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Installation of SMET2 Meter and Resulting Boiler Issues

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Am I right to expect Tulo to sort out the boiler problem? Here's the email I sent them:

Dear Tulo Customer Service,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the recent service I received during the installation of a SMET2 meter at my residence. There is a person with disabilities living at this address, so maintaining a reliable energy supply is particularly important for our household.

After switching from British Gas to Tulo (a company we discovered on the MSE website), we opted for the installation of a SMET2 meter, which was scheduled and confirmed. The engineer from a company seemingly named AES Smart (website: www.aes-smart.co.uk, phone number: 020 8363 8848) arrived on time and began the installation process. During the installation, the engineer informed me of a potential wiring issue, specifically mentioning the presence of two brown cables instead of one. Given that our previous SMET1 meter was installed by British Gas, a reputable company, we were surprised to encounter such an issue.

The engineer proceeded with installing an isolator switch along with the SMET2 meter.

However, a significant problem arose shortly after the engineer left. Our boiler, a Worcester model installed in October 2020, was no longer supplying hot water. I promptly contacted the engineer, who advised resetting the boiler. Despite following his instructions, the issue persisted. The engineer returned to our property but was unable to resolve the issue and repeatedly insisted that the problem was not his responsibility. He suggested that we should hire a boiler engineer to fix the problem, despite the fact that the system was functioning perfectly before his arrival.

I find this situation unacceptable. The boiler was working without issue before the meter installation, and the disruption to our hot water supply occurred directly after the work was completed. It is clear that the issue is related to the installation process, and I believe it is the responsibility of Tulo and AES Smart to rectify this situation. Furthermore, the engineer's defensive attitude and lack of accountability only added to the frustration and inconvenience.

I have already emailed Tulo to report this issue but have not received a response. As a customer, I expect prompt and adequate service resolution, especially considering the impact this has had on our household, which includes a person with disabilities.

I request that Tulo take immediate action to resolve this matter, including covering the cost of any necessary repairs to the boiler. I also expect a detailed explanation of what went wrong during the installation process and assurance that such issues will not recur in the future.

Please treat this matter with urgency and respond at your earliest convenience.


Comments

  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 34,532 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Is the boiler no longer supplying hot water or not working at all ?
    Did you switch the boiler off at the main switch before the meter change ?

  • Ayr_Rage
    Ayr_Rage Posts: 2,695 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Boiler main boards often fail when the supply is interrupted.

    Are all other electrical devices working normally?

    Unless you can prove something was done incorrectly by the installer then you will be fighting an uphill battle for compensation.

    In any case you will need a detailed report of why the boiler has failed, so get it fixed and go from there.
  • MattMattMattUK
    MattMattMattUK Posts: 11,145 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Am I right to expect Tulo to sort out the boiler problem? Here's the email I sent them:

    Dear Tulo Customer Service,

    I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the recent service I received during the installation of a SMET2 meter at my residence. There is a person with disabilities living at this address, so maintaining a reliable energy supply is particularly important for our household.

    After switching from British Gas to Tulo (a company we discovered on the MSE website), we opted for the installation of a SMET2 meter, which was scheduled and confirmed. The engineer from a company seemingly named AES Smart (website: www.aes-smart.co.uk, phone number: 020 8363 8848) arrived on time and began the installation process. During the installation, the engineer informed me of a potential wiring issue, specifically mentioning the presence of two brown cables instead of one. Given that our previous SMET1 meter was installed by British Gas, a reputable company, we were surprised to encounter such an issue.

    The engineer proceeded with installing an isolator switch along with the SMET2 meter.

    However, a significant problem arose shortly after the engineer left. Our boiler, a Worcester model installed in October 2020, was no longer supplying hot water. I promptly contacted the engineer, who advised resetting the boiler. Despite following his instructions, the issue persisted. The engineer returned to our property but was unable to resolve the issue and repeatedly insisted that the problem was not his responsibility. He suggested that we should hire a boiler engineer to fix the problem, despite the fact that the system was functioning perfectly before his arrival.

    I find this situation unacceptable. The boiler was working without issue before the meter installation, and the disruption to our hot water supply occurred directly after the work was completed. It is clear that the issue is related to the installation process, and I believe it is the responsibility of Tulo and AES Smart to rectify this situation. Furthermore, the engineer's defensive attitude and lack of accountability only added to the frustration and inconvenience.

    I have already emailed Tulo to report this issue but have not received a response. As a customer, I expect prompt and adequate service resolution, especially considering the impact this has had on our household, which includes a person with disabilities.

    I request that Tulo take immediate action to resolve this matter, including covering the cost of any necessary repairs to the boiler. I also expect a detailed explanation of what went wrong during the installation process and assurance that such issues will not recur in the future.

    Please treat this matter with urgency and respond at your earliest convenience.


    They will look at that letter, see a lot of emotional waffle, few if any facts and likely send a "go away" reply.

    As others have said boiler boards can fail when cycled off and on, that does not mean that they have done anything wrong with the install or any other part of the process.

    They are correct in that you need you source an engineer, find out what the problem and get the boiler fixed. If the engineer can specifically point to something wrong with the install that would have directly caused the issue then you might have an option to reclaim those costs from the installer, but if it failed due to being power cycled, as is most likely, then you have no recourse. 
  • Surprisingly, I got a call at 13:20 from Tulo saying they were trying to get an engineer out to me today to look at the boiler. The worst thing is that when I run the hot tap now everything seems to be hunky-dory. Now I'm embarrassed to have made a fuss.

    Is it really OK that a four-year-old boiler struggles to cope with just being switched off and on again?

    Tulo scores 9/10. If they'd called me earlier it would have been 10/10.

  • Is it really OK that a four-year-old boiler struggles to cope with just being switched off and on again?

    Electronics of any age doesn't like being switched on and off.

    Normally fine, but occasionally not.
  • lohr500
    lohr500 Posts: 1,346 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Is the boiler heating your hot water a gas boiler or do you have a water store heated electrically?
    Are you on an Economy 7 tariff?

    The fact that two brown cables were mentioned by the meter installer just rings an alarm bell that perhaps your old meter is what is known as a 5 wire meter, commonly used for Economy 7.

    If the answers are that your boiler is gas and you weren't on an Economy 7 tariff, then no problem.   
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