registerme
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Post by registerme on Mar 24, 2023 9:52:57 GMT
I'm with SO Energy for my gas. They installed a new "smart" meter in September 2022. I have been unable to obtain a meter reading since. SO Energy have been unable to help, and and have been pretty unresponsive - I have an email thread between me and their Customer Services and Complaints departments dating back to Feb 22 2023. There are examples of people trying to help but making no progress. There are more examples of me chasing only to get no response. I am nearly £700 in credit. They want me to submit a meter reading (I'd love to, but can't). The tariff is due to increase at the end of March. I am using gas. I have no idea whether there is a way to read the meter, and they / I just don't know how to, or whether there is a fault with the meter. I have called multiple times to actually talk to them. Sometimes I fail after fifteen minutes on hold. Sometimes I fail after having talked to somebody who is unable to help. I've just tweeted the CEO to try and get some help. Do I do nothing (and continue with my standing orders but being unable to submit a reading)? Do I cancel my standing order and ask for a refund of my credit (because they can't charge me if I can't submit a reading)? Do I try to move to another energy company (how, when I can't submit a meter reading)? Is there an escalation route I am unaware of? Do I submit a reading of 00000.00, and continue to do so whilst consuming their gas? etc This is incredibly frustrating  . |
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 24, 2023 10:01:25 GMT
is this your first time with a Smart Meter ?
When you say you can't take a reading: does that mean that your IHD is not showing any reading, or the Smart Meter itself is not showing any reading, or both ?
What make is your smart meter ?
I suspect I'm teaching grandmother to suck eggs. But on my Smart Meter (that is the meter itself, not the IHD) you have to press certain buttons to put it in the mode to give you a reading. The other fairly obvious thing that stands out is: Its a Smart Meter: why on earth are they insisting on you giving them a reading off the Smart meter ? If its working, they don't need you to. if it isn't working, they need to fix it. But you know this.
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Mar 24, 2023 10:06:34 GMT
I don't have an IHD.
The smart meter itself isn't showing any reading. The LCD is blank and no combination of buttons I press changes that (presumably somebody, somewhere, knows how to change this, and that's what I'd like to find out). I have no manual and have been provided no instructions.
It's an EDMI-GS60B. This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sg-JNLj5Jw) tells me how to read it. It doesn't work.
Maybe I should just report it as faulty?
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james100
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Post by james100 on Mar 24, 2023 10:24:18 GMT
I don't have an IHD. The smart meter itself isn't showing any reading. The LCD is blank and no combination of buttons I press changes that (presumably somebody, somewhere, knows how to change this, and that's what I'd like to find out). I have no manual and have been provided no instructions. It's an EDMI-GS60B. This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sg-JNLj5Jw) tells me how to read it. It doesn't work. Maybe I should just report it as faulty? Can you see a right hand button with a ^ on it? Try pressing/holding it for 30 seconds to wake it up.
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 24, 2023 10:29:35 GMT
Did you ask not to have an IHD ? I thought that ALL SMs were required to be supplied with IHDs (even if you choose to not to use it). It kind of of defeats one of the intended purposes of SMs if you don't have one.
TBH, if it was me. They fitted the smart meter. They have failed to supply the IHD so you can take readings in house without recourse to the meter. Its not like it was there and you switched over suppliers and they want a first reading (which they shouldn't need anyway 'cos its a smart meter.....). As they fitted it, they would have responsiblity for initial readings/settings (even if through their outsourced fitting service). If they were able to get a reading from it they wouldn't need you to give them one. If they can't get a reading from it then its clearly 'non-functioning' and they need to fix it. And they can't advise you how to take a reading from the meter they supplied. I think you know where this is going.......
[I'd still be trying to take a reading if I could find instructions for my own 'backup', but I'd still put the ball firmly in their court to sort THEIR problem out].
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Mar 24, 2023 11:15:18 GMT
james100 , bracknellboy , thank you both. So some progress. I'm not entirely sure why but this time when I pressed and held the button I got a measurement out of it (152.83m3), which at least is a measurement of some kind! Unfortunately I can't submit the meter reading. I suspect this is because the SO Energy system has the wrong meter serial number associated with me. I'm now trying to get this fixed... I don't have an IHD because I only have a gas smart meter. I don't have an electricity smart meter because my current electricity meter is 70ft from my front door in a shed, and the last time I tried to have one installed the engineer told me it wasn't possible. I do want to get this sorted out, but I can't cope with more than one meter mess at a time.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2023 11:56:57 GMT
I'd keep focused on making it their problem
One way to make it their problem is to start to write your story on
I had a similar large company who couldn't be arsed. I followed all their procedures and began writing their story on trustpilot. Finally after they completely failed to give any redress to their failure I sent them the trustpilot review.
Cheque in the post.
Martin Lewis recommends using a piece of software that manages your relationship. Up to you of course
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michaelc
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Say No To T.D.S.
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Post by michaelc on Mar 24, 2023 13:11:09 GMT
Presumably what you are most worried about is this continuing to go on for longer and longer without you knowing what your (financial) position is. e.g. could they land you with a large bill in 5 years?
Could you make that fact very clear in writing as a final email/letter to them and state you don't consider it reasonable to pay an unknown lump sum some time into the future unless they provide a method for you to get a meter reading say within 28 days from now?
I presume you've also brought this up with the energy ombudsman (again granny and eggs come to mind so apologies if this has been covered).
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archie
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Post by archie on Mar 24, 2023 13:43:25 GMT
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Mar 24, 2023 15:23:36 GMT
I now have an "Executive Resolutions Specialist" assigned to my "case", who has been referred to my complaint from one of their directors.
I wonder did my tweeting the CEO, and attempting to connect with them on LinkedIn shake something loose?
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 24, 2023 15:58:46 GMT
I now have an "Executive Resolutions Specialist" assigned to my "case", who has been referred to my complaint from one of their directors. I wonder did my tweeting the CEO, and attempting to connect with them on LinkedIn shake something loose?Almost certainly. My brother has made a speciality in contacting the CEO/CFO/COO of companies he is having problems seeing sense. Almost without fail, it works a treat. Of course when the companies concerned are so dysfunctional that even their intervention can't stop the problem from dragging on, then you know you are in trouble. But at least you have the ear of someone who would much prefer you weren't tweaking it regularly.
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 24, 2023 18:30:08 GMT
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Mar 24, 2023 18:40:23 GMT
I was going to quote those too, A couple of things spring to mind IHD would be useless for you, without a smart electric meter they don't work The smart Gas meter can't "talk" to the DCC etc as it talks to the comms hub in a smart electric meter. For Info mine won't talk to a hub in the same room they reckon 5 metres is too far apart your 152 cubic metre reading equates to around 1,700 kWh of gas, seems very low to me but you may have storage heaters or whatever and be low gas usage.
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 24, 2023 18:53:45 GMT
I was going to quote those too, A couple of things spring to mind IHD would be useless for you, without a smart electric meter they don't work The smart Gas meter can't "talk" to the DCC etc as it talks to the comms hub in a smart electric meter. For Info mine won't talk to a hub in the same room they reckon 5 metres is too far apart your 152 cubic metre reading equates to around 1,700 kWh of gas, seems very low to me but you may have storage heaters or whatever and be low gas usage. That's properly interesting, and explains a lot. Makes one wonder why on earth they went ahead with fitting an Smart gas meter knowing that there wouldn't be an electric SM. If the meter can't talk to the DCC then surely its a complete dog's breakfast of a setup and simply setup to fail. perhaps they should be restoring the original non-smart meter (I can see that request going far.....).
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Post by martin44 on Mar 24, 2023 19:05:16 GMT
I simply fail to understand why you don't unplug the smart meter, send it back telling them it does not work and log on to your account and give them a meter reading.
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