Excessive energy bill price - help??

TheGardener

Found this thread very interesting - so am I right in thinking that access to the meter for tenants in flats is a right? DD moved into a flat and the meters are in a cellar and no key was provided. The agent said they didn't have one. Can DD demand she is provided with a key? She had a smart meter installed but as she's on the 3rd floor (of 3 floors) there is no connectivity with an IHDU. 

victor2

TheGardener said:

Found this thread very interesting - so am I right in thinking that access to the meter for tenants in flats is a right? DD moved into a flat and the meters are in a cellar and no key was provided. The agent said they didn't have one. Can DD demand she is provided with a key? She had a smart meter installed but as she's on the 3rd floor (of 3 floors) there is no connectivity with an IHDU. 

How was the smart meter installed if there's no key? I would have thought she could insist on being given a key or at least regular access to the meter room.
Anyway, she should be able to see the smart meter readings recorded on her account, if it's working properly. Alternatively, she could try the Bright app on her phone - doesn't show meter readings, but just show usage.

TheGardener

It seems other flat owners/occupiers in the building do have keys. No idea how the meter guy got in but apparently there is a chap on the ground floor who acts as a sort of caretaker. I've told her to ask a neighbour if she can borrow a key and get one cut but there seems to be a bit of reluctance from the neighbour she knows well enough to ask to part with her key even for an hour while DD gets one cut. 
EDIT after a quick text chat - DD says the smart meter was already there but someone from SSE did come out when they set up the account. 

victor2

TheGardener said:

It seems other flat owners/occupiers in the building do have keys. No idea how the meter guy got in but apparently there is a chap on the ground floor who acts as a sort of caretaker. I've told her to ask a neighbour if she can borrow a key and get one cut but there seems to be a bit of reluctance from the neighbour she knows well enough to ask to part with her key even for an hour while DD gets one cut. 
EDIT after a quick text chat - DD says the smart meter was already there but someone from SSE did come out when they set up the account. 

Can she ask the "caretaker" to get her a key cut and she'll pay him for it? She could say she wants to read her meters daily to get an understanding of her usage, if that adds any weight to the request.

TheGardener

Well, I've suggested the same but she says he's hard to catch - she's at work all day and he seems to work some sort of late shift. I've told her to stop procrastination about it and find someone to lend her a key but she's young, first flat, and doesn't want to be pushy. I've told her to "get over it" and find a way to get a key. However, from what she says most of the residents are older, owner occupiers and there does seem to be some resistance to a 'tenant' being given a key.