Smart Gas Meter dead and no response from So Energy

csj113

So Energy installed a Smart Gas meter at my property in October 2021. Precisely 2 years later (and coincidentally? when I switched to a new tariff) it died. The actual meter is dead, not the IHD. I only realised at the December bill as gas utilisation was 0. I've since been calling So Energy weekly and each time am confidently told that the meter is sending readings; when I ask them to look they then admit the readings haven't moved since October and say they will pass to the engineers. I've never got further than this, and never heard from an engineer. To complicate things further, they have now recalculated all my bills dating back to March, telling me they were estimated (they weren't - meter was working then) and I now have a (sadly incorrect) substantial credit balance and NO idea how much gas we are currently using which is a worry. So Energy emails go unanswered, chat is useless but they do answer phonically - however they keep telling me there is no way to escalate a query.

Does anyone know what So Energy's obligations are and where I can go for further help - there is weirdly not much on the Internet about this where the actual supply isn't affected (I still have a gas supply). Is there a timescale under which they have to fix my meter. I am in Scotland in case that's relevant.

csj113

I don't think I can edit so "they do answer phonically"= they do answer the phone

Sea_Shell

Can you sign up to get the data from a third party provider, assuming it is (and was) sending the data.  

I don't know the details to hand, but someone will hopefully be along with the links soon.

csj113

Thanks @Sea_Shell - I don't believe it is sending the data, screen is dead and gas utilisation is 0

MeteredOut

Do you have a record of any readings from before the meter stopped working (and from the time where SO have now recalculated your bills)?

You'll want those to hand so you can get your billing sorted once they do replace the meter. If you don't have a record, you should be able to get some historic data by signing up to https://www.n3rgy.com/ as a consumer and giving it your detils (MPRN etc).

SO have to get the meter replaced. Do you have a formal complaint open with them? If no, do that, and if they've not fixed things after 8 weeks, go to the Energy Ombudsman who will (eventually) push them to do what they need to do.

After that, work with So to determine usage in the period where the meter was not working - that's why having historic usage (eg, for the same period last year, though it was perhaps colder this year) will help with the dialog to get the account back to a working state.

csj113

Thanks @MeteredOut, I have PDF copies of the bills they emailed me up to ed October, which were correct. Luckily - as they have now replaced the copies in my online account with the "new" inaccurate ones! I'm trying to establish how to open a formal complaint as they do not respond to email and on the phone they tell me there is no mechanism for this (obviously not true). I've been a loyal customer for years but they've been dreadful as soon as there has been an issue.

Swipe

csj113 said:

I'm trying to establish how to open a formal complaint as they do not respond to email and on the phone they tell me there is no mechanism for this (obviously not true). 

I'd send an email with the subject of "COMPLAINT - Your Account Number" 

If you get no response to that after a couple of days, I'd following it up with a Royal Mail "signed for" letter by post.