Economy 7 smart meter confusion

Lal05

Hello everyone.
I hope you don't mind me starting a new thread but I posted on another thread which seemed like the wrong place.
I have a smart meter which was installed by Eon in July 15. All fine and dandy then my current deal ran out and they put me on the expensive standard tariff. So I scoured the comparison sites for a new tariff that would suit me and decided on SSE two weeks ago.
SSE have emailed me today to advise that 'there was some confusion about what kind of meter you have". I rang SSE who told me that the National Database of meters show my meter as being an economy 7 meter and I incorrectly applied for a single rate tariff. I have never been on an economy 7 tariff so they suggested I contact Eon to ask them to change the details on the database.
I rang Eon who say that my smart meter has the capability to be economy 7 or single tariff, They looked at the database and said everything should be ok to switch as all we needed to do was read both numbers. I was on the phone for an hour and 20 minutes.
I rang SSE back who say it's still showing as an economy 7 meter and my request to switch has been cancelled. They say that what I have to do is go back to the comparison sites and search for an economy 7 tariff and book that. SSE will then come and change my meter (1-3 days after the switch), then they will change me to a single rate tariff when that has been done.
This can't work can it? Won't I be locked into an economy 7 tariff at that point?
I am amazed by all this - I wonder if this means that I am stuck with Eon. I am not sure what to do, do I now only have the option to book economy 7 tariffs? Does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas?
Thank you very much.

footyguy

Lal05 wrote: »

Hello everyone.
I hope you don't mind me starting a new thread but I posted on another thread which seemed like the wrong place.
I have a smart meter which was installed by Eon in July 15. All fine and dandy then my current deal ran out and they put me on the expensive standard tariff. So I scoured the comparison sites for a new tariff that would suit me and decided on SSE two weeks ago.
SSE have emailed me today to advise that 'there was some confusion about what kind of meter you have". I rang SSE who told me that the National Database of meters show my meter as being an economy 7 meter and I incorrectly applied for a single rate tariff. I have never been on an economy 7 tariff so they suggested I contact Eon to ask them to change the details on the database.
I rang Eon who say that my smart meter has the capability to be economy 7 or single tariff, They looked at the database and said everything should be ok to switch as all we needed to do was read both numbers. I was on the phone for an hour and 20 minutes.
I rang SSE back who say it's still showing as an economy 7 meter and my request to switch has been cancelled. They say that what I have to do is go back to the comparison sites and search for an economy 7 tariff and book that. SSE will then come and change my meter (1-3 days after the switch), then they will change me to a single rate tariff when that has been done.
This can't work can it? Won't I be locked into an economy 7 tariff at that point?
I am amazed by all this - I wonder if this means that I am stuck with Eon. I am not sure what to do, do I now only have the option to book economy 7 tariffs? Does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas?
Thank you very much.

If you have an E7 meter, then with most suppliers you will have to have an E7 tariff.

Eon is one of the few suppliers that will allow you to have a single rate tarriff despite having an E7 meter.


Edit:
Eon has already said similar in reply to your earlier post
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=72292082&postcount=68

[Deleted User]

Hi,

what do your bills say, are you being charged E7 (2 rates) or a single rate?

System

You could have had the supplier totalling the two eco 7 readings and billing you single rate tariff. The meter however is still an eco 7 meter and the smart meter would have to be configured to exactly the same. BG so far have not got eco 7 tariffs on their smart meters and they have been installing them now for over 9 years.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Lal05 wrote: »

Hello everyone.
I hope you don't mind me starting a new thread but I posted on another thread which seemed like the wrong place.
I have a smart meter which was installed by Eon in July 15. All fine and dandy then my current deal ran out and they put me on the expensive standard tariff. So I scoured the comparison sites for a new tariff that would suit me and decided on SSE two weeks ago.
SSE have emailed me today to advise that 'there was some confusion about what kind of meter you have". I rang SSE who told me that the National Database of meters show my meter as being an economy 7 meter and I incorrectly applied for a single rate tariff. I have never been on an economy 7 tariff so they suggested I contact Eon to ask them to change the details on the database.
I rang Eon who say that my smart meter has the capability to be economy 7 or single tariff, They looked at the database and said everything should be ok to switch as all we needed to do was read both numbers. I was on the phone for an hour and 20 minutes.
I rang SSE back who say it's still showing as an economy 7 meter and my request to switch has been cancelled. They say that what I have to do is go back to the comparison sites and search for an economy 7 tariff and book that. SSE will then come and change my meter (1-3 days after the switch), then they will change me to a single rate tariff when that has been done.
This can't work can it? Won't I be locked into an economy 7 tariff at that point?
I am amazed by all this - I wonder if this means that I am stuck with Eon. I am not sure what to do, do I now only have the option to book economy 7 tariffs? Does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas?
Thank you very much.

Morning Lal05. As footyguy mentions, I replied to a similar post from you on another thread yesterday. It's at the link below.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/72295694#Comment_72295694

Hope this helps.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

footyguy wrote: »

If you have an E7 meter, then with most suppliers you will have to have an E7 tariff.

Eon is one of the few suppliers that will allow you to have a single rate tarriff despite having an E7 meter.


Edit:
Eon has already said similar in reply to your earlier post
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=72292082&postcount=68

Spot on footyguy and many thanks for pointing the OP towards my earlier post.

Malc

Lal05

Thank you for your replies.
I'm sorry Malc I did know you replied on another thread but we didn't get to the bottom of my issue - I'm sure this is due to me not explaining myself properly!
I am on a single tariff with Eon but turns out I have a meter that can be both E7 or single. This seems to mean that I can't switch to a provider that doesn't support this type of meter. SSE weren't prepared to accept me with my meter and wouldn't change it to a single tariff meter in order that I can switch - other providers won't either.
So I have booked an Economy 7 tariff with Npower - the best value I could find but more expensive than a fixed rate single tariff would have been. This is due to my large adult family's lifestyle - we use about 12,500 kwh per year. The E7 tariff with Npower is still cheaper than the cheapest single tariff with Eon.
Unless I can find a provider willing to change the meter I have, or one that can support my 'double tariff' meter, does it follow that I will always have to have an E7 tariff or is there an alternative?
Thank you very much

Nick_C

British Gas may also consider you on an E7 meter.

I have an E7 meter but I'm on a standard tariff, and old (non smart) meter has the low rate tariff disabled (clock has been stopped).

It does cause no end of confusion on billing though, as BG have the readings the wrong way round on their system and won't correct them. They also refuse to fit a new smart meter because they say I'm on E7, even though I'm not :-(

Raxiel

I was in a similar situation last year. We had a mechanical two rate E7 meter that we ran on a single rate tariff with E.ON. We asked E.ON to fit smart meters, which they did.

Checking the IHD or pressing 9 on the new meter for the reading just gave a single rate, so I assumed it was single rate, but that wasn't the case. The meter was still configured for E7 and we would have to press 6 to see both reads.

Up to this point I'd only ever been with E.ON so I assumed that it was normal to just combine the readings from an E7 meter if a single rate makes more economic sense, didn't realise it was actually unusual.

The thing to bear in mind is, you probably would have had the same issue even if you'd not got a smart meter fitted, since I'm guessing the unit it replaced was E7 too, you've just been benefiting from E.ON's consumer friendly policy towards E7 meters.

In my case I only learned about all this when I came to switch, but luckily for me, the supplier I was changing to (Iresa) were also willing to combine reads. In the event SSE want to charge to have the meter changed to a single rate it might be worth switching to someone else that will combine, if the extra annual cost is lower than the new meter.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Lal05 wrote: »

Thank you for your replies.
I'm sorry Malc I did know you replied on another thread but we didn't get to the bottom of my issue - I'm sure this is due to me not explaining myself properly!
I am on a single tariff with Eon but turns out I have a meter that can be both E7 or single. This seems to mean that I can't switch to a provider that doesn't support this type of meter. SSE weren't prepared to accept me with my meter and wouldn't change it to a single tariff meter in order that I can switch - other providers won't either.
So I have booked an Economy 7 tariff with Npower - the best value I could find but more expensive than a fixed rate single tariff would have been. This is due to my large adult family's lifestyle - we use about 12,500 kwh per year. The E7 tariff with Npower is still cheaper than the cheapest single tariff with Eon.
Unless I can find a provider willing to change the meter I have, or one that can support my 'double tariff' meter, does it follow that I will always have to have an E7 tariff or is there an alternative?
Thank you very much

Sorry I wasn't clear on the other thread Lal05. All suppliers support Economy 7 meters but not all give customers the option of having either a single rate or two rate Economy 7 tariff without changing the meter. You're certainly not tied to us and can swap as others on this thread suggest. Some suppliers will combine the day and night readings without changing the meter as we do but others take a different approach. You'll need to ask individual suppliers about their particular take on this.

We'll be happy to change the meter but charge £64.76 (including VAT) for this work.

Hope this is a bit clearer.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Raxiel wrote: »

I was in a similar situation last year. We had a mechanical two rate E7 meter that we ran on a single rate tariff with E.ON. We asked E.ON to fit smart meters, which they did.

Checking the IHD or pressing 9 on the new meter for the reading just gave a single rate, so I assumed it was single rate, but that wasn't the case. The meter was still configured for E7 and we would have to press 6 to see both reads.

Up to this point I'd only ever been with E.ON so I assumed that it was normal to just combine the readings from an E7 meter if a single rate makes more economic sense, didn't realise it was actually unusual.

The thing to bear in mind is, you probably would have had the same issue even if you'd not got a smart meter fitted, since I'm guessing the unit it replaced was E7 too, you've just been benefiting from E.ON's consumer friendly policy towards E7 meters.

In my case I only learned about all this when I came to switch, but luckily for me, the supplier I was changing to (Iresa) were also willing to combine reads. In the event SSE want to charge to have the meter changed to a single rate it might be worth switching to someone else that will combine, if the extra annual cost is lower than the new meter.

Spot on Raxiel. With all our Economy 7 meters, smart or otherwise, we give customers the option of having a single rate or Economy 7 tariff. We recognise that needs and circumstances change. To give customers added flexibility, we're able to accommodate moves between the two rates without the inconvenience of having their meter changed. It's also possible to switch tariff from single rate to Economy 7 and vice versa online through our website.

When a meter is changed, unless told otherwise, we'll do this on a like for like basis. Where there's an Economy 7 meter in place, it'll be replaced with a similar type. Sounds like this is what happened with your meter exchange. It doesn't matter you had a smart meter fitted. The same approach is taken unless, as above, the customer asks for something different.

Malc