Scottish Power refusing to attend to faulty meter

CurlySue2017

We are PAYG customers with Scottish Power and are fully electric with no other power supply. Following the storms last weekend our meter has gone faulty, the display is lit up so it has power, but there is no display at all which means we have no idea how much credit we have left.

I've contacted them and they have said that no-one will be sent out to inspect the problem until we have gone off supply.....what??

We are on the priority services register due to health issues and having to refrigerate medication, but this apparently doesn't matter. We just have to sit and wait until our electricity goes off and then call them.

How can this be possible?

Is there any way to challenge this?

QrizB

I've contacted them and they have said that no-one will be sent out to inspect the problem until we have gone off supply.....what??

This sounds as though whoever answered your query didn't understand the seriousness of the situation.

Is there any way to challenge this?

Scottish Power have a complaints process. You could try using that.

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/complaints

More generally, how much credit did you have, and roughly how long would you expect it to last?

When the meter is replaced, there's a fair chance that SP won't be able to get a credit balance from it and you'll potentially lose whatever credit remains. If this is only a few pounds, you might not mind. But if it's hundreds, you might want to run the balance down before the meter is replaced.

Swipe

I'd run it down until it runs out and then call them again and they will have to send someone out as an emergency call to swap the meter. Once it runs out, just top up by a couple of pounds each time until they attend.

CurlySue2017

They definitely understood the problem - I called twice and explained it to two different people but their stance is that unless we are off supply, they will not attend. Despite their own "Guaranteed Standards" stating that, and I quote directly from their own guidance:

"If your electricity or gas prepayment meter develops a fault but you are not off supply, we should:

Within 3 hours on a working day and 4 hours on any other day, take an appropriate action to confirm if the meter is faulty, or take steps to resolve any fault. If we fail to take an appropriate action (for example, booking an appointment to inspect your meter) within these timescales, we will pay you £30."

We didn't think there was a great deal of credit left but it has lasted a week now, so maybe a bit more than we thought! We absolutely will not top up anymore now though, because they will not attend until it goes off.

In this season and with us being on the PSR, I find this unbelievable and the service from them was appalling.

I have already registered an official complaint but in the meantime, it seems we just have to sit waiting to be plunged into darkness 😟

Swipe

When you run out of credit, do not tell them it's not working because it's out of credit or they may still fob you off. Just tell them it's stopped working and you can't figure out what's going on because there's no display on the meter.

QrizB

Despite their own "Guaranteed Standards" stating that, and I quote directly from their own guidance:

I would be asking them for my (your) £30 for not meeting their own guaranteed standards.

Also check that it hasn't increased to £40; some of these payments have been bumped up!

CurlySue2017

I wish I could ask for it…..I can't get past the telephone guards!! The only thing I can do now is wait for the complaint to go through the system, which can take weeks

Baldytyke88

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6688962/scottish-power-refusing-to-attend-to-faulty-meter

Your display is lit up, do you mean the portable LCD display unit or do you mean the actual meter?

CurlySue2017

The actual meter….we have no portable display unit, it is not a smart meter

Baldytyke88

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82189465#Comment_82189465

It looks like you will be getting a smart meter very soon.

Suppliers are legally required to repair or replace a faulty smart meter or traditional meter. Under current regulations, suppliers must fix or replace a faulty smart meter within 90 days of being notified, or risk fines and legal action from Ofgem.

Consumers are also now eligible for £40 in compensation if they face issues throughout the process of installing a smart meter, such as delayed or failed installations, following reforms brought forward by Ofgem last month.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tough-new-rules-force-suppliers-to-fix-faulty-smart-meters

imeach

The electricity will not go off 👍

Thousands of meters like that, with lots of people not wanting them changed as they are on free electricity.

Put aside what you would normally top up each week just in case.

When they eventually change the meter, they have no way of knowing what you have used but may try to bill you

If they do you have the money

If they don't, which is normally the case, buy yourself something nice or go on holiday