HELP! Cannot contact Coop Energy for emergency

spiro

jk0 wrote: »

I am surprised to hear this story.

I did not think that the meter itself was transferred to the energy supplier. My meter still says 'Property of Scottish & Southern Energy' on it, though they have not been my supplier since 2005.

The responsibility for maintaining the meter switches to whichever Meter Operator your supplier appoints.

dush_yant

spiro wrote: »

The responsibility for maintaining the meter switches to whichever Meter Operator your supplier appoints.

Yes. And you as the customer cannot contact the Meter Operator directly, you have to go through your supplier.

jk0

Thanks guys.

That's a bit mad then, isn't it?

The network operator can come and disconnect your meter, yet can't fit a new meter that he probably has several of out in his van? And they are happy to let customer sit in the cold and dark till new year if this happened on the evening of Christmas Eve, say?

I think this state of affairs is something for MSE to investigate. Who would ever dare change their energy to a non mainstream supplier if they knew all this?

Carrot007

jk0 wrote: »

I am surprised to hear this story.

I did not think that the meter itself was transferred to the energy supplier. My meter still says 'Property of Scottish & Southern Energy' on it, though they have not been my supplier since 2005.

Pretty much all new meters are finaced by asset management companies and rented back to suppliers these days. Low risk pension funds etc.

Old one's may well have been sold on for short term gains too.

dush_yant

jk0 wrote: »

The network operator can come and disconnect your meter, yet can't fit a new meter that he probably has several of out in his van? And they are happy to let customer sit in the cold and dark till new year if this happened on the evening of Christmas Eve, say?

No the network operator does not keep any spare meter in his van. And in fact while some may know how do it out of experience, network operator techs are not even trained to install/replace meters.

dush_yant

jk0 wrote: »

I think this state of affairs is something for MSE to investigate. Who would ever dare change their energy to a non mainstream supplier if they knew all this?

It's the watchdog's fault. Ofgem opted not to enforce emergency out of hours service on the utility companies although some do provide it out of goodwill / good customer service. Ofgem only enforce emergency out of hours service on the network operator who as we've found out is no longer responsible for all the kit that is used for electricity supply when Ofgem changed the rules to make the market more competitive for smaller utility suppliers.

Looking at the current state of affairs it seems cheaper energy comes at a cost (to the consumer)!