npower not read meter, now transferred?

Gandalf644

Gerry1 said:

If you have a mobile phone with a camera, might it be possible to attach it to a walking stick grabber or broom handle and take a video of the meter, assuming it doesn't need any buttons to be pressed?

Unfortunately it takes quite a few button presses to bring up each individual register (from what I could see when I saw the meter readers did it - constantly pressing buttons it seemed). It even took them a few goes as the meter is just off the floor, and around the corner of a dark cupboard. So you cannot even see the meter from the cupboard door, let alone be able to read it.

mac.d

As you are registered on the priority services register (are you aware you can also register with the network operator for your area?), you should either get regular meter readings or your meter moved so you can read it yourself (though if it's not a simple move, they'll do as NPower have clearly done with you, stick rigidly to the fact they only NEED to do it for pre-payment meters). Obviously they'll blame coronavirus for not being able to send someone to take meter readings, but its definitely worth making a written complaint to them. If NPower/Eon fail to remedy the situation, you could then take it to the Energy Ombudsman to try to resolve it.  

I'd be complaining about both not having the meter read, pandemic or not, and more importantly, their failure to provide you with an updated bill after you sent them meter readings. If they can't send a meter reader, they should at least be making sure they do something with the readings you've sent them.

Gandalf644

mac.d said:

As you are registered on the priority services register (are you aware you can also register with the network operator for your area?), you should either get regular meter readings or your meter moved so you can read it yourself (though if it's not a simple move, they'll do as NPower have clearly done with you, stick rigidly to the fact they only NEED to do it for pre-payment meters). Obviously they'll blame coronavirus for not being able to send someone to take meter readings, but its definitely worth making a written complaint to them. If NPower/Eon fail to remedy the situation, you could then take it to the Energy Ombudsman to try to resolve it.  

I'd be complaining about both not having the meter read, pandemic or not, and more importantly, their failure to provide you with an updated bill after you sent them meter readings. If they can't send a meter reader, they should at least be making sure they do something with the readings you've sent them.

Many thanks.

Yes I am on the Priority Services Register with both npower/eon.next and also Northern Powergrid.

Yes, npower used the covid pandemic as an excuse not to send meter readers round (they had all been furloughed). However, even when restrictions were relaxed last summer they still refused to send a meter reader as they kept them on furlough so they didn't have to pay them.  They also used the same excuse not to move the meter (again). Neither would they fit a smart meter that doesn't need reading!

To be honest it really seems that in the past few years npower couldn't give a toss about anything.

The worst thing was, being on a complex super tariff meter, no other company would accept me as a customer (as it is not normal economy 7). Hence I was trapped as an npower customer.

The regulator did say people with these meters could move companies, but only on a single rate tariff, which with storage heaters would be even more astronomical than super tariff, so npower knew its customers in this situation were stuck with them. So much for choice in the energy market!

Anyway, I appear to have to wait 8 weeks before taking a case to the Energy Ombudsman, or ask them for a letter of deadlock, which I have done today by e-mail (if they bother to respond to it).