Scottish Power Smart Meter

Bolt1234

I am going through hell with Scottish Power.  When my Mum was in hospital in August I took a call from the retirement complex manager she lives in stating that a SP engineer had turned up to install three Smart Meters for three different apartments. None of the other two  residents knew about the installation and refused the installation bar me who thought ‘what harm can it do’ so I said they could put it in. Mum didn’t know anything about it and I am the contact on the bill as she is 91.

Her water is now luke warm and another resident who already had a Scottish Power meter is having exactly the same issue.  The complex have had their own engineer out who said this was the 4th call out with water being lukewarm now that a SP meter has been installed that he has attended this month  

I have called SP to be told the account holder agreed to the installation which is why they turned up.  They only have my mobile number (Mum doesn’t have a mobile and they don’t have her landline) and I was never informed.  They couldn’t tell me the name of the person who agreed to the installation bar ‘the account holder’.  They told me they had sent a text but again to the ‘account holder’.  

They also promised a Priority Call Out yesterday within 4 hrs which I briefed Mum about.  Needless to say they didn’t turn up and didn’t tell me.  I called them today to be told it wasn’t a Priority Call and the engineer should have called me to say they weren’t coming.  

So we now have a 90 year old women with a Smart Meter they never agreed to and luke warm water.  Am I missing something.  On the floor of her apartment was a Scottish Power package which looks like a plug in energy usage device,  I don’t need to do something with this device do I?

Also are engineers turning up to vulnerable people knowing that they will end up installing a meters despite the fact they were never agreed to?

Any advice please? I have put in a formal complaint to SP asking them to confirm who agreed to the installation in the first place?  They said they sent the ‘account holder’ a text on 7 August but I have nothing from them!  They are refusing to accept that something odd is going on here not just with Mum but with the other residents who refused installation on the same day because they knew nothing about it.

Gerry1

Is she on the Priority Services Register? 

The plug in unit is probably the In Home Display but that won't stop the water getting hot.

la531983

Gerry1 said:

Is she on the Priority Services Register? 

The plug in unit is probably the In Home Display but that won't stop the water getting hot.

Neither will the meter. 

Bolt1234

She is on Prority Register.  My concern here is who actually booked the initial appointment. Out of the three residents none of us had agreed to the installation yet the SP engineer turned up.  One I can agree might be a senior moment but three residents saying they didn’t know anything about a SM installation on the same day?

I wish to goodness I had never agreed to the installation on the day but I was abroad and Mum was in hospital. The complex is going to write to all residents staying that they recommend that no further SM are installed and definitely not from Scottish Power!

As for agreeing to come out in four hours and then not bothering to turn up and not telling anyone.  Well words fail me.

la531983

If anything it will probably be handy she has one as she won't have to take readings and you can maybe login and see how her usage is and if her payments are alright. The execution perhaps a bit poor mind. 

The water is a different issue, the smart meter won't have caused this. Is the complex on district heating or some other communal system? 

Flugelhorn

I can't see how a smart meter would stop the water being warmed up - sounds like it is a problem with the boiler or heater

Gerry1

la531983 said:

Gerry1 said:

Is she on the Priority Services Register? 

The plug in unit is probably the In Home Display but that won't stop the water getting hot.

Neither will the meter. 

Might do if there are two immersion heaters, the lower one of which was on an E7 supply. 

If it's a 4-terminal meter and the E7 circuit is no longer connected then perhaps only the upper (boost) heater is in use for a short period, giving only half a tank of lukewarm water?

Bolt1234

The complex boiler man has been out and he said it’s the way it’s been installed.     They didn’t take into account the installation of the retirement complex heating.  Each apartment has its own boiler with separate controls.

Bolt1234

My Mum has me to help with this and I can use the booster button which then turns off when water is hot enough. The poor late 80’s women who doesn’t have anyone is in floods of tears over all of this 

QrizB

Gerry1 said:

If it's a 4-terminal meter and the E7 circuit is no longer connected then perhaps only the upper (boost) heater is in use for a short period, giving only half a tank of lukewarm water?

That's what I was wondering.

And if the apartment has storage heaters, the OP's mum might have a cold winter ahead.

@Bolt1234 are you able to visit the complex and get a photo of the meter, including how it connects to everything else? We might be able to tell you what's wrong.

Alternatively, any electrician worth the name should be able to diagnose your problem. You don't need to wait for Scottish Power.

la531983

Bolt1234 said:

My Mum has me to help with this and I can use the booster button which then turns off when water is hot enough. The poor late 80’s women who doesn’t have anyone is in floods of tears over all of this 

You could offer your services if she has nobody else until a proper fix is sorted.