Eon not able to install smart meter due to insufficent cable lengths in current install

oldagetraveller1

"In this case a condition of the tariff was to agree to get a smart meter fitted and the OP did that.  So there shouldn't be a problem retaining the tariff."

I am on an EON fixed tariff which is conditional on agreeing to the installation of "smart" meters.

Before agreeing to it I did contact them and specifically asked if the tariff will be honoured if, for whatever reason, "smart" meter(s) couldn't be fitted.

The answer I received was exactly as quoted from Reed_Richards post above.

Chris_b2z

Does anyone know roughly how much the re-wiring work is likely to cost?

BarelySentientAI

Chris_b2z said:

Does anyone know roughly how much the re-wiring work is likely to cost?

@Risteard - you are usually good at pricing

Swipe

How did the installer know there wasn't enough slack inside the trunking? I suspect they didn't even remove it to check.

Scot_39

Reed_Richards said:

When the engineer came to fit my smart meter he said that there wasn't enough room and went away again.  My old meter was a small box with a digital display, a smart meter is a smallish box with a digital display but with another box stacked on top of it that handles the communications and makes it smart.  Anyway, I wanted a smart meter so I could get a time-of-use tariff so I had to pay an electrician to move other things around it my meter cupboard to make room for the smart meter.

In this case a condition of the tariff was to agree to get a smart meter fitted and the OP did that.  So there shouldn't be a problem retaining the tariff.

The supplier did their part - sending the meter fitter.  The customer did not provide suitable tails for fitter to connect to.

You might argue that should be more explicit in T&Cs but their is a standard split of responsibilites - from DNO, supplier and home owner implicit in the supply being modified.

If EOn  choose to - suspect they could cancel the contract - and recover any savings that may have been applied to consumption to date vs SVT cap say.

And if T&Cs say smart that means smart. It really doesn't matter in contract law what workarounds are possible - e.g. manual readings.

Your meant to read contracts for good reason. 

Consumers have a bit more leeway than businesses admittedly - but are still ultimately held responsible for any not "unfair" or is it "unreasonable" contract they agree to.

Contract law - at least business to business - is at times pretty rigid - even literal to a fault - if and when tested.

Scot_39

oldagetraveller1 said:

"In this case a condition of the tariff was to agree to get a smart meter fitted and the OP did that.  So there shouldn't be a problem retaining the tariff."

I am on an EON fixed tariff which is conditional on agreeing to the installation of "smart" meters.

Before agreeing to it I did contact them and specifically asked if the tariff will be honoured if, for whatever reason, "smart" meter(s) couldn't be fitted.

The answer I received was exactly as quoted from Reed_Richards post above.

But they probably can be fitted in the OPs case - who arguably merely needs to provide suitable consumer unit tail access.

The reasons given for not fitting would arguably apply equally to a replacement digital meter if supplier allowed, able and willing to source and fit one.  It's not a uniquely smart issue.

But in OPs case aren't they only saving £25 per fuel.

So not worth cost of mods or cost of EOn revisiting in the short term.

ccaasjf

The installer did remove the trunking.

Chris_b2z

I am assuming that both the meter and timer switch are now obsolete and no longer manufactured. The supplier has a legal obligation to maintain the existing equipment and replace it if it develops a fault or falls outside of the prescribed period of certification. What would they do here in that scenario?

BarelySentientAI

Probably exactly as they are now.

mmmmikey

The latest picture confirms that some (probably fairly minor) work on the customer's wiring is going to be needed before the supplier fits a smart meter. There's more to it than just taking the cover off the ducting and extending the tails. The domestic wiring needs tidying up and moving out the way. Then the ducting needs to be cut away to either give the supplier room to fit Henley blocks to allow the tails to be extended, or to use the full length of the existing tails without being obstructed by the domestic wiring and trunking.

It looks to me that the smart meter fitter was quite right not to fit the meter.  Even if they were trained to work on the domestic wiring doing so would create all kinds of liability issues.

So it's going to come down to a discussion between the customer, the electrician who did the work and (assuming this was part of a bigger project on the whole block of flats) whoever engaged the electrician. Or the customer can just get an electrician in and pay for the work themselves. The supplier may or may not insist on a tariff swap, but one way or the other the work will need to be done sooner or later at the customer's expense unless they can come to an agreement with the electrician or whoever commissioned the work. 

Doesn't really seem fair but as far as I can see that's the way it is.