Complaint against SSE

Cliecost

Hi,

I need to make a complaint about SSE, the energy provider not supplier.

My house used to be two flats then was turned back into a house. When we first converted we had 2 gas and 2 electric meters in the house.

The 2nd gas meter was removed with no hassle and was shut down really quickly.

Thhe 2nd electric on the other hand was very difficult to get shot of. It took about 2 years to get rid of the meter, after constant calls and visits it was eventually removed. The electrician who came took off the meter and the fuse that is in-between the line in and the meter. He hung a 'warning live feed' sign over it and said someone else from SSE would be 'round in a few weeks to remove the line in and cap it off, so we don't have any pesky live electrical feeds hanging off the walls.

I then got a letter from SSE saying that although they do own the feed (because as a customer I am only responsible for the wires from the meter onwards) because I chose to have the redundant meter removed I would have to pay £500+VAT to have this dangling live feed removed from my family house (I've attached a photo below).

Now, although I did ask to have the meter removed (because who needs a 2nd meter that doesn't do anything?!), I certainly didn't ask to be left with a dangerous mess in my hallway which legally I can't touch.

My question to all you knowledgeable people out there is; can I expect them to finish the job they started and remove the cables? Also, who do I complain to and where?

(Don't you think it's a bit off, them trying to charge me for removing their cables?! I would have thought that a live, un-metered feed would be something they would want to avoid!)



Also, the thing holding it back is a bit of carpet gripper held in with one screw, was meant to be a temp measure...

Cliecost

Bumbbumpbump

NFX

Wow, thats pretty shocking (lol) that they just left it like that.. what if you get a leaky roof, or the crazy lady upstairs leaves her bath taps on and goes to work (happened to me)
This is a matter of health and safety if you ask me

So glad I just switched from SSE, they were a joke to deal with

Inspectorman

Who removed the meter? SSE or the supplier for the meter?

Did they remove the board that the cut out is supposed to be attached to as well?

I'd say if SSE had been quick to remove the meter & associated cables then you'd have to pay but as it's taken so long and been left in a rather poor and unsafe state, you might avoid the bill this time.

SSE are pretty quick to sort issues out via twitter so that might be worth a try - Power Distribution and Supply are both on there.

Cliecost

Inspectorman wrote: »

Who removed the meter? SSE or the supplier for the meter?

Did they remove the board that the cut out is supposed to be attached to as well?

I'd say if SSE had been quick to remove the meter & associated cables then you'd have to pay but as it's taken so long and been left in a rather poor and unsafe state, you might avoid the bill this time.

SSE are pretty quick to sort issues out via twitter so that might be worth a try - Power Distribution and Supply are both on there.

When we converted the 2 flats back into a house my electrician removed the board and all that he could remove.

SSE came around to remove the meter and then left it like this.

I will try twitter, thanks.

misterbarlow

thats quite dangerous left like that tbh...
SSE are safety barking mad...
threaten them with some sort of complaint on health & safety grounds and they'll be round like a flash!!

tinkerbelle

OFGEM changed the way that disconnections are dealt with last year. The process for a disconnection is that the supplier removes the meter and then sends an email to your local distribution company who own the electricity cables to quote you for removing the service. It is a chargeable job to remove the service.

I would say if you are concerned then phoned SSE on there emergency number of 08000 727282 and they will come out and do a safety check. It is free of charge & they are there 24 hours a day. SSE can only do this if you live in there distribution area which is Southern England or Scotland.

Have you still got the cutout fuse attached to the end as you said that the electrician

Cliecost

tinkerbelle wrote: »

OFGEM changed the way that disconnections are dealt with last year. The process for a disconnection is that the supplier removes the meter and then sends an email to your local distribution company who own the electricity cables to quote you for removing the service. It is a chargeable job to remove the service.

I would say if you are concerned then phoned SSE on there emergency number of 08000 727282 and they will come out and do a safety check. It is free of charge & they are there 24 hours a day. SSE can only do this if you live in there distribution area which is Southern England or Scotland.

Have you still got the cutout fuse attached to the end as you said that the electrician

I live in Bournemouth, SSE are the service provider, the supplier was EDF. There is no fuse.

Leaving it like this though...

SSE_2

Hi Cliecost,

When the meter was removed your cables certainly should not have been left like this and I apologise that this has not been resolved through previous contact.

Please could you contact me via the email on our profile page with your address and contact details so I can have someone investigate and resolve this matter for you as quickly as possible?

Many thanks, Holly.

Cliecost

Wow, Twitter does work well.

Cliecost

Less than 24 hours later this is what it looks like:



I admit it's not beautiful, they aren't designers, they're engineers. But it's safe, it's on the wall and it's secure.

I'm happy now, with them. (SSE the provider, not the supplier, they're still s**t)