Disabled and unable to used forced prepaid meter help

rosyjones wrote: »

Earlier today I tired to help a disabled lady who Eon forced a prepaid meter onto despite her pointing out she isn't capable of operating it - she lives alone independently no carer and as no family.
She is on the NHS and national grid register as a customer with special needs due to medical condition and epuipment, saying/pledging there can't be a cut to her power supply much longer than a hour.
However despite her telling the men who installed the meter this and her physical disability being obvious they installed it anyway.

There is little credit left, so when it runs out she and her life saving medical equipment will be disconnected

I reported this and they asked their employees who said, they'd seen the lady who had been happy to have the meter and had no disability but her daughter did! (She is disabled and has no children, so they can't have seen a daughter?) when i pointed this out I was told yes that's their findings she'll have to call..

She isn't capable of calling them herself emotionally and left my office saying she will to do away with herself

How do the heck do we get a normal meter back in fast!!
Help guys it can't be legal to install a meter to a customer who can't operate it?

Hello rosyjones and this sounds a terrible situation.

Given what you say about the customer's comments, I'd strongly recommend organising a Safe and Well check through the Police. Please call 101 from a mobile or external phone and ask for a Safe and Well check, giving as much information as possible about the customer. They'll make sure she's safe. It would also be advisable to give these details to social services as well.

With the meter, I'd suggest talking to our Prepayment Extra Care team. They look after our vulnerable customers who have prepayment meters. Part of what they do is to look at the possibility of changing prepayment meters for credit ones where customers are seen as high risk vulnerable. From what you say, it certainly looks like this is the case here. The team are available from 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.

If the customer isn't able to talk to us, is there someone who can be with her who she can give us permission to talk to on her behalf?

Please ring any of the prepayment numbers in the 'contact us section' on our website and ask to be put through to this team. Alternatively, use our online Live Chat or social media channels (twitter and Facebook). There are prepayment advisors there now who will be happy to help.

Don't want to alarm you rosyjones but this sounds a potentially highly serious situation. Better to be safe than sorry.

Malc