Electric Meter 6 years out of certification

Highleccy

I've been trying to get Octopus Energy to install a smart meter for a year now with no success.
I know lots of people don't want one, but I do, and I've been writing and waiting and writing and waiting.
My electricity meter was installed in 1971 and last certified in October 1992.
As a Ferranti FNN2Q its certification ran out in October 2017. I believe the meter is over-reading and relayed this concern to Octopus.
The law saws the electricity supplier "must remove it from the circuit" when it's certification period ends, else they are billing me based on an uncertified meter.
They haven't and they are still saying they are struggling to get an installer to put in a new meter.

To rub salt into the wound they emailed today to say "With regards to the certification date. This is a recommendation for when the meter should be exchanged."
Which is patently untrue. It is a legal requirement to have a meter that is within certification, not a recommendation.
They also said "Your meters are still on supply and performing as normal." which is impossible for them to say seeing as they don't monitor the meter and it is out of certification by over 6 years.
I have taken the issue to the energy ombudsman and await their response.

What is the position with being charged for electricity that is not metered by a certified device, where it is a legal requirement for there to be one?

MeteredOut

Notwithstanding that Octopus should get the meter swapped, on what basis do you suspect the meter is over-reading? Do you have any evidence to present to them?

Highleccy

Inventory check and utilisation. I am going on what the devices say they use and an estimate of their utilisation.
If the meter were within the certification period I would see it as acceptable I would need to make a proper assessment (although IIRC the supplier is supposed to provide a test of the meter if there is concern) of whether the meter is over-reading.
However, seeing as the certification period lapsed over 6 years ago and therefore there is no 'appropriate device' measuring my use I see it more a requirement of the electricity supplier to make sure there is accurate billing.

ArbitraryRandom

As above, if you have evidence of a problem then you should be raising this as a separate issue. 

But with either or both issues, your escalation route is basically the same - make a formal complaint to octopus about the delay replacing and inaccuracy of billing/non-compliance with regs, if Octopus fail to resolve the issue to your satisfaction after 8 weeks, escalate to the energy ombudsman. 

Bear in mind the ombudsman will not investigate and cannot demand the supplier produce evidence, so you need to put a case pack together that supports every claim you are making (screenshots of emails/the regs, a picture of the meter and documentation relating to the certification period, video of anomalous meter incrementing... anything else you have). If you are relying on information from octopus you can make a subject access request, including for recordings of calls (these are often only kept for 120 days).  

Best case scenario, the ombudsman may say that octopus can't bill you for the period since the meter went out of life... more realistically that octopus have to estimate your usage (you can suggest a method of calculation), or if there's no evidence of an actual problem with the meter then they may say octopus can use the readings but should pay you compensation for the poor service and delay. 

Highleccy

Unfortunately I don't have any data logging device that can cope with a 100A supply and I doubt that Octopus will reimburse me to get something.

ArbitraryRandom

But you could do some in home testing without any specialist equipment - an overview of how in this post https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78458901/#Comment_78458901

Netexporter

Highleccy said:

Unfortunately I don't have any data logging device that can cope with a 100A supply and I doubt that Octopus will reimburse me to get something.

You don't need that. You just need to switch everything off, except for one device of a known and constant consumption (an old-fashioned one-bar electric fire would keep things simple) which you could run for an hour, noting the start and finish reading on the meter.

FreeBear

Highleccy said:

Unfortunately I don't have any data logging device that can cope with a 100A supply and I doubt that Octopus will reimburse me to get something.

Have a look at the Peacefair PZEM-022 - They do one version with a clip on current transformer that will go up to 100A. Or if you want something to read via a computer, try the PZEM-016 (both available on ebay for around £15). Accurate enough to check your billing is within a few KWh.

I have a PZEM-016 monitoring total house consumption. It says I used 6.03KWh yesterday, and the Bright app says 6.066KWh - Close enough for my needs.

Mobtr

Highleccy said:

I've been trying to get Octopus Energy to install a smart meter for a year now with no success.
I know lots of people don't want one, but I do, and I've been writing and waiting and writing and waiting.
My electricity meter was installed in 1971 and last certified in October 1992.
As a Ferranti FNN2Q its certification ran out in October 2017. I believe the meter is over-reading and relayed this concern to Octopus.
The law saws the electricity supplier "must remove it from the circuit" when it's certification period ends, else they are billing me based on an uncertified meter.
They haven't and they are still saying they are struggling to get an installer to put in a new meter.

To rub salt into the wound they emailed today to say "With regards to the certification date. This is a recommendation for when the meter should be exchanged."
Which is patently untrue. It is a legal requirement to have a meter that is within certification, not a recommendation.
They also said "Your meters are still on supply and performing as normal." which is impossible for them to say seeing as they don't monitor the meter and it is out of certification by over 6 years.
I have taken the issue to the energy ombudsman and await their response.

What is the position with being charged for electricity that is not metered by a certified device, where it is a legal requirement for there to be one?

Why don’t you just ring them & book an appointment? 

Spoonie_Turtle

Mobtr said:

Highleccy said:

I've been trying to get Octopus Energy to install a smart meter for a year now with no success.
I know lots of people don't want one, but I do, and I've been writing and waiting and writing and waiting.
My electricity meter was installed in 1971 and last certified in October 1992.
As a Ferranti FNN2Q its certification ran out in October 2017. I believe the meter is over-reading and relayed this concern to Octopus.
The law saws the electricity supplier "must remove it from the circuit" when it's certification period ends, else they are billing me based on an uncertified meter.
They haven't and they are still saying they are struggling to get an installer to put in a new meter.

To rub salt into the wound they emailed today to say "With regards to the certification date. This is a recommendation for when the meter should be exchanged."
Which is patently untrue. It is a legal requirement to have a meter that is within certification, not a recommendation.
They also said "Your meters are still on supply and performing as normal." which is impossible for them to say seeing as they don't monitor the meter and it is out of certification by over 6 years.
I have taken the issue to the energy ombudsman and await their response.

What is the position with being charged for electricity that is not metered by a certified device, where it is a legal requirement for there to be one?

Why don’t you just ring them & book an appointment? 

Think they probably have that covered by the firat half of their post:

"I've been trying to get Octopus Energy to install a smart meter for a year now with no success.

I know lots of people don't want one, but I do, and I've been writing and waiting and writing and waiting.

…

They haven't and they are still saying they are struggling to get an installer to put in a new meter."

Your suggestion makes it sound like the OP is just sitting twiddling their thumbs waiting for Octopus to get in touch!  Whereas their post rather seems to imply there are no appointments available.

Spoonie_Turtle

Mobtr said:

Highleccy said:

I've been trying to get Octopus Energy to install a smart meter for a year now with no success.
I know lots of people don't want one, but I do, and I've been writing and waiting and writing and waiting.
My electricity meter was installed in 1971 and last certified in October 1992.
As a Ferranti FNN2Q its certification ran out in October 2017. I believe the meter is over-reading and relayed this concern to Octopus.
The law saws the electricity supplier "must remove it from the circuit" when it's certification period ends, else they are billing me based on an uncertified meter.
They haven't and they are still saying they are struggling to get an installer to put in a new meter.

To rub salt into the wound they emailed today to say "With regards to the certification date. This is a recommendation for when the meter should be exchanged."
Which is patently untrue. It is a legal requirement to have a meter that is within certification, not a recommendation.
They also said "Your meters are still on supply and performing as normal." which is impossible for them to say seeing as they don't monitor the meter and it is out of certification by over 6 years.
I have taken the issue to the energy ombudsman and await their response.

What is the position with being charged for electricity that is not metered by a certified device, where it is a legal requirement for there to be one?

Why don’t you just ring them & book an appointment? 

Think they probably have that covered by the firat half of their post:

"I've been trying to get Octopus Energy to install a smart meter for a year now with no success.

I know lots of people don't want one, but I do, and I've been writing and waiting and writing and waiting.

…

They haven't and they are still saying they are struggling to get an installer to put in a new meter."

Your suggestion makes it sound like the OP is just sitting twiddling their thumbs waiting for Octopus to get in touch!  Whereas their post rather seems to imply there are no appointments available.