New meter from Ovo, should I have to pay?

Vomityspice

As a good customer, I have informed my energy provider Ovo that I have recently installed solar panels, and they have sent me this.....

Good Afternoon Mr Spice

Thank you for your email and for taking the time to contact us.

Some older meters are affected by the installation of microgenerators, including solar panels. Essentially, your panels are affecting the function of your electricity meter and causing it to clock backwards.

To resolve this, we will need to exchange your meter - the usual cost of this is £57.75, but as a green energy company we are keen to encourage the adoption of greener technology, so we will share this cost with you, and charge £30 for the meter exchange.

Please contact us on 0800 5999 440 and we will be happy to arrange for an engineer to visit your property and undertake the work, at a convenient time.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to get in touch. We’re also keen to hear about your experience with us; would you mind answering three quick questions for us?
Kind regards,

Is this correct? I.e. Am I required to pay? In addition, does that mean they owe me money as the meter is incorrectly counting my usage?

Martyn1981

If the meter is going backwards, and the meter figure is reducing, then they could try to get you to pay for any missing units, but many would just change the meter. Never heard of a company charging for the new meter, as meters need to be fit for purpose, and only some of the old ratchet style ones should go backwards.

Recent thread here discussing the legalities of backbilling, see Ted's comments:

http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,22180.0.html

Mart.

tunnel

Hello Mr Spice,


First and foremost, have you checked your meter run backwards when your generating more than you use?

Vomityspice

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No evidence the meter is going backwards, rather the meter knows that reverse energy is detected.

tunnel

Speak to OVO again and let them know the meter doesn't run in reverse. You probably spoke to someone who has no idea about PV and their effects.


I believe that meter is fine.(but I'm no expert)

EricMears

I don't think it matters in the slightest whether the meter is working properly with solar panels or does indeed need changing. In either case providing a meter is the responsibility of the energy company and one of the things that their standing charge is supposed to cover.


Before you know where you are, they'll be sending you an invoice for reading the meter too !

tunnel

EricMears wrote: »

Before you know where you are, they'll be sending you an invoice for reading the meter too !

Come on now Eric....please don't encourage the blood suckers anymore;)

Sjay

Yep, that meter is fine. Only exception is that apparently some add the rED units back on. I ink there is a Siemens meter that is affected.

And I agree you should not py for the change. British gas did not charge me for the meter change or the lost units in the interim.

jimjames

This is the type of meter that goes backwards, as far as I'm aware it is only analogue ones that do that, digital should work fine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d10R9h-c4cU

highet

i have an old style analogue meter with spinning wheel and mechanical counter - only just noticed over last few sunny days that it does indeed spin backwards when we are generating more than we are using and reduces metered usage - over last few days we havent used any electricity at all according to meter reading!!!- phoned edf (fit provider and elec supplier) on thursday and they are sending someone to fit new meter on 18th march - no mention of any charge for fitting or charge for ''missing'' units

Vomityspice

I have sent an email to Ovo to ask on what basis they think I should be paying for their equipment? I have also indicated that the meter doesn't count backwards (might take a video on my phone with the Solo Pv monitor in shot to evidence)

Let's see what Ovo's next move is.......