EON and pay as you go meter taking too much

unhappy1Y

Hello Just wanted to post to dolor and othesr for their responses. 

I just wanted to clarify a few things as we have been at a meter war with EON since last July, and all this over a failure for someone to come out and check existing meter or even to find  where to put a new meter,

I can give an update and a little background info that will make things clearer. Could not post things before but hopefully people will understand.

EON asked for a three month extension from the energy ombudsman. we have been given five resolutions .One of them is to agree to replace the meter and not for a smart meter. EON have agreed to this.

The property is in a bad state of repair and we are council tenants. We have had two surveyors round who said we need to move. We currently have had no heating since last September only hot water. So we have had other issues that we have needed to deal with which is why i have not posted recently. Looks like we now have to go the housing ombudsman aswell. It took a long time to try and even get this far with the energy ombudsman as you have to wait 8 weeks for the company to respond and resolve  issues before the ombudsman take any action.

We have gas but that is thankfully not run by EON.  We are a vulnerable couple and have stated this to EON. All we wanted was someone to come and check the meter and they wanted to charge us over a hundred pounds for  this call out, We was told if they find no fault we are liable and if there was a fault they would fix it, but they said they knew we are still connected and not without electricity and therefore there is no fault. (Apparently the electricity gods can see and hear everything from where they are sitting) In my opinion you can still have electric and there can still be a fault on the meter ie the inconsistent bleeping bleep. The bleep is there to let you know that you MUST TOP UP BEFORE GOING INTO DEBT. sorry but i am so angry.

The other day the meter did it again and the meter switched straight into debt without the bleep going off and then when the meter reached £3.83 debt( without me putting in the key it) it bleeped, only when it reached 3.83 did it start to bleep then i put in my electric key and the display read £5.00 emergency credit. Other times it has bleeped at 6.84 in debt and then cut out the electric. All i wanted was for someone to come out check the meter and look at where to move  the meter or even put in a new meter, It would have been cheaper for EON to send someone out. 

They did finally arrange this and then no one turned up. This happened not just once but twice, then they said they would send a key prepayment meter and they agreed to this and they sent an email stating this and then EON sent another email saying they don't do them anymore yet they told the ombudsman they would source one and it would take some time so asked  for a 3 month extension. To date no new emails and obviously no new meter.  No explanation of what amount it is of friendly credit you get to tide you over if you cannot top up your meter on Bank holidays and weekends and no explanation of why our meter is cutting out at odd amounts. Regardless of the state of the house we believe EON should have still attended the property to check the meter and see where a meter could be moved to and could have booked another appointment to have a proper installation done and what needed to be cleared. To give you a better idea this meter has not been looked at in years, the last meter reading was over three years ago. We are seriously done with EON. The service is appalling and the lack of knowledge by some staff is terrible. If you are thinking of going down the ombudsman route they are helpful but (depending on the company you are in dispute with) its the time it takes to sort things and the ombudsman make you aware of this. The ombudsman rep we had was extremely helpful. and very clear.  If anyone can explain what this meter is doing and why it cuts out at odd times and odd amounts we would be very grateful.   Thanks from unhappy and cold.

Gerry1

Have you signed up to the Priority Services Register?

macman

If this has been going on since last July, why don't you simply change supplier? It's clear that your PPM is faulty, and the only way to resolve that is to change it-they're not fixable on site or off. It will be scrapped, and a smart meter fitted running in PPM mode. They cannot fit a 'recycled' dumb meter as it will not be certified. Dumb meters are no longer available, not being made, why would they be?
You have not made clear your objections to having either a smart meter, or indeed to using direct debit.
The other simple way out of this impasse is to request a smart meter and then immediately request a switch to a credit meter, which can be done remotely. and instantly. Since you don't appear to have debt on the meter, this should be no problem. However, if you refuse to pay by DD, you will have to pay around 6% more than you would on DD.

macman

Gerry1 said:

Have you signed up to the Priority Services Register?

The OP said they were on the 'vulnerable register'.

pochase

macman said:

If this has been going on since last July, why don't you simply change supplier? It's clear that your PPM is faulty, and the only way to resolve that is to change it-they're not fixable on site or off. It will be scrapped, and a smart meter fitted running in PPM mode. They cannot fit a 'recycled' dumb meter as it will not be certified. Dumb meters are no longer available, not being made, why would they be?
You have not made clear your objections to having either a smart meter, or indeed to using direct debit.
The other simple way out of this impasse is to request a smart meter and then immediately request a switch to a credit meter, which can be done remotely. and instantly. Since you don't appear to have debt on the meter, this should be no problem. However, if you refuse to pay by DD, you will have to pay around 6% more than you would on DD.

The OP insists on a dumb meter, so switching supplier will not help if nobody has them any longer.

I don't really understand that the Ombudsman would rule that the supplier has to install a dumb meter when they are not available and it is also against Ofgem policy, This scenario, a non working meter fits exactly into the rules that this meter can be replaced with a smart meter, even if the customer does not agree.

@unhappy1Y it seems you are complaining that the supplier takes forever to resolve your problem, while at the same time you tell them you don't want the available solution - smart meter - and want something that just is not available any longer. 

t0rt0ise

Get a smart meter. I can guarantee that you'll love it. Sounds to me that you're just afraid of change, but having a smart meter isn't much of a change. You can still pay at the shop if you like. I can't see what your objection is.

macman

pochase said:

macman said:

If this has been going on since last July, why don't you simply change supplier? It's clear that your PPM is faulty, and the only way to resolve that is to change it-they're not fixable on site or off. It will be scrapped, and a smart meter fitted running in PPM mode. They cannot fit a 'recycled' dumb meter as it will not be certified. Dumb meters are no longer available, not being made, why would they be?
You have not made clear your objections to having either a smart meter, or indeed to using direct debit.
The other simple way out of this impasse is to request a smart meter and then immediately request a switch to a credit meter, which can be done remotely. and instantly. Since you don't appear to have debt on the meter, this should be no problem. However, if you refuse to pay by DD, you will have to pay around 6% more than you would on DD.

The OP insists on a dumb meter, so switching supplier will not help if nobody has them any longer.

I don't really understand that the Ombudsman would rule that the supplier has to install a dumb meter when they are not available and it is also against Ofgem policy, This scenario, a non working meter fits exactly into the rules that this meter can be replaced with a smart meter, even if the customer does not agree.

@unhappy1Y it seems you are complaining that the supplier takes forever to resolve your problem, while at the same time you tell them you don't want the available solution - smart meter - and want something that just is not available any longer. 

The OP said 'we're seriously done with EDF'. If so, they should switch surely supplier, or stop grumbling. It won't magically provide a smart meter, but it might make them feel better to take their custom elsewhere.
As for the Ombudsman, they probably know less about smart meters than most people who post on here.

unhappy1Y

Its EON not EDF. Ofgem policy says like for like if you are vulnerable. At this moment i have not read all the posts sorry if someone has covered the point i am about to make. I'm asking about fixing the existing meter i am also letting  people know of what type of service we have received. Its EONs job to resolve this by explaining. I should not have to rely on other sources of information when EON are getting our money. I just wanted them to look at the meter, check it and advise on what can be done and why its cutting out at odd amounts. simple really but we have had to go round the houses to get to this stage. Lots of people are on pre payment meters, smart meters and even those on direct debit have been have been overcharged; The ombudsman knows ofgem policy as its a energy ombudsman, Thanks for being so understanding,  ;