SSEN Electric Meter move HELP!

ArturR2

Has anyone dealt with the same issue before ? Any pointers please ?

I have booked in a service alteration for the electricity supply (moving it to the outside box). Had an engineer visit, received a quote, confirmed everything and installed the box and dig out as required as well as installing a new CU in a new location (as part of a full rewire). Basically everything ready for the switchover. 

Engineer arrived today and after 5 minutes said they can’t do it due to the fact that it’s a shared supply with my neighbour and while he was extremely apologetic for his mistake I’m stuffed now. 

I am already out of pocket due to the dig out and outside box installation but more importantly the new rewire has been run to the new location (CU) so there’s no way to connect it to the old supply. Biggest issue is that the new wiring is to supply a new kitchen (currently kitchen has got no electricity).

What to do ?

Best

Robin9

Can you give us photos of the existing set up please .  I'm thinking there is a looped supply from the incoming side of the companies main fuse.

ArturR2

Photo attached 

MWT

Sounds like you need to ask for the supply to be 'un-looped' before you can proceed.

Here is an explanation of the process from UK Power Networks:

https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/help-and-advice/documents/looped_services.pdf

You need to talk to your DNO (SSEN) about this...

Robin9

As I thought - two cables on the input side of the company's cutout. One is incoming from the main cable in the footpath; the second is the loop to your neighbour.

Not impossible to overcome - go back the whoever gave you the quote

ArturR2

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate the process that needs to happen however in order to unloop the supply the driveway will need to be dug up which is made of concrete and underneath there’s really sticky clay so it’s a nightmare job, the engineers said I will need to bare the cost of it so there’s that plus the time! Currently the house is in effect without operational kitchen and living room (due to the lack of electricity)

Section62

ArturR2 said:

I appreciate the process that needs to happen however in order to unloop the supply the driveway will need to be dug up which is made of concrete and underneath there’s really sticky clay so it’s a nightmare job, the engineers said I will need to bare the cost of it so there’s that plus the time!

I'd be really surprised if you were required to pay the full cost of providing an alternate supply to your neighbour.  The site technician won't necessarily know this level of detail.

Do what MWT says.  The DNO should also have known about the looped supply and factored this in to the quote and programming of the work you requested.  It shouldn't have come as a surprise to the technician when they arrived to do the work.

Phones4Chris

@ArturR2 You mentioned a "dig-out". Obviously it goes to the new outside box, but where does it run from?

Zandoni

Surely the electrician that done the job is responsible for sorting it out.

doodling

Hi,

The short term solution is a switch fuse and a few metres of 25mm sq (or maybe 16mm sq) 3 core SWA cable from the existing DNO supply location to the proposed new supply location. Your electrician can probably arrange that for you.

The longer term fix is to get the DNO to do what they quoted for. You will need to follow up with the DNO - I would start with a "confused but a little aggrieved" approach were you can't understand why their quote was wrong and how it can be your fault.

ArturR2

Thanks guys, further update. SSEN have agreed to unloop the supply at their expense and are in the process of doing so as we speak. The energy supplier SSE/OVO Energy have left me with a shower of 💩 to deal with as under their own advice where they asked me to call on the day of the alteration and book an emergency meter relocation appointment they have failed to turn up, their own staff members have passed me from pillar to post and were unable to contact the emergency team themselves. After 6 o’clock their offices are shut and they don’t care. They don’t have an out of hours phone line and there’s no way to speak with them until Monday. The fact that they are able to run a business in this way is criminal and the shear number of complaints on twitter alone is mind blowing.