Smart meter not sending readings to supplier. Supplier won't fix.

martynlcfc

Hi All. My smart electricity meter has never sent readings to my supplier. It was installed before I moved into the property, and was seemingly installed without an install code at the time.

I initially raised this as an issue with EDF in February, who have since sent 2 engineers round, and had me try and apply a remote fix twice in the last 6 months. Nothing has worked. For the remote fix they've tried to get me to reconnect to HAN but that always fails (perhaps suggesting a signal issue)?

Their position now is that they can do no more, and consider the case closed because it is a functioning meter as I can send readings manually.

Have a got any recourse to making a complaint or escalating? I have 2 EV's at home and the end goal is to be able to go onto an EV tariff, saving me significant money, which I can't do without the "smart" functionality.

I've tried to read around a bit to see where I stand, and whilst it appears ofgem are going to introduce some new rules obliging suppliers to fix, I can't see they've yet been enforced.

Any advice much appreciated.

molerat

Change supplier and see if they will change the meters.

Scot_39

Have you rasied their attempt to close as a formal complaint - and if already in complaint - since say Feb - or fter first faiulure - has it been 8 weeks - as after 8 weeks - you can escalate to the EO.

If your in a genuine no signal area - their probably is little they can do - in parts of the country - but things are now changing.  As 4G on a different network (Vodafone not 02 / well Telefonica) has begun roll out

North - LRR  (2 or 3 leds ?)

AFAIK only one brand and one supplier - has an external to hub aerial option - and it's not EDF - and its only enough to place aerial just outside meter box.

Failure does appear more common in some reports in media - at least anecdotally - no real govt or DCC / industry stats given - in the Arqiva LRR part of the UK (Northern England and Scotland).

Although even their - some have had success with DIY "di-pole aerial" type lash-ups to boost reception.

I am not sure if anyone is shipping dual mode WAN LRR / 4G in those regions yet - as some here have posted they are now an option - but they might be soon.

Midlands South _ Cellular (5 leds in hub)

But in the cellular midlands and south - there are options - firstly not all meters and comms hubs appear to respond the same - sometimes a meter and hub switch works.

You could maybe try asking for a new 4G Vodafone comms hub model if the 2G/3G O2 / Telefonica hub doesnt work.  (The vodafone singla might be better to your home)

But more conventional approaches 

- like Mesh comms hubs (your meter talks to another meter - and that relays information to the mast your meter cannot talk too) 

and 

- external to comms hub aerial options that can be placed in a more advantageous spot.  (IF say you get good reception in some rooms but not next to the meter ). See link for photos

https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2

FreeBear

Scot_39 said: Failure does appear more common in some reports in media - at least anecdotally - no real govt or DCC / industry stats given - in the Arqiva LRR part of the UK (Northern England and Scotland).

My electricity meter had been communicating just fine with my supplier up until the 11th July, then it stopped. No data appearing on the IHD, yet gas is still fully functional. Have raised the issue with the supplier, and they said they would get a health check done. Meter still not communicating, so I may well give them a call tomorrow.

Scot_39

FreeBear said:

Scot_39 said: Failure does appear more common in some reports in media - at least anecdotally - no real govt or DCC / industry stats given - in the Arqiva LRR part of the UK (Northern England and Scotland).

My electricity meter had been communicating just fine with my supplier up until the 11th July, then it stopped. No data appearing on the IHD, yet gas is still fully functional. Have raised the issue with the supplier, and they said they would get a health check done. Meter still not communicating, so I may well give them a call tomorrow.

A useful reminder to keep checking regularly your bills.

So well done for catching it.

Many things can change the behaviour - including reportedly sometimes OTA firmware updates, changes to local masts or construction in the vacinity of those masts or homes etc.

Phones4Chris

@Freebear What make/model meter is it?

FreeBear

Scot_39 said:

FreeBear said:

Scot_39 said: Failure does appear more common in some reports in media - at least anecdotally - no real govt or DCC / industry stats given - in the Arqiva LRR part of the UK (Northern England and Scotland).

My electricity meter had been communicating just fine with my supplier up until the 11th July, then it stopped. No data appearing on the IHD, yet gas is still fully functional. Have raised the issue with the supplier, and they said they would get a health check done. Meter still not communicating, so I may well give them a call tomorrow.

A useful reminder to keep checking regularly your bills.

So well done for catching it.

Many things can change the behaviour - including reportedly sometimes OTA firmware updates, changes to local masts or construction in the vacinity of those masts or homes etc.

Wan't that difficult to catch. Octopus sent me an email to say "charges on your account: Gas £10" and attached the full bill as a PDF. Submitted a manual reading for electricity, and got the bill for that the following day.

Gas meter is sending data to Octopus just fine, so that rules out communications issues.

The Home Mini is still getting data for both gas and electricity, so the HAN side of things is working up to a point (IHD not getting electricity data though). Could be an updated firmware issue and/or an expired security certificate. Really need to speak to the smart meter team rather than a front end CS.

Phones4Chris said:

@Freebear What make/model meter is it?

L&G E470, but I don't think the fault is with the meter. More likely the hub.

smithbill17

This is quite an old post now, but I thought I would leave a comment in case it helps others that come here via Google.

I've had a not dissimilar problem with my Gas Smart Meter (Landis & Gyr G470) after Octopus Energy 'upgraded' my existing 2G/3G Comms Hub to a new 4G Comms Hub - electricity Smart Meter, Geo Trio IHD & even Octopus Home Mini all working fine, but my Gas Smart Meter will not communicate with the new Comms Hub.

I have tried pressing the A/B buttons on the Gas meter to get it to rejoin the HAN but this doesn't work. Seemingly, a cryptographic password known as an "install code" or commissioning code is required in order for the meter to be securely joined to the HAN.

It's taken 8+ weeks for Octopus Energy to 'realise' that they need the "install code" & to inform me. Apparently the "install codes" can only be obtained from your old supplier (if switching supplier) or from the Meter Access Provider (MAP).

In my case, I'm not changing supplier, but it seems when Octopus Energy took over Avro Energy's 580,000 customers, they appear to have failed to acquire the "install codes" for those Avro customers with SMETS2 Smart meters. So effectively Octopus Energy have 'lost' my "install codes" & supposedly are now requesting them from the MAP.

If, for some reason, the MAP are unable to provide the "install code" for my Gas meter, then the only options are: a) live with a 'dumb' Gas Smart Meter (which I refuse to do) b) remove the perfectly functional Gas Smart Meter & replace it with a new one (obviously Octopus Energy don't want to do this)

As I have now reached my 8 week "deadlock" situation, this case will be going to the Ombudsman.

The wider & BIG concern is, that as 2G/3G mobile communication networks (used in England & Wales to send meter reading data) are switched off, then 100,000's of existing 2G/3G Comms Hubs will need swapped to 4G Comms Hubs, and if companies like Octopus Energy have 'lost' the "install codes" for other suppliers such as Avro, then there will be MASSIVE disruption & 1000's of functional Smart Meters needing replaced all because the "install codes" are not available.

Total incompetence on Octopus Energy's part and an utter shameful lack of regulation by Often.

Heedtheadvice

....and as another hopfully useful note.

I am in Southern Scotland and have just had SMETS2 metering installed. All working fine ( when the gas data to the supplier catches up - why is gas always slow!)

Roll out of 4G connectivity to the DCC in the Northern region is taking place. A Toshiba 4G dual band hub has been installed.