Faulty Meter - Unique problem?

Lotak

Hello,

I am with Ovo Energy on a 12m fixed rate deal.
I have an Economy 7 meter, which has been tampered with to function normally as a Standard meter. That is to say, the night meter has been turned off and the day meter has been converted to run 24/7.

Ovo says that the meter needs to be replaced because it is faulty, but they accept that it works as a standard meter.

Unfortunately, the meter is behind a wall and is not easily accessible, so much so, that on the two separate occasions that engineers came to replace it, they both refused. The first one said he can't reach the meter and the second one said his tools weren't small enough to reach the meter. The only way to replace the meter is to punch a hole through the wall and do it that way. I'd prefer not to do that.

Ovo have agreed to keep me on a standard deal, but I am a little wary if I ever need to switch. I noticed that the previous owner of the property used Scottish Power, who had them on an Economy 7 tariff, were paying E7 rates. This means that they were paying for the more expensive day tariff all day. I was also on this tariff for 2 months before I switched.
I am concerned that I wouldn't be able to switch from Ovo because the new supplier might say that my meter is E7, therefore I need an E7 tariff, or that my meter needs to be replaced before they will switch. The reason why I could sign up for a standard tariff with Ovo was because (i believe), they weren't aware that the meter was E7 at the time.

So my questions are:
1) Do I have a case against Scottish Power who were charging Day rates for all electric usage, knowing full well that the meter was tampered with (since the night reading was always the same)?

2) How do I get my meter replaced if its behind a wall? Am I going to have to make a hole in the wall?

3) Would I still be able to switch to another supplier on a standard (fixed rate) electricity tariff?

4) If I were to get the meter replaced, should I switch to a smart meter?

I know its very long winded, but its an unusual situation which needed some explaining.

Many thanks.

footyguy

Who tampered with the meter?
We are not permitted to discuss illegal activity on this forum.


Someone obviously managed to fit the meter originally. So why can it not be accessed now? Has someone built something around it to prevent access?

Some suppliers allow a single rate tariff on a dual rate meter, whilst others wont. But if the meter has been tampered with, then who knows? (as I said we can't discuss illegal activities here)

Up to you if you want a smart meter. But access appears to be the issue at present.


Finally you title this thread a "faulty meter". Is this because it's been tampered with???
Meter tampering is unfortunately not unique - I often see cases listed in the magistrates court for such

Robin9

The answer to 2 is Yes - its your responsibility. Sometime ago someone built it in without think of the consequences.

Far better that you make a big opening in a neat and tidy fashion so that the metermen can access it and also the main fuse rather than it have to be done in a hurry and leave you with the mess to clear up.

[Deleted User]

Wont be much of a "tamperer " whos costing himself more would it ? Suppliers dont usually disconnect the night rate but total the two together. One of the rates not active is not an uknown fault though.
To get the meter replaced I m afraid that proper access is going to be needed otherwise you could be cut off if and when the meter reaches the end of its life. You will have to move the obstruction. There are no smart meters configured for eco 7 as far as I m aware.BG can t do it anyway.
Footyguy I d love to find ANY magistrate who is dealing with the energy thieves in his courtroom because here in Doncaster where its endemic I ve so far NEVER read about any court appearances for energy theft even if its for £16000 ( thats the highest I ve found ), and I peruse Donny Magistrates court appearances every week in our local paper. We get cannabis growers (who nick the electric to the tune of £800 in 12 weeks ) but the fine is purely for cannabis growing, never for bypassing.

Lotak

In response to who tampered with the meter ... I haven't the foggiest and that is the reason for the title of the thread. It was like that when I first moved in. Lets be honest, if I tampered with the meter, I wouldn't be discussing this on a public forum. Its very possible that the previous occupiers of the building, who lived in it between 2012-2014, were not the people that tampered with it, so it may have been tampered with several years ago. Anyway, nobody is stealing energy because, as I said, the meter functions perfectly well as a standard meter. I've tested it and even Ovo accept that.

My understanding is that someone built the wall in front of the meter because it made the kitchen look nicer. The wall is hollow (at least it sounds hollow) so it shouldn't be too difficult to make a hole. The only way to read the meter is to take a step ladder inside the utility cupboard, which shares that new wall, and take a picture of the meter from a difficult angle.

Ovo says that it is their responsibility to change the meter, because as my supplier, they "own" the meters. But the engineers are outsourced and it was a bit of a screw up. I've heard nothing from them since the 2nd engineer came in the Summer.

So the general consensus is that I will need to make a nice little hole in the wall so that the engineer an access it. Poop. That's what I feared.
Truth be told, I should just give Ovo another call.

Although it was for only 2 months (and was a little over a year ago), my gripe with Scottish Power is that they must have known the meter was tampered with since the night readings were always the same. Surely they would have known it was wrong to charge E7 rates on, what is effectively, a standard meter. Maybe I should just let it go since the difference is probably pennies, if not a couple quid.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

Lotak wrote: »

Although it was for only 2 months (and was a little over a year ago), my gripe with Scottish Power is that they must have known the meter was tampered with since the night readings were always the same. Surely they would have known it was wrong to charge E7 rates on, what is effectively, a standard meter. Maybe I should just let it go since the difference is probably pennies, if not a couple quid.

Scottish Power wouldn't know what your night usage was.

Maybe you worked nights and put main switch off when you left the house (no fridge/freezer).

Why didn't you raise it with Scottish Power when you moved in?

Robin9

"So the general consensus is that I will need to make a nice little hole in the wall so that the engineer an access it. Poop. That's what I feared.
Truth be told, I should just give Ovo another call. "

Not a little hole - can you fit a typical kitchen cupboard over it ?

AnotherJoe

Make a neat opening and put a small door in,

[Deleted User]

IF you can t read the meter without getting a stepladder and photoing it at at a difficult angle then I m sure a busy meter reader will just take one look at this stupid set up and just walk out. I bet I would get it though with my extending mirror ! You can discuss all you like on this forum about tampered meters because its not a public forum !, I wish it was. No one knows you from Adam, you re anonymous. I think that the reason the meter is hard to get to in the first place is because at some time someone has set it up for bypassed electric and made it difficult to see the meter wires (tails ) at the bottom deliberately. That is a common trick.
Yes you can fit a kitchen cupboard over it. I see that option occasionally, makes sense to make a bit of storage space in front of the meter as they don`t stick out much at all.

dogshome

The wall sounds hollow ?
Chances are it's a stud wall - Just wooden battens covered over with plasterboard, is so it's an easy fix

Lotak

Robin9 wrote: »

Not a little hole - can you fit a typical kitchen cupboard over it ?

No. The meter is about 8 or 9 feet from the ground and the wall isn't particularly wide. Its like a 1 foot long column. It would probably have to be a window with a door so that it can be closed when not reading the meter.

sacsquacco wrote: »

IF you can t read the meter without getting a stepladder and photoing it at at a difficult angle then I m sure a busy meter reader will just take one look at this stupid set up and just walk out. I bet I would get it though with my extending mirror ! You can discuss all you like on this forum about tampered meters because its not a public forum !, I wish it was. No one knows you from Adam, you re anonymous. I think that the reason the meter is hard to get to in the first place is because at some time someone has set it up for bypassed electric and made it difficult to see the meter wires (tails ) at the bottom deliberately. That is a common trick.
Yes you can fit a kitchen cupboard over it. I see that option occasionally, makes sense to make a bit of storage space in front of the meter as they don`t stick out much at all.

When we were in the process of buying the property, we didn't even know about the position of the meter. Believe me, its not even the meter that with the worst position. That belongs to our water meter. I didn't even know we had one until I called up the water company.

I am 100% sure that the reason the meter was tampered with was because the person wanted it converted from an E7 to a standard meter. If one is going to tamper with an E7 meter, they'd turn off the night part and not affect the day, so there's free electricity for 7 hours. In fact, Ovo think that a previous electricity supplier tampered with it to convert it to a standard meter. It has definitely not been tampered to get free electricity. I am sure of it.

dogshome wrote: »

The wall sounds hollow ?
Chances are it's a stud wall - Just wooden battens covered over with plasterboard, is so it's an easy fix

It probably is. I guess I will have to find someone to put a hole through it and make a little door/window that can be opened to read it without affecting the general look of the kitchen.