Scottish Energy switch from economy 7 to single tariff

fsdss

Today I went about my usual yearly check that I am on a decent energy tariff. I have been on economy 7 but I don't use it enough so I would be better to be on a single tariff. I am with Scottish Power and wanted to stay with them.

I was very surprised to be told there would be a charge of £56 to change my meter to a one they wanted me to have. The meter I have was installed by Eon and it was used as a single tariff one with them but it also gives day and night readings.

I told them the one I had could do the job but they insisted I needed a new one to switch to a single tariff and if I ever wanted to swap back I would have to do the same. This seems a very strange arrangement. I have managed to get the meter for free but I don't fancy forking out for another meter if I want to switch back.

Anyone come across this with any other energy suppliers?

macman

Some supplier will combine the two readings from an E7 meter to give the readings for a single rate tariff. Some won't. And some charge for a meter change and some don't, it's entirely arbitrary. Tell then you will have to switch suppliers if they can't do it FOC.
Bear in mind that even at £56 the price is heavily subsidised

fsdss

Thanks macman

In a day and age where they are cutting costs it seem stupid that they go to all this expense and trouble when I have a meter that gives day? night and total.

Its costs them more and me more too!!

Hardly a very Green policy!!

macman

Some of the billing systems are simply not built to combine the two readings.

fsdss

I understand that but if i can give them a single reading from my current meter that is accurate so what difference does it make to them that the meter I use happens to give ecom7 readings too?

Wywth

fsdss wrote: »

Today I went about my usual yearly check that I am on a decent energy tariff. I have been on economy 7 but I don't use it enough so I would be better to be on a single tariff. I am with Scottish Power and wanted to stay with them.

I was very surprised to be told there would be a charge of £56 to change my meter to a one they wanted me to have. The meter I have was installed by Eon and it was used as a single tariff one with them but it also gives day and night readings.

I told them the one I had could do the job but they insisted I needed a new one to switch to a single tariff and if I ever wanted to swap back I would have to do the same. This seems a very strange arrangement. I have managed to get the meter for free but I don't fancy forking out for another meter if I want to switch back.

Anyone come across this with any other energy suppliers?

I'm very surprised at that quote to.

I though the current cost charged by Scottish Power was £45.91 for such a meter change - I suggest you double check the figure you were given.

macman

fsdss wrote: »

I understand that but if i can give them a single reading from my current meter that is accurate so what difference does it make to them that the meter I use happens to give ecom7 readings too?

Because then they'd be trusting you (or the agent if read by the supplier) to total the two registers correctly. And we couldn't have that, could we?
It'll only be possible where you or the agent can enter each register reading separately and the system then totals them when billing. If that function has not been built into the software, it won't be possible.
Remember that the whole billing system is entirely automated, no one is personally checking or manually adjusting bills.

fsdss

macman wrote: »

Because then they'd be trusting you (or the agent if read by the supplier) to total the two registers correctly. And we couldn't have that, could we?
It'll only be possible where you or the agent can enter each register reading separately and the system then totals them when billing. If that function has not been built into the software, it won't be possible.
Remember that the whole billing system is entirely automated, no one is personally checking or manually adjusting bills.

My metre does give both total added together taking the human factor out of it!

Still miffed!!