Octopus - Smart Meter Installations

[Deleted User]

I often wonder whether anyone at Ofgem takes the time to think through the unintended consequences of some of its policies. For example, two weeks ago, my daughter had an appointment for the fitting of smart meters. As promised, the installer called to say that he would be with her in 30 minutes. My daughter tried to explain, as it was raining very heavily, that the installer might like to choose another day. When he turned up, he decided that the weather was indeed too bad but as he had turned up his company was not liable for a £30 missed appointment payment! What happened to common sense? 

The installer turned up again yesterday and left my daughter with 2 non-commissioned smart meters and no IHD as he was having problems with the App on his phone. Octopus is now trying to decide what needs to be done to commission the meters,  and it is looking at a third installer visit. The smart meter rollout was costed at £13Bn over 3 years ago, I shudder at the thought of what the latest costing might show.

TadleyBaggie

I'm not sure just on the experience of one cocked up installation, you can damn the program or OFGEM.

[Deleted User]

TadleyBaggie said:

I'm not sure just on the experience of one cocked up installation, you can damn the program or OFGEM.

 I have had 2 sets of SMETS2 meters in 3 1/2 years and in both cases the installer has left without completing the installation. After the first install, the installer had to return to pair the gas meter with the comms hub ( about 0.5M apart). On the second occasion, I was able to complete the gas meter commissioning process after a call from the supplier. 

My post is not intended to reopen a debate about smart meters or Ofgem - save for the fact that installers turn up to avoid a £30 QSP knowing that they will get paid for a second visit. Un-necessary installer visits just adds to the programme rollout costs which we are all paying for. 

brewerdave

The other comment I'd add about appointments ,is that there is clearly a disconnect between the centralised Utility Co. operations ( constant emails ,texts to have smarts fitted etc) and the local installation teams (no engineer availability ,no meters etc ).
Seems as if the local  teams consult their expected schedule a few days ahead , then start cancelling even when appointments have been arranged several weeks in advance.

MWT

[Deleted User] said:

..save for the fact that installers turn up to avoid a £30 QSP knowing that they will get paid for a second visit.

On that point alone, a QSP should not have been a possibility either way, if he had agreed to your daughter's request to reschedule there would have been no payment due, if he had looked at the weather and just decided not to turn up then it would have been due, and of course turning up and not completing the work, again no payment due...

In general though I agree, the install process if flawed, I'm 3 out of 3 on incomplete commissioning on smart meter installs, all blamed the slow messaging between the DCC and the meter...