nPower want to change tenants meter to smart meter

bxboards

Hi

I got a call from my letting agents telling me npower want to change my tenants meter to a smart meter - apparently they wrote mid-December making an appointment and showed up on the doorstep a day or two back. Tenants felt they need to ask for my permission so didn't let them in - the tenants hadn't agreed to the appointment, so in a panic rang me agent.

So agent contacts me and I say I have no objection, it's really up to tenant. Then agent tells me that nPower will do the change, but if the boiler won't come back on after the swap, I will be liable for the call-out. I disputed this as nPower is my tenants choice and I have no contract with them, but I have to accept this term for the change to go ahead.

So apparently they (the agent) now wants to arrange the meter swap to coincide with a gas safety check so if the boiler won't come back on, a gas engineer will be onhand to sort things out.

I asked if my tenant actually wants or requested the meter and she didn't. She doesn't really care, but would rather not take time of work for this. I don't care either way, but don't want to be liable for a call out if somehow this messes things. Agent seems to think it's best to leave things as they are - I tend to go towards 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'

Has anyone else had nPower take it upon themselves to arrange an appointment without a prior agreement this is OK?

jk0

I believe the energy companies have some sort of cash inducement from the government to change everyone to smart meters. Seems rather a cheek though, that they refuse to re-light the boiler. Therefore, why make any effort for their convenience?

House_Martin

Npower have a right to exchange all meters as and when they see fit.
If YOU object to a smart meter , which THIS present government have seen fit to allow, then they have a right to fit a dumb meter or possibly they will agree to fit a smart meter which is in dumb mode.
A meter is a meter. Its only "smart " when connected to the server
If the current meter at the property is due for renewal, as all meters are from time to time, then they have no obligation to restart any boilers.They have to "purge "the gas pipe system only.
That is the end of their liabilities
The government do not offer any cash inducements for suppliers fitting a smart meter

nPower

bxboards wrote: »

Hi

I got a call from my letting agents telling me npower want to change my tenants meter to a smart meter - apparently they wrote mid-December making an appointment and showed up on the doorstep a day or two back. Tenants felt they need to ask for my permission so didn't let them in - the tenants hadn't agreed to the appointment, so in a panic rang me agent.

So agent contacts me and I say I have no objection, it's really up to tenant. Then agent tells me that nPower will do the change, but if the boiler won't come back on after the swap, I will be liable for the call-out. I disputed this as nPower is my tenants choice and I have no contract with them, but I have to accept this term for the change to go ahead.

So apparently they (the agent) now wants to arrange the meter swap to coincide with a gas safety check so if the boiler won't come back on, a gas engineer will be onhand to sort things out.

I asked if my tenant actually wants or requested the meter and she didn't. She doesn't really care, but would rather not take time of work for this. I don't care either way, but don't want to be liable for a call out if somehow this messes things. Agent seems to think it's best to leave things as they are - I tend to go towards 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'

Has anyone else had nPower take it upon themselves to arrange an appointment without a prior agreement this is OK?

Hi bxboards

The smart meters are being rolled out in stages, it's aimed to have them in all homes by 2020. If you or your tenant choose to decline the smart meter exchange we can stop the appointment from being booked, as it's currently optional.

Please email us at the address on our profile if you require any further assistance.

Thanks

Jade :-)

thorganby

bxboards wrote: »

Hi

I got a call from my letting agents telling me npower want to change my tenants meter to a smart meter...
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Agent seems to think it's best to leave things as they are - I tend to go towards 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'

Has anyone else had nPower take it upon themselves to arrange an appointment without a prior agreement this is OK?

Smart meters currently offer no benefit to customers and until this farcical situation is eventually sorted out across the industry they are best avoided so refuse the offer.

nPower wrote: »

Hi bxboards

The smart meters are being rolled out in stages, it's aimed to have them in all homes by 2020.

That is incorrect and getting them installed in all homes by 2020 is pure pie in the sky and simply will never happen.

The latest Smart Meter Bill from the Government department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy October 2017 states that "The Government is committed to all households and businesses in Great Britain being offered a smart meter by the end of 2020"

Is the Government still working towards the 2020 deadline?

Yes, the Government is committed to ensuring all homes and small businesses are offered smart meters by the end of 2020.

Surely energy company reps should be posting accurate information.

System

nPower wrote: »

Hi bxboards

The smart meters are being rolled out in stages, it's aimed to have them in all homes by 2020. If you or your tenant choose to decline the smart meter exchange we can stop the appointment from being booked, as it's currently optional.

Please email us at the address on our profile if you require any further assistance.

Thanks

Jade :-)

The latest Government policy is that all homeowners are to be OFFERED a smart meter by 2020. Moreover, many industry experts have already concluded that because of systemic delays in the smart meter rollout and IT programme, a 100% rollout by 2020 is impossible even if we all agreed to have one installed.

Browntoa

They are not compulsory

Had this row with supplier before where they tried to"intimate" I must have one

I'm quite happy to supply online readings once a month like I always have

WestonDave

My standard response to these requests - whether at home or at work is to ask whether the meter they are proposing to install is one of the 2nd generation ones that will still be "smart" after a change of supplier. If the answer is no (as it always has been) then my answer is likewise because I'm not going through the process more than once just for their benefit.

System

Browntoa wrote: »

They are not compulsory

Had this row with supplier before where they tried to"intimate" I must have one

I'm quite happy to supply online readings once a month like I always have

In fairness, if you were a supplier facing £Ms of fines for failing to meet the 2020 deadline, then your approaches to consumers might be slightly economical with the truth.

Suppliers do have an ACE card in their hand. They only have to categorise your meters as being end-of-life and they then have the right to install a smart meter replacement without the communications hub/ or with it disabled. Watch this space.

System

bxboards wrote: »

Hi

I got a call from my letting agents telling me npower want to change my tenants meter to a smart meter - apparently they wrote mid-December making an appointment and showed up on the doorstep a day or two back. Tenants felt they need to ask for my permission so didn't let them in - the tenants hadn't agreed to the appointment, so in a panic rang me agent.

So agent contacts me and I say I have no objection, it's really up to tenant. Then agent tells me that nPower will do the change, but if the boiler won't come back on after the swap, I will be liable for the call-out. I disputed this as nPower is my tenants choice and I have no contract with them, but I have to accept this term for the change to go ahead.

So apparently they (the agent) now wants to arrange the meter swap to coincide with a gas safety check so if the boiler won't come back on, a gas engineer will be onhand to sort things out.

I asked if my tenant actually wants or requested the meter and she didn't. She doesn't really care, but would rather not take time of work for this. I don't care either way, but don't want to be liable for a call out if somehow this messes things. Agent seems to think it's best to leave things as they are - I tend to go towards 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'

Has anyone else had nPower take it upon themselves to arrange an appointment without a prior agreement this is OK?

If I was a landlord, then I would probably agree to a smart meter once the supplier was installing the SMETS2 version. This would save a lot of potential arguments over billing if a tenant moved out without telling the supplier.

bxboards

nPower wrote: »

Hi bxboards

The smart meters are being rolled out in stages, it's aimed to have them in all homes by 2020. If you or your tenant choose to decline the smart meter exchange we can stop the appointment from being booked, as it's currently optional.

Please email us at the address on our profile if you require any further assistance.

Thanks

Jade :-)

Thank you - I will pass this onto my tenant and agent.