Meter sparking, melted front etc

spacesaver90

I am in a panic! Moved here about 5 months ago and did think I was paying far too little electric, I was topping up about £20 a month.

What has happened recently though was every time I used my cooker it tripped the electrics for the flat and meter sparked, first 1 hob then 2 and tonight 3.

Anyway I topped up earlier and wondered why it didnt work, then put key in wrong way and it jammed at same time tripped the electrics, still key didnt work.

I then cooked my supper and the entire cooker went and I smelt melting, I notice the cover for the meter was looking cracked so I wiggled it and noticed it came loose, so I turned all electrics off and tried again, then it came off totally when I wiggled it, and noticed a wire jammed behind it.

I put the cover back on but it was loose as it had some cracks on it, then put electricity back on and tested it and heard a crackle and noticed smoke from the hall, the cover had melted totally.

This time I turned electric off and removed the wire and put it back on and its fine.

So I want to contact the electricity company just worried I will be accused of something since my fingerprints are now all over the meter and I am a low usage person,

Who do I contact and what do I say? I am just worried I will be questioned and get confused.

I did phone my utility company a few days ago mentioning that the meter was acting strange, telling me I was in credit one moment, then debt, then credit again but I could still use it despite it telling me I was in debt

[Deleted User]

Relax OP, it sounds like the previous occupier has bypassed the electric meter and could nt even be bothered to take out the bypass when he/she vacated.Thank you for at least reporting this.You have nothing to worry about. The supplier will fit a new meter

spacesaver90

I am more worried about getting asked questions and getting confused i.e they may think its me, or do they just check it, notice its been bypassed, replace meter and put a note on the address/my file or something.

I was meant to be getting a new smart meter put in 2 weeks anyway, thats another thing to confuse, do they send out a emergency person to replace the meter with a smart one or a old one(since what happens when the credit runs out and I cant top up, and its a fire risk)

Would seem pointless to put in a older meter to have it replaced in 2 weeks anyway.

[Deleted User]

I think in your case its quite an emergency and a new meter is needed quickly. People do move in to new properties with these wired up meters.Its nothing to do with you, just stress that you was nt aware of the the meter fault .You have only been in a few months, they will have records of how much the meter has been credited, as the top up key sends back info and can see all the previous occupiers account. They should replace the meter quite quickly .

spacesaver90

So no idea if it will be a smart meter or not? As the smart meter was meant to be specially booked in to a special company and I assume a emergency guy is local so would carry just what he had.

I would have no issue with them fixing the fault on it temporarily.

How does it work with checking credit? I changed suppliers last month so would it be a case of my current supplier checking with old supplier or is there some kind of central database?.

[Deleted User]

I dont think the new meter will be a "smart meter " it may be, but I havent seen a smart meter in prepay mode in my area.All occupiers have the right to refuse smart meters anyway, and accept a standard prepay. Every time anyone tops up in a shop all the info is sent back to the supplier, the readings on the meter and all the other data. They will be able to see how much credit, if any, the previous occupier has topped up.Probably you will have some debt added to the meter ( on screen "S) to cover your usage with a small weekly amount repayable. Thats as far as they go

naedanger

spacesaver90 wrote: »

...
This time I turned electric off and removed the wire and put it back on and its fine.

What you did by removing the wire sounds very dangerous. Was the wire not still live (since I thought the switch to turn off all the electricity was on the customer's side of the meter)?

So I want to contact the electricity company just worried I will be accused of something since my fingerprints are now all over the meter and I am a low usage person,

They won't check for fingerprints. Even if they did what would finding a customer's prints on their own meter prove? (Answer: nothing.)

Who do I contact and what do I say? I am just worried I will be questioned and get confused.

Just tell them the truth.

I think they would be within their rights to bill you for the undercharged electricity you have already had. Obviously this would need to be based on an estimate, and you could challenge it if you thought they had over-estimated the amount.

I wouldn't be surprised if they did leave a note on file to check future usage and the meter more frequently in the immediate future.

Swipe

I'd just wait for the new smart meter in 2 weeks time.

[Deleted User]

Swipe wrote: »

I'd just wait for the new smart meter in 2 weeks time.

Definitely dont delay, tell the supplier of the circumstances now.Meters catching fire is an emergency and they will act quickly. In any case , you cant rely on a meter fitter actually turning up on that date.
Naedanger is quite correct, the wire and the screws under the cover are all live, even touching the screw which holds the cover in place is a risk as its been known that the screw actually can go through the insulation of the wire bypass link when its screwed back down and become live itself

[Deleted User]

spacesaver90 wrote: »

So no idea if it will be a smart meter or not? As the smart meter was meant to be specially booked in to a special company and I assume a emergency guy is local so would carry just what he had.

I would have no issue with them fixing the fault on it temporarily.

How does it work with checking credit? I changed suppliers last month so would it be a case of my current supplier checking with old supplier or is there some kind of central database?.

Whats the problem with a smart meter, used in prepay mode it will be much better than the old ancient key top up meter ?. Any credit on the meter is not transferred when you switch prepay supplier. The old supplier will send you the remaining credit. A new suppliers key will wipe out the old details, tariffs, debt etc and be replaced with their tariffs , standing charge s. Any debt that they deem you owe will be put onto screen "S " with a weekly repayment. The bypassed meter is scrap, there is a charge for a new meter of over £200 which is levied against the bypasser and also put onto screen "S" as debt