Faulty Smart Meter- usage not recorded

gill_oneill

This is my first time posting and apologise if its in the wrong place.

I have my gas and electricity with EDF and approx a year and a half ago they installed a smart meter. In December they contacted me and asked me for a meter reading. When I checked it the electricity reading had frozen and has not been recording my usage for almost a year.

EDF have agreed to remove the faulty smart meter and install the one I had beforehand. They have said that they will give me an estimate for the year that my usage wasn't being recorded. Does this sound right? Has anyone else had this problem? If so how was it resolved?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

JJ_Egan

Yes unless you have a more accurate reading or estimate.

gill_oneill

I don't have no. I assumed that the meter was in working order as no one had made contact with me. I also assumed that they would have noticed it before they did if it hadn't been working for over a year.

They are also in no hurry what so ever to get the faulty meter removed - been going on since start of January and no ones been in touch.

Robin9

Does the IHD also give meter readings ?

[Deleted User]

It is normal for suppliers to use historical usage or estimate on past or future usage when their meters go faulty. Blank screens on digital meters are quite common, but i have only found one or two faulty smart meters go blank. Small white digital credit meters made by Landis and Gyr and Ampy are often going blank
I am disappointed that EDF had not monitored that your EDF smart meter was not working at all in a year.
It is showing that some suppliers will not be bothered if someone had tampered with the meter.. I work for EDF meter reading and they had a dreadful record for Revenue Protection in that they barely took any notice of my reports of meter tampering which I found on a regular basis. It seems they are carrying on their laxness when even if the new meter is designed to send back error codes on faulty or tampered meters they still can t be bothered to run a tight ship.
Makes it look promising for the popular pastime of meter tampering of smart meters in cannabis farms if they could not see that their smart meter was nt working in a whole year . They should have seen from day one the meter was duff.
British Gas spot the problem fast enough, but they run a very effective Revenue Protection Unit compared to the other big 5 suppliers

sevenhills

I have meters that I can take readings from, I also have a digital smart meter that display more information.
Is it the main meter that is being replaced, or the digital display?

JJ_Egan

OP previous meter readings/ bills so as you have a better idea.

mrnkar

One reason I won't have a smart meter installed. I'm with EDF & constantly being sent texts, emails etc to have one installed. They were fined last year for not installing enough.
I know how to save money, I turn things off, I don't have a problem with looking at my meters every few months & sending them a reading, so why would I want one when all I seem to read about is people having problems with them being faulty etc.

gill_oneill

Thanks everyone. I can't wait to get rid of it, had nothing but problems since I got it but EDF don't seem to interested in removing it. Will contact them again tonight and see if its picked up!

niktheguru

Surely you would have had a bill in the last 1.5yrs and seen how theyve been charging you? If the meter wasn't working surely they would have been estimates? I agree edf should have noticed and rectified this sooner, but you should have checked your meters were working too, at least in the first few months?

If you want an easy life just agree to the "estimate/averages" they have offered. You could otherwise argue with them that you have been frugal with your energy and don't think you have spent the "average" and that you were promised a "smart meter" would mean no more meter reads, and as a result this defect meants they have failed you and the meter was no fit for purpose so you should be compensated as such.

sevenhills

You must take and submit meter readings every three months from your accreditation date.


https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/non-domestic-rhi/participants/meter-reading-and-your-responsibilities