Smart meter gone dumb due to fault in comms infrastructure

ScottishBob

Hi All

About 18 months ago I moved into a house with existing smart meters that worked fine. I was then switched to Shell Energy when PurePlanet went into administration, and around the same time storm Arwen came along. At around this time, my smart meters went dumb, and I figured it was due to the change to Shell Energy and they would start working again in due course.

It turns out the reason they are not working is a fault in the local smart meter comms infrastructure, provided by the Data Communications Company. I complained to Shell Energy, was told they couldn't do anything as it's down to the DCC, and that OFGEM was aware of the fault. This was months ago and I'm fed up of it again so looking to complain.

My question is - to whom do I complain? Shell Energy, direct to OFGEM, or somewhere else?

Thanks!

smjxm09

I had a long term problem where my meter went dum. No energy company I used would do a thing about it until I changed to Octopus Energy.  They treated me as though I had no smart meter and carried out a fresh install.  Maybe better to go down that path

Rodders53

Shell Energy.
In writing. 
Headed COMPLAINT.
With evidence of you reporting issue. etc.,.

They need to own the issue and get onto DCC to get onto their contractors to fix.

DCC infrastructure in Scotland is operated by Arqiva with proprietary UHF comms kit. So it's likely some kit was damaged in storms and has not been fixed or replaced (yet)?   England DCC uses mobile phone infrastructure.  Arqiva operate the TV and Radio broadcast infrastructure in UK so would be able to fix faults in their kit if made properly aware.

Ofgem don't deal with public.

lohr500

Not relevant to the OP, but not all of England is on mobile phone communication. Up North we are dependant on Arqiva as well.

Mister_G

If you're really interested, this is some bedtime reading!

https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/x1wkqxmp/bdp-2022-final.pdf

ScottishBob

Thanks folks, I've just submitted a complaint to Shell Energy which I will let go to deadlock and take to OFGEM if they don't actually fix it.

ScottishBob

Mister_G said:

If you're really interested, this is some bedtime reading!

[link snipped as I'm too new to post them, even as a quote]

That is actually some interesting reading :-) I used to build systems for gas TSOs and DSOs so interesting to understand how some of this stuff works.

macman

ScottishBob said:

Thanks folks, I've just submitted a complaint to Shell Energy which I will let go to deadlock and take to OFGEM if they don't actually fix it.

Ofgem do not deal with consumer complaints, the next stage would be the Energy Ombudsman.

pensionpawn

I'm with Shell too. (Only) due to the time signal for E7 switching stopping (which may be subject to ongoing delay, see another thread) I agreed to "smart meters" in July '21. Shell asked me in July '22 to recommence manual readings as they had lost coms. Coms apparently re-established late August however they didn't tell me, did not allow customer readings via their website and then (over) estimated my usage, so I complained. Also, my house usage meter has never shown any electrical usage (why bother having them) as it transpires that they are incompatible with E7 tariffs. You couldn't make it up.....

[Deleted User]

ScottishBob said:

Thanks folks, I've just submitted a complaint to Shell Energy which I will let go to deadlock and take to OFGEM if they don't actually fix it.

I would be surprised if Shell accepts your complaint. It is only responsible for the meter assets not the smart meter infrastructure or the communications hub. Provided the supplier has provided you with meters that are certified and can be used for billing then the supplier has met its Standard Licence Conditions.

Sadly, suppliers have very few levers to pull as individual meter and device manufacturers build and DCC- certify their meters/devices.

Yes, our smart meter rollout is a complex mess. We should have gone for a system similar to that adopted by France: we didn’t, so we are where we are.

If you decide to raise the matter with consumer.affairs@ofgem.gov.uk then you will get a standard reply along the lines of ‘we are aware that there are some ongoing operational problems’.
 

PS:

The Senior Responsible Officer for the UK Smart Meter Programme is this civil servant:

daron.walker@beis.gov.uk

His email address is on many open source BEIS letters.

brewerdave

Dolor said:

ScottishBob said:

Thanks folks, I've just submitted a complaint to Shell Energy which I will let go to deadlock and take to OFGEM if they don't actually fix it.

I would be surprised if Shell accepts your complaint. It is only responsible for the meter assets not the smart meter infrastructure or the communications hub. Provided the supplier has provided you with meters that are certified and can be used for billing then the supplier has met its Standard Licence Conditions.

Personally I don't believe that Shell can refuse to accept the complaint. As far as the customer is concerned (without your in depth knowledge of the way the system works) their ONLY direct line of approach is via the supplier. Shell can try to answer the complaint by blaming others for the failure - but the customer can refuse to accept their explanation and elevate to the O.E as far as I can see. Whether that will achieve anything is debatable but .......
Aren't "smart" meters wonderful !!!