Being hassled by EDF to install smart meter, but no signal for it to use

littlerock

I am constantly being harrassed by EDF to have a smart meter installed. I have no objection but my electricity meter is in the basement where there is no signal for it to use. (there is none in the back of my house nor wifi either.)

They have been out and surveyed it and agree this is the case. I have asked them this to write on my account but they still keep sending out letters saying the government has told them to change my meter for a smart meter by 2020.

Now they have sent me an email saying my meter is out of date (it is about 20 years old) and they need to replace it which they plan to do with a smart meter, and want me to make an appointment to change it. Only of course the smart meter will not work.

How does the government plan to handle those meters which cannnot be accessible by a mobile signal?

Ectophile

I somehow doubt the government's planned this at all. The whole thing is a complete shambles (as well as being a complete waste of money).

dogshome

The Govt. has not told EDF to change your meter - It's told EDF to install Smart meters, but it is not compulsory on any individual customer to accept one.

So far as your existing meter being past it's Use-By date, do a web search on the make and model number to find it's life date

pooch

littlerock wrote: »

I am constantly being harrassed by EDF to have a smart meter installed. I have no objection but my electricity meter is in the basement where there is no signal for it to use. (there is none in the back of my house nor wifi either.)

They have been out and surveyed it and agree this is the case. I have asked them this to write on my account but they still keep sending out letters saying the government has told them to change my meter for a smart meter by 2020.

Now they have sent me an email saying my meter is out of date (it is about 20 years old) and they need to replace it which they plan to do with a smart meter, and want me to make an appointment to change it. Only of course the smart meter will not work.

How does the government plan to handle those meters which cannnot be accessible by a mobile signal?

I think you have got the wrong end of the stick on so many levels.

However, I would advise that harrasment is an offence.
This CAB advice may assist you further if you genuininely feel you are "constantly being harrassed"
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/taking-action-about-discrimination/taking-action-about-harassment/

scd3scd4

How about you tell them ok and let them waste their time............the engineer should then report it. If not and the bother you again.................do it again.....

dogshome

The suppliers are up a gum tree - The Govt. has set targets for Smart installations, but customers can refuse to have them, and it's a huge task anyway.

It seems that to get efficiences in the work, the suppliers are 'targeting' customers in a particular area and then stretch the truth a bit to get them all to say YES.
"The Govt say you must have one", then if that doesn't work the next step is to tell the customer their meters are Old, Inaccurate or Dangerous.

The truth is that meters can be one or all three of these, and the industry has huge powers, (Court Orders, Forced Entry), to rectify what is deemed to be a dangerous/inaccurate meter if the customer refuses entry - That's why its worth checking the web to see just what the Use-by date is on your meter if any of the above excuses are used as a reason for a Smart meter

A._Badger

dogshome wrote: »

The suppliers are up a gum tree - The Govt. has set targets for Smart installations, but customers can refuse to have them, and it's a huge task anyway.

It seems that to get efficiences in the work, the suppliers are 'targeting' customers in a particular area and then stretch the truth a bit to get them all to say YES.
"The Govt say you must have one", then if that doesn't work the next step is to tell the customer their meters are Old, Inaccurate or Dangerous.

The truth is that meters can be one or all three of these, and the industry has huge powers, (Court Orders, Forced Entry), to rectify what is deemed to be a dangerous/inaccurate meter if the customer refuses entry - That's why its worth checking the web to see just what the Use-by date is on your meter if any of the above excuses are used as a reason for a Smart meter

And all so they can switch you off remotely when, one day, not too far in the future, the wind doesn't blow on a high pressure day in January and the power runs out.

That, or decide for you when you run your tumble drier. I believe they call it 'progress'.

Ectophile

There's nothing in any of the smart meters that are now being rolled out, nor in the next generation ones, that will control which appliances you can use.

They can remotely turn off the power, but I can imagine that any supplier that did that would lose customers very quickly.

Geoff1963

there is no signal for it to use. (there is none in the back of my house nor wifi either.)

Have I understood correctly :
A smart-meter uses 3G or Wi-fi, whichever it can get ; but there's no 3G in the basement, and you don't have home wi-fi ?
If so, the answer could be a mobile wi-fi hotspot ; either in a phone or stand-alone.

Mister_G

If the OP has no mobile signal on any network, then how is a mobile wi-fi hotspot going to work?

Geoff1963

If the OP has no mobile signal on any network, then how is a mobile wi-fi hotspot going to work?

Because the hotspot can be installed elsewhere on the building, giving a wi-fi signal that reaches down to the basement.