Scottish Power - leaking meter - appalling customer service

housebuyer2

Just purchased a house and gas safety engineer tested property to provide a gas safe certificate.

He detected a leak on the gas meter test nipple and capped off the supply. He confirmed the boiler and appliances were fine and that the gas supplier needed to fix/replace the meter.

Unfortunately the gas supplier is Scottish Power - I am trying to get them to book a job to fix it and am on day 3 with no gas - house is uninhabitable.

They say they have booked it for tomorrow (12th June) and that the engineer would call before arrival (they said the same the last 2 days though...) - however I have asked G4S if they have the job and they said it hasn't been sent to them!

Really worried it won't be done now

Any advice - either about how to get Scottish power to do this? Can I get a private gas engineer to replace it? Or will transcode do this as an emergency?

t0rt0ise

I can only suggest raising a complaint.

macman

No you cannot get an RGI to do it-they will not touch a meter. If you can smell gas then call the emergency service and they will attend.

fira

I'm with macman on this. Got the keys to my new flat, as soon as I got in I opened the cupboard door where the previous owner told me the meter was. I wanted to take initial readings but could smell gas right away. Called the emergency service, was given some great safety instructions and waited outside. No more than 30 minutes later a guy from the emergency service arrived, checked it out and said a new meter was to be fitted. He did it there and then.

I know it's really easy to complain these days (and I've done my fair share of that) but this was one occasion where a lot of credit was due.

Bill

[Deleted User]

You dont need to be phoning Scot Power, the number to ring is staring you in the face on a yellow label on the gas meter 0800 111 999..National Grid, they will be out in an hour or two and they answer the phone within a minute or so, not like Scottish Powers useless response.

Shalashashka

And if the issue persists, lodge a formal complaint then google Ombudsman Services Energy to see how they can help resolve it.

C_Mababejive

The matter needs to be reported to the national gas emergency service on 0800111999. The Engineer attending may be able to exchange or otherwise repair the leaky meter as long as the relevant contracts are in place,simples..

Why your supplier has not dealt with this in the manner described is a mystery.

System

C_Mababejive wrote: »

The matter needs to be reported to the national gas emergency service on 0800111999. The Engineer attending may be able to exchange or otherwise repair the leaky meter as long as the relevant contracts are in place,simples..

Why your supplier has not dealt with this in the manner described is a mystery.

Why? The gas supply has been made safe so no need for the cavalry as it is no longer an emergency. It is now a routine meter replacement and it would seem that supplier has accepted that this is its responsibility to manage.

C_Mababejive

Hengus wrote: »

Why? The gas supply has been made safe so no need for the cavalry as it is no longer an emergency. It is now a routine meter replacement and it would seem that supplier has accepted that this is its responsibility to manage.

I take your point but the priority for the customer is to get the gas back on. It should also be a priority for the supplier as if the gas is off,the meter isnt turning and making money. If there is a PEMS in place then why not just get it fixed within a couple of hours.

System

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I take your point but the priority for the customer is to get the gas back on. It should also be a priority for the supplier as if the gas is off,the meter isnt turning and making money. If there is a PEMS in place then why not just get it fixed within a couple of hours.

Turning off a leaking supply isn't quite the same as getting the gas turned back on. I sympathise with the OP but suggesting that this is a gas emergency isn't really the way to go about things. I may be wrong but I assume that the engineers from the Gas Emergency Service might actually notice that the supply has been capped. It is also logical to assume that there is a provision in law for them to charge for a false call-out.

[Deleted User]

Any leak, however small needs Nat Grid to come out to replace/repair their meter. It does nt have to be an emergency neither.Nat Grid assess the leak when you call. I ring them quite often if I smell gas in an outside box.One of the worst leaks I ve come accross is the bleed nipple failing and actually blowning out altogether.If anyone phones the supplier about a gas leak, they simply pass it on to Nat Grid, so dont waste time with the middle man. No one is ever charged with a false call out, any smell of gas and thats enough, even if its rotting cabbages . A leak anywhere, however small, is an emergency..little leaks can become big ones..like the bleed nipple blowing out completely. The first thing Nat Grid say is turn off the ECV in the event of a leak so the OP is fine to call them out even if a gas engineer has capped it, its their meter which is faulty and its up to them to repair it.thats why we pay standing charges on the meters