stuck in limbo

buzza991

hi all, 1st post but hope you can help.

I purchased my property 18months ago, and provided elec and gas readings etc.

After 6 months i provided them again online and and error came up - called the company and they advised the reading (elec) was the same as what i provided when i moved in.

Fast forward some 6 months later (just before xmas) and a technician came out, looked at the meter, said its broken but he cant move it due to its location (very small cupboard) and the whole thing would need moving / re routing as it now needs a fire board behind it and there is no room in the current location plus he said he wouldnt fit!

Fast forward 3 more months late feb i got a call advising i needed to contact uk power networks to relocate everything!

All fine until i speak to UKPN and they advise this is going to cost several thousand pounds plus digging up my drive which i don't want. The lady also advised this isn't my problem and to contact my supplier....

Speaking to my supplier they say it is my issue but they wont do anything more if i can't or won't pay.

I am not trying to dodge anything i have set my direct debit up as per my previous home and the online account shows they owe me over £1000 which is about right for the 18 month period.

I will continue with the D/D as i am happy to pay what i owe but i am not paying (and having my drive dug up) for this problem which isnt of my making.

Can anyone advise i understand they can only claim for 12 months prior of elec and i have tried to use this as a reasonable discussion to get them to pay for the meter to be moved at their expense but no one is interested.

any ideas?

thanks in advance

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.



Taking your last paragraph, you are referring to the 12 month back-billing ruling; that ruling IMO will not apply.


Changing your meter is not your energy supplier's problem. They could spend £thousands getting it moved and you then move to another supplier e.g from British Gas to Eon.


You can read the guide below and interpret it yourself, but IMO I suspect you will be responsible for the cost of moving the meter, Would an outside meter require the drive digging up?


https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/files/docs/GuidanceforElectricityandGasMeterInstallationCustomerFacingIssues.pdf


Edit - for some reason the link isn't working. However google siting an electricity meter for similar guidance

House_Martin

If the meter is an old analogue meter made by Sangamo Weston the meter can be restarted by a solid thump to the side. These old meters frequently stick. They drop a blank down on the last digit, the single kwh digit , usually following a pair of nines, eg 3499blank .After a restart this reading will go to 35000
Meter readers are not aware of this and record the reading as a zero e.g ,34990. once restarted it may never stick again but it could stick again and so would need changing. This is the only electric meter which plays this trick.
Most people I find like this meter very much and would nt want it changing !