and monitoring it, which other companies charge between £25-40 a year
It stinks