Does anyone know what is going on with Scottish Power meters, lately?

SickofScottishPower

Hi ! Newbie here!
Hello to all, and thanks in advance for reading.
I am with Scottish Power for both gas and electricity and I still have old Manual pay as you go meters for both supplies. A key meter for the electric and a card meter for gas. The reason I don't have smart meters is a whole other story!

I am so fed up with SP. Lately, each time I top up with my key for the electric meter it says 'token accepted' in tiny letters at the top of the screen but the credit does not go on. It seems that the meter will not accept anything below £40. This is nothing to do with debt, I have lived in this property for 25 years and had this meter fitted approx 6 years ago. I've only had an issue with it once before, and when I finally got through to them, the advisor said that all she could do was send me a new key out in the post, despite me being without electricity.
 Luckily, that time, after I topped up some more and gave the key a good wipe and sucked the meter with the hoover for any dust, it worked and I think it was just that I had not kept the key in the meter I had took it out and left it in my bag to remind me to top up. Anyway, clearly, that time it was just dust in the meter key hole or on the key,
This time, it is different, as the key is just not adding the credit until it reaches £40 each time!
I am sure that I read of someone having the same issue on this forum, and was hoping that they or someone else might know what is going on and offer some explanation or advice,
I know the obvious answer is to contact them, and I have, by email. I received an automated answer and am waiting for the human reply.
Could SP be doing this to push customers without smart meters fitted, yet, to get them?
Because I don't think I can cope with another smart meter episode. EIGHT appointments, they gave me, for smart meter fittings, which I did not want in the first place but they bombarded me with so many emails and letters about it that I thought I'd just get them!
Eight appointments made, texts to remind me of the appointments made for a meter fitter to come out right up until the day before the appointment and not one time did they turn up. Nor did they notify me that they would not be coming, or apologise that they had not turned up! Just ridiculous service.
So I complained and refused another offer to wait in all day for nothing!
Eventually, they assured me that this time someone would definitely arrive, so I accepted the appointment. And, yes, true to their word a meter fitter arrived...only he couldn't fit any meters !!
He could not find one working meter in his van !
He eventually fitted a smart meter for the electric, but it wouldn't work and he had to take it out again and just put another old style meter back in !! My goodness I was starting to think it was some practical joke and I was being filmed for my reaction or something!
To top it all, he told me he would not have one of those smart meters if he was paid to!! That they were nothing but trouble and they were constantly being called out for issues with them!
So that was enough to convince me, and I have asked them not to send me any more requests for smart meter fittings. To no avail, though. They still send them.
That brings me to this issue with the meter that was fitted by the man with the van full of faulty smart meters!
And I have no idea why this is just happening all of a sudden!
So.....if anyone has managed to get this far reading this post, and I know it is unlikely! But if you have, and you have any knowledge, I would be very grateful.
I have another issue with this company, too, which is very frustrating but I think I'd better make a separate post about that, because this is getting way too long and I know. nobody wants to read posts this long!
Help !!
And yes, I'm sure someone is going to ask why I haven't switched suppliers?! And I don't know! I think I just think they are all the same, basically, and 'better the devil you know' kind of thing!
Anyone having this issue? What are you supposed to do if you don't have £40 at once to top up with?? Are they trying to force smart meters on the few die hard old meter owners,that are left? Or is that just me being paranoid?
Would like to hear from you, and if this does not happen then I guess I should shorten this post and ask again?

Thank you, people of the forum

Pollycat

I've asked for your post to be moved to here:
Energy — MoneySavingExpert Forum

WiserMiser

Welcome to the forum.

You should have received compo for failed appointments.  Make a formal written complaint (use the word in the title) and go to the Ombudsman upon receipt of a deadlock letter, or after eight weeks if they don't send one.  With all due respect, don't tell them your life story.  Keep it brief (bullet points are best), one side of A4 (two at most).  Make clear what they've done wrong and spell out what you want as a resolution, don't just let off steam.

Switching to a better supplier seems the best option; Scottish Power are seldom top of the pops in customer satisfaction.

Finally, don't forget to come back and tell us how you fared.

KittenChops

SickofScottishPower said:

Hi ! Newbie here!
Hello to all, and thanks in advance for reading.
I am with Scottish Power for both gas and electricity and I still have old Manual pay as you go meters for both supplies. A key meter for the electric and a card meter for gas. The reason I don't have smart meters is a whole other story!

I am so fed up with SP. Lately, each time I top up with my key for the electric meter it says 'token accepted' in tiny letters at the top of the screen but the credit does not go on. It seems that the meter will not accept anything below £40. This is nothing to do with debt, I have lived in this property for 25 years and had this meter fitted approx 6 years ago. I've only had an issue with it once before, and when I finally got through to them, the advisor said that all she could do was send me a new key out in the post, despite me being without electricity.
 Luckily, that time, after I topped up some more and gave the key a good wipe and sucked the meter with the hoover for any dust, it worked and I think it was just that I had not kept the key in the meter I had took it out and left it in my bag to remind me to top up. Anyway, clearly, that time it was just dust in the meter key hole or on the key,
This time, it is different, as the key is just not adding the credit until it reaches £40 each time!
I am sure that I read of someone having the same issue on this forum, and was hoping that they or someone else might know what is going on and offer some explanation or advice,
I know the obvious answer is to contact them, and I have, by email. I received an automated answer and am waiting for the human reply.
Could SP be doing this to push customers without smart meters fitted, yet, to get them?
Because I don't think I can cope with another smart meter episode. EIGHT appointments, they gave me, for smart meter fittings, which I did not want in the first place but they bombarded me with so many emails and letters about it that I thought I'd just get them!
Eight appointments made, texts to remind me of the appointments made for a meter fitter to come out right up until the day before the appointment and not one time did they turn up. Nor did they notify me that they would not be coming, or apologise that they had not turned up! Just ridiculous service.
So I complained and refused another offer to wait in all day for nothing!
Eventually, they assured me that this time someone would definitely arrive, so I accepted the appointment. And, yes, true to their word a meter fitter arrived...only he couldn't fit any meters !!
He could not find one working meter in his van !
He eventually fitted a smart meter for the electric, but it wouldn't work and he had to take it out again and just put another old style meter back in !! My goodness I was starting to think it was some practical joke and I was being filmed for my reaction or something!
To top it all, he told me he would not have one of those smart meters if he was paid to!! That they were nothing but trouble and they were constantly being called out for issues with them!
So that was enough to convince me, and I have asked them not to send me any more requests for smart meter fittings. To no avail, though. They still send them.
That brings me to this issue with the meter that was fitted by the man with the van full of faulty smart meters!
And I have no idea why this is just happening all of a sudden!
So.....if anyone has managed to get this far reading this post, and I know it is unlikely! But if you have, and you have any knowledge, I would be very grateful.
I have another issue with this company, too, which is very frustrating but I think I'd better make a separate post about that, because this is getting way too long and I know. nobody wants to read posts this long!
Help !!
And yes, I'm sure someone is going to ask why I haven't switched suppliers?! And I don't know! I think I just think they are all the same, basically, and 'better the devil you know' kind of thing!
Anyone having this issue? What are you supposed to do if you don't have £40 at once to top up with?? Are they trying to force smart meters on the few die hard old meter owners,that are left? Or is that just me being paranoid?
Would like to hear from you, and if this does not happen then I guess I should shorten this post and ask again?

Thank you, people of the forum

With reference to what WiserMiser posted about the missed appointments - the term you want is "guaranteed standards"

Look here: https://web-content.scottishpower.co.uk/files/pdf/Guaranteed-Standards-A4.pdf

SickofScottishPower

Thank you very much for the replies. I have received a reply from them, today, saying that someone will be calling me. At the same time, I also received an appointment for smart meters to be fitted! Which I did not ask for. I suppose I might as well just get them fitted, as I'll have to sooner or later!

QrizB

I can't help with your prepayment meter but I can say that smart meters have got a lot better since the early days and they open up all sorts of potentially money saving tariffs.