utilitys:do they prosecute for meter tampering?

Terrylw1

Hey, at least the fraudster is concerned about being green by recycling!:D

[Deleted User]

two of my colleagues have only last week uncovered long term gas meter bypasses,one was confirmed at 4 years gas and 3 years electric bypasses, the other is not yet confirmed of length of bypass but over £2000 was owing on gas standing charges. These were both using prepay meters, the meters of choice for bypassing usually. I know for a fact that no useage monitoring is used at all and that anything at all of interest to the supplier that our meter readers flag up, such as faulty meters, suspect tampering or any other codes we select is totally ignored by the suppliers.I know of digital electric meters which have gone blank and stayed that way for years despite the meter readers and customers ( they say) informing the suppliers.
Ofgems recent attempts at increasing meter bypass detection are far too weak and their figures of under 3000 gas tampers reported last year is a sign of how poor the whole industry is at stopping the sometimes lethal results of meter bypassing. Prosecutions of tamperers would just be the first step. In my very large area there is only one revenue protection officer at work, hopelessly understaffed and just a token effort.
If anyone sees fit to pass on these points to any media outlet,please do, it would be an eye opener to many to know that your neighbour risks blowing up the house and yours with it and not even face a day in court

chanz4

Im disgusted with ebay to be honest, I reported the stolen/tampered meter and they have taken no notice.

[Deleted User]

Have reported it to the local police in Bolton Lancashire

C_Mababejive

I agree with sacsquacco..OSGEMs figure of 3000 tampers pa is a total joke.

Suppliers seem largely uninterested in issues flagged to them.

Let the good times role..fiddle as much as you like and nothing will happen. Law abiding mugs,keep paying your bills AND underwriting the losses caused by the fiddlers.

Terrylw1

Ofgems attempts are poor.

Why don't they change the industry BSCP's to include prosecution in the interest of public safety? If they do that, they put it in the realm of Elexon's control. Now Elexon control PWC to perform a yearly audit of all parties who are signed onto the BSC, so suppliers, data collectors, meter operators, distributors, data aggregators, etc.

If ofgem state this is a big issue, it can be included in their audits. Elexon can also raise big industry problems by giving a supplier notice of performing a Technical Assurance Visit and believe me, 7 days notice is generous for these...their intention is to catch the supplier at business as usual.

If Elexon are unhappy, they have the ability to push for large fines.

They can escalate you to the Performance Assurance Board, which means a director facing a hearing in front of other directors of the PAB which is made up of each company. They can set very strict improvement targets and escalate you to the Trading Disputes Council, which means you would be in deep doo doo!

Elexon can test your processes under the BSC to ensure you comply. If you fail, they can request an improvement programme, well they actually levy it on out under the problem pro for a procesd and meet with you monthly until you can be checked again to agree it is over. It also means your yearly audit also contains this until you are cleared.

The tamper processes are already under the BSC since it covers all the parties and use of data flows.

So, why don't Elexon and ofgem do the above and force a compliance with the law? Until thy do, its all about bottom line.

Terrylw1

sacsquacco wrote: »

two of my colleagues have only last week uncovered long term gas meter bypasses,one was confirmed at 4 years gas and 3 years electric bypasses, the other is not yet confirmed of length of bypass but over £2000 was owing on gas standing charges. These were both using prepay meters, the meters of choice for bypassing usually. I know for a fact that no useage monitoring is used at all and that anything at all of interest to the supplier that our meter readers flag up, such as faulty meters, suspect tampering or any other codes we select is totally ignored by the suppliers.I know of digital electric meters which have gone blank and stayed that way for years despite the meter readers and customers ( they say) informing the suppliers.
Ofgems recent attempts at increasing meter bypass detection are far too weak and their figures of under 3000 gas tampers reported last year is a sign of how poor the whole industry is at stopping the sometimes lethal results of meter bypassing. Prosecutions of tamperers would just be the first step. In my very large area there is only one revenue protection officer at work, hopelessly understaffed and just a token effort.
If anyone sees fit to pass on these points to any media outlet,please do, it would be an eye opener to many to know that your neighbour risks blowing up the house and yours with it and not even face a day in court

Another industry blackhole there. Suppliers go unchecked on Site Visit Check Codes on the data flows produced by readers and engineers.

There is a misconception that a data flows information is the only important thing e.g. they get a meter change in, so they action the meter change but ignore the SVCC telling them the property is vacant. So you have an updated meter and an account billing for now reason and the longer this goes on, the more work needed to correct it all when someone finally moves in.

There are all sorts of problems like this and Elexon don't ever discuss it.

Now, if you wind the industry back pre-2000, meter sheets were used. Engineers just to write all sorts of information on thrm...but it was used so the above scenario was completely handled.

Now I'm not going to say "the good old days when it was done right" because I know from experience that a lot was broken in this industry then and the so called "experts" of yesteryear didn't handle it...the new blood did. What I can say is that the industry completely changed into using the DTN and DTC methods and no one was prepared for it. There are agents operating in completely different ways 12 years on!

upthears

I hope this thread is still active?
I have recently bought a house with no gas main connected. The property had an oil fired boiler with a tank in the rear yard
I decided to get rid and go for gas. I contacted National Grid who confirmed gas was indeed available in the street and all they had to do was put a service to my house. I set to work, digging a trench, fitting meter box and paid £318 for their "work" I now have a live gas service pipe to my meter box. I decided I wanted to have a meter installed asap so contacted Scottish Power (my chosen supplier,) who told me I need a MPR number (Meter Reference Point,) which I should get from National Grid. I rang National Grid only to be told that it's the supplier that should generate the MPR. So back to the supplier (to be) only to be told again that they can't fit a meter without the MPR number - again I called National Grid who gave me the same answer as before and also said they were surprised at Scottish Power as their ignorance could cost them a potential customer. It appears therefore National Grid have done their bit and are no longer concerned, it also seems that the supplier is not interested in charging me for gas! I will of course find a resolve and get it all sorted out properly.

Now for my question: Please note I would never consider doing this myself but; What is there stopping someone in my position buying a meter and fitting kit from eBay and fitting it themselves? It is obvious a meter reader will never come to the property as there is no record of a meter being fitted and no MPR number to reference. Surely if a reader did look they would see a meter and assume it is being charged for through another supplier. National Grid obviously are not interested as according to them the job is done. I wonder therefore how many people are getting free gas as their meter is not registered with anyone???

lemontart

upthears wrote: »

I hope this thread is still active?
I have recently bought a house with no gas main connected. The property had an oil fired boiler with a tank in the rear yard
I decided to get rid and go for gas. I contacted National Grid who confirmed gas was indeed available in the street and all they had to do was put a service to my house. I set to work, digging a trench, fitting meter box and paid £318 for their "work" I now have a live gas service pipe to my meter box. I decided I wanted to have a meter installed asap so contacted Scottish Power (my chosen supplier,) who told me I need a MPR number (Meter Reference Point,) which I should get from National Grid. I rang National Grid only to be told that it's the supplier that should generate the MPR. So back to the supplier (to be) only to be told again that they can't fit a meter without the MPR number - again I called National Grid who gave me the same answer as before and also said they were surprised at Scottish Power as their ignorance could cost them a potential customer. It appears therefore National Grid have done their bit and are no longer concerned, it also seems that the supplier is not interested in charging me for gas! I will of course find a resolve and get it all sorted out properly.

Now for my question: Please note I would never consider doing this myself but; What is there stopping someone in my position buying a meter and fitting kit from eBay and fitting it themselves? It is obvious a meter reader will never come to the property as there is no record of a meter being fitted and no MPR number to reference. Surely if a reader did look they would see a meter and assume it is being charged for through another supplier. National Grid obviously are not interested as according to them the job is done. I wonder therefore how many people are getting free gas as their meter is not registered with anyone???

There will be a mprn on the paperwork you were given by national grid when the supply was installed - if not call the connections dept on 08709039999 and quote the reference for your job and ask for details.

chanz4

A supplier can also retrospectively issue an mpr