Smart meter installation issues

CatLady87

Good afternoon

I signed up to a tariff with Ecotricity that required me to have a smart meter or agree to have one installed. I didn’t arrange this in a timely enough fashion so they took me off the tariff but said they’d put me back on if I arranged the smart meter installation. I agreed to have one installed and an engineer came to fit one. The first visit, the engineer advised she couldn’t teach the electricity consumer unit (it’s mounted at the top of the wall at the bottom of my stairs) and it would require a telescopic ladder. Firstly they sent an incorrect ladder, so the installer visited again and sent photos and told them it would be a two man job requiring a telescopic ladder (again!). Months went by with no word from the energy supplier or smart meter fitter. I chased the energy supplier regularly, highlighting the previous issues and asking when the appointment would be rebooked and eventually was able to rebook the appointment. I explained to them the previous issues and that they’d need two people and a ladder. I was reassured yesterday that they’d communicate with the installer re the ladder and this was escalated to a manager to ensure the meter would be installed.

The appointment was arranged for today but when the installer arrived, he said they have to fit a new unit when they install the smart meter and they don’t know what’s behind the wall (1870s terraced house) and it could cause significant damage. It sounds like the plaster is blown behind the consumer unit and installation could cause it to fall off. The installer who visited today said I could sign a disclaimer but that would waive my rights and I’d have to repair whatever damage was caused. In any event, their technical team told them to abort the job because it requires a telescopic ladder to access it! Which, lo and behold, still hasn’t been sent. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told them this.

Obviously my tariff requires me to have a smart meter fitted but am I supposed to just accept they could cause untold damage that I’ll have to repair? They can’t even seem to send a ladder! I’ve now had three failed installation attempts, multiple days off work to wait around for them and now there’s the issue that it could damage the wall when they install it.

Does anyone have any advice, please?!

Many thanks

QrizB

The meter should be fitted to a meter board. Do you have one and is your current meter fitted to it?

Qyburn

Photos will help.

Phones4Chris

Apart from the "fitting" issues asked about, Raising a "Formal" complaint should escalate the matter, after all failing to send a fitter with the "correct equipment" (ie the telescopic ladder) on more than one occasion is in effect a "failed" appointment for which your are entitled to £40 compensation for each failure.

Ectophile

Does your tariff require you to have a smart meter fitted, or that you agree to have a smart meter fitted? They are not the same thing.

Your original mistake was that you didn't arrange an appointment to get one. Whether or not they actually fit one is another matter.