MSE News: Faulty smart meters to be tackled and automatic compensation paid for problems

mmmmikey

brianhes said:

Clearly the rules around comms signals need sorting. Must be over 3 years the meters been installed the system has never worked properly, technician visits have been made with little effect. The radio network as implemented is clearly inadequate, the EDF energy hub indicates that a batch of data gets through every few days in the early hours, recently eleven days data didn't make it. Apparently this behaviour counts as the smart meter is working fine. The IHD has never worked, but I assume it's down to the meters comms problem.
The civil servants who devised the specification should have understood there would be the need for alternatives, as even a 99% coverage system clearly does cover everyone. I am aware of other non-functioning systems in the general area.

The system has been designed to allow any number of different communications options by installing an appropriate hub and/or aerial. 99% coverage is a good place to start, once that's done it can be extended to cover the remaining 1%. Obviously not good if you're in the 1% but it does make sense to do the bulk of the easy ones first.

Qyburn

Rules are changing I think. We're in the North region but when I used that DCC "contact us" page they replied saying that at our location their coverage checker indicated we should get both LRR and 4G. There was a bit of non-committal "your supplier will choose the best solution" but it certainly reads as if 4G is now a routine option in the North. 

Brie

Well this explains why OutFox was so quick to say they would send an engineer when I pointed out that neither of my smart meters appear to be working as they are using estimated readings on my bills.  

It should be interesting to hear what anyone has to say about it all.  Particularly as our gas meter died a year back.  They were very fast (a couple of hours) to send someone out to replace it and I innocently asked if there would be any problems with the new smart meter sending the readings properly.  The engineer told me what he had just installed was not a smart meter as none were available so they'd given me a dumb meter instead.  Which makes me wonder about all the people that want dumb meters but are being told they no longer can be installed!!  

As for an IHD - I thought we didn't have one but I realised much much too late that that little doodad that was on the kitchen counter and plugged into the socket was in fact the IHD.  No idea what happened to it and so have never used one.  I don't think it will help me save much energy as I am aware that I need to turn off lights when I leave a room etc.  

born_again

Brie said:

Well this explains why OutFox was so quick to say they would send an engineer when I pointed out that neither of my smart meters appear to be working as they are using estimated readings on my bills.  

Faulty smart meters are to be tackled as part of a new industry review, the Government has announced. It's also been confirmed that you'll be able to get automatic compensation from your energy supplier for certain smart meter problems starting early next year.

This consultation will launch on Friday 8 August.

molerat

molerat said:

Watching the article on BBC Breakfast there seemed to be confusion with both the public and the reporter over what a smart meter actually is with one customer stating they had put their smart meter away in the cupboard because it didn't work.

Another article on Morning Live this morning and they were still confusing smart meters and IHDs.  A question posted in was that the smart meter had stopped working and the supplier would not replace it - do I have to have one ?  The question seemed obviously referring to the IHD but the answer given by the team was that you do not have to have  a smart meter !!

bucksboomer

Whole scheme is just another example of OFGEM not being fit for purpose, they are totally on the side of the Energy companies, one might even say worse.

£40 is peanuts, it should be £40 a month for every month it does not work, we are being charged £15 billion for the smart meter project, they used naff meters, their IHD's fail and they expect consumers to pay for replacements despite standing charges.  They hold billions of customers money but somehow need 28 days to pay it back, it should be 7 days (my energy company was able to make a same day refund for taking a payment twice).

The more I hear of such weak sanctions the more I despise OFGEM.

T_O_G

MattMattMattUK said:

I do wonder how that would be dealt with when the issue is down to the DCC

This is an issue that doesn't look as though it will be covered by this compensation. I have a smart meter for both and electricity, Eon Next have never received readings for gas and they have intermittent problem receiving readings for electricity. Eon next have never been able to explain why I can see daily/monthly data for gas and electricity using the "Loop" app but they cant provide billing without manual readings from me. After some research I have determined that the meter is working but the problem is somewhere in the DCC "Data Communications Company" infrastructure.  I have read that the problem could be due to I had authorised only monthly reading with EON although the meter is obviously sending data more frequently.  Also I have read that they are partnering with various technology companies to delivery a major upgrade to the infrastructure. I have e-mailed DCC for an explanation to what are the problems although I would be surprised if I get an honest answer if at all. In conclusion the current Smart meter infrastructure is NOT fit for purpose and how Ed Millibrain thinks the energy companies can roll out 1/2 hourly variable tariffs is completely delusional.  Hopefully Martin Lewis will see this and take this up!   

Ildhund

T_O_G said:
... the problem could be due to I had authorised only monthly reading with EON although the meter is obviously sending data more frequently.  

This needs clarification.

Half-hourly usage data and daily meter readings are stored in the meter. Some of these data will be transmitted on request; suppliers may request readings whenever they like, but they need your permission to retrieve half-hourly usage data for billing and another level of permissions if these data are to be used for settlement (i.e. determining how much the supplier has to pay the generators for the electricity you consume). 

The meter doesn't send data of its own accord. Loop can retrieve usage data from your meter whenever, but they won't normally request data more than a couple of times a day. If you don't allow E.On to to retrieve your usage data, there won't be anything for them to show in your account.