Shell Energy - smart meter failed after install - £75 offered for 'inconvenience'?

planckfund

Thanks @ariarnia I do take a pic with my mobile but yet to figure out how to do that without getting down to the buttons on the wretched machine so inevitably end up on my hands and knees!

ariarnia

planckfund said:

Thanks @ariarnia I do take a pic with my mobile but yet to figure out how to do that without getting down to the buttons on the wretched machine so inevitably end up on my hands and knees!

ah i forgot your problem was with a knackered smart meter. ours is still the old style dumb meter so no need to press anything to see the reading. 

maybe a poking stick is in order (not laughing at you just the lengths we sometimes go to because of our wonky bodies )

planckfund

@Brie Good advice on being a vulnerable person: I am in 2 minds about accepting the £75 though. As a company strategy they are obviously using this to say they resolve all complaints successfully and promptly, and specifically that the issue of my smart meter not working (and that of anyone else who complains and accepts their offer)  has been resolved for all time. So any further complaint that the meters aren't working will just be referred back to the fact that this particular issue was resolved. I don't think Shell Energy understands subtlety.....!

planckfund

@ariarnia you've given me a great idea --- it will involve altering a selfie stick.  Ahh, I really am a paid-up member of the walking wounded now. Mind you, I was in Royal Devon and Exeter Acute Stroke Unit in January wondering how I was going to pay for full-time round-the-clock care: turned out to be just (...!) labyrinthitis and now I'm absolutely fine (in that respect anyway...!). Great care but  what a lesson that was. Seize the day folks!

ariarnia

planckfund said:

@ariarnia you've given me a great idea --- it will involve altering a selfie stick.  Ahh, I really am a paid-up member of the walking wounded now. Mind you, I was in Royal Devon and Exeter Acute Stroke Unit in January wondering how I was going to pay for full-time round-the-clock care: turned out to be just (...!) labyrinthitis and now I'm absolutely fine (in that respect anyway...!). Great care but  what a lesson that was. Seize the day folks!

and seize the poking stick! many great uses around the home and out of it

glad to hear it wasnt anything more serious and we always have something to laugh about at least

Ectophile

planckfund said:

I live in a small town in E Devon which has excellent wifi and phone signal, so can't understand the technical challenge at all. I complained to Shell Energy, who, after stating the above, told me it was the Data Company's responsibility (not true, see OFGEM) and say there is nothing they can do, and  have now offered me £75 for the 'inconvenience'.

The gas meter doesn't have any electricity supply to it.  So it has to work off a battery, which has to last 6 to 10 years.  The only way that's going to work is if it uses a very low power radio to talk to the network box that's connected to the top of your smart electricity meter.  That box is mains powered, and has enough power to radio in both your gas and electricity readings.

Unfortunately, that low power signal doesn't travel very far, and it doesn't take much to block it.  The whole system was designed on the assumption that the gas and electricity meters are usually next to each other.