cant reach new card meter

novelli

Recently EDF installed a card meter at my request, as am now reliant on benefits and in debt so needed to pay as i go.
Problem is it is at the top of a very steep flight of stairs, where i then would also have to stand on a chair or ladder to reach.
I have severe back and leg problems, am not very mobile and suffer from M E, i live only with my 16 yr old son who is autistic.
Apart from being difficult to get up on ladder to put cards in, its extremely dangerous, my legs ofton go into spasms and can give way without warning.
I rang EDF to ask them to remove it to outside with the gas meter, they gave me another number to ring, who gave me another to ring, who told me EDF have to sort it direct.
EDF are now saying they would only move it a foot, any more than that and i would get a substantial charge. It cant be lowered anyway as theres a door underneath. There is no where to attach it to on the tiny upstairs landing. In any way i wouldnt want it halfway down the wall as my son would have great fun pressing the buttons etc!!
For health and safety reasons for both me and my son it needs to be placed outside, but EDF refuse. They said there is nothing they can do except put me back onto a credit meter, which i do not want. I have asked them to put all of this in writing to me because i feel its disability discrimination, i have also told them if there is an accident i will make a claim against them.
Where to io stand on getting this meter moved for the above reason without having a huge bill, which i cant afford.

novelli

thanks for the response, i will try that number tomorrow, but the people i have spoken to today knew my situation but never mentioned this?? I found them all very unhelpful indeed.
I got a friend to put some cards in today, as i cannot get up there.
thanks

BexTech

It's a shame you had a pre-payment meter put in, as it makes the cost you pay increase.

When you are on benefits you need as much of the money left as you can, sadly pre-payment means you end up with less money and you can find it harder to make ends meet as you now have less money to spend as more is going on gas and/or electricity than it would with a credit meter and paying monthly DD.

Sadly many people are getting stuck in this downward spiral.

Premier_2

EDF changed the meter type at your request free of charge.

Now you've discovered its created a problem, EDF have offered to put it back to the way it was before - again free of charge - therefore overcoming the problem you created yourself.
(and will save you money too - see post by BexTech)

Because it's not the solution you want - you think you are being discriminated against?

Joyful

Another option may be to have the credit meter back in then if you fall behind on your payments go onto Fuel Direct. At this point they will take it from your benefits. I never advocate letting anyone build up a debt but it looks like this may be your only answer.

First though try the number to see if they can move the PP meter.

espresso

I don't understand why you think that paying more for your energy by using a pre-payment meter is beneficial. See prices here Bad move!

Pssst

I do not believe that your supplier should resite the meter outside. To do this, they would incur excessive costs in that they would have to arrange for excavations and relaying of the incoming service cable,and reconnecting YOUR installation to the new remote position.

Surely when you requested the meter change,you would have known that you could not reach the meter position?

Perhaps you could have someone else top the meter up for you?

Either way,i think the supplier has done all they can

coljacks

Not a hundred percent sure, but I was always told that the gas meter had to be as low to the ground as possible. It could be worth asking about that.

IKWeb

Yep, as you guys have said, I work for one of the top 5 energy companies, EDF are only allowed to move the meter around 1 foot from its current location. If you need it moving to another part of the house then you have to cover the cost of this and get a qualified tradesmen to do the work for you, and of course pay for it.

Now how you think you are been discriminated against is beyond me...