Non standard electric meter problems

futurelotterywinner · 16 March 2017 at 7:48PM

Hi,

I have lived in rented accommodation for the last 3 years and have recently tried to change my electricity supply from Npower. I contacted MSE cheaper energy club who said to stay with power on their online cheaper tariff which would be the best deal.

I have just received an email from power to say they can't change the tariff as I have a non standard electric meter. I have 2 meters. One that works that is standard tariff. The second one has never worked and is the equivalent of an economy 7 meter. Npower have been out to try to fix it in the last 12 month but said that they couldn't.

I have been unhappy with npower for a while now due to various reasons and would like to change supplier due to this and the fact that they have increased their rates.

Any ideas as to how I could change to a different supplier with the above problem?

Many thanks for your help.

firefox1956 · 16 March 2017 at 8:19PM

It sounds as though you may have the same metering as my parents.
They have 2 meters on the old 'Off Peak' system.
Not a problem in its self but years ago this system seemed to give customers 2 MPAN numbers.
This in effect gave you 2 accounts but billed as one account.
This could be your problem I fear.
HTH

futurelotterywinner · 16 March 2017 at 8:53PM

Hi Firefox,

Thanks for your quick response. Did you parents find away around this problem?

footyguy · 16 March 2017 at 9:48PM

sume

futurelotterywinner wrote: »

Hi,

I have lived in rented accommodation for the last 3 years and have recently tried to change my electricity supply from Npower. I contacted MSE cheaper energy club who said to stay with power on their online cheaper tariff which would be the best deal.

I have just received an email from power to say they can't change the tariff as I have a non standard electric meter. I have 2 meters. One that works that is standard tariff. The second one has never worked and is the equivalent of an economy 7 meter. Npower have been out to try to fix it in the last 12 month but said that they couldn't.

I have been unhappy with npower for a while now due to various reasons and would like to change supplier due to this and the fact that they have increased their rates.

Any ideas as to how I could change to a different supplier with the above problem?

Many thanks for your help.

Do not attempt to switch supplier with that metering. Attempts by others to do so in the past have invariably ended in tears.

You've lived with it for 3 years. If you feel you cannot live with it anymore, and would like to pay the same high price for all the units you consume, instead of the cheap rates you get at various times and/or for various uses, then I suggest you look for a new rental property.

nPower · 17 March 2017 at 9:08AM

futurelotterywinner wrote: »

Hi,

I have lived in rented accommodation for the last 3 years and have recently tried to change my electricity supply from Npower. I contacted MSE cheaper energy club who said to stay with power on their online cheaper tariff which would be the best deal.

I have just received an email from power to say they can't change the tariff as I have a non standard electric meter. I have 2 meters. One that works that is standard tariff. The second one has never worked and is the equivalent of an economy 7 meter. Npower have been out to try to fix it in the last 12 month but said that they couldn't.

I have been unhappy with npower for a while now due to various reasons and would like to change supplier due to this and the fact that they have increased their rates.

Any ideas as to how I could change to a different supplier with the above problem?

Many thanks for your help.

Hi futurelotterywinner,

Please contact us using the details on our profile page so we can help with your tariff query.

Thanks

Jen

firefox1956 · 17 March 2017 at 9:44AM

futurelotterywinner wrote: »

Hi Firefox,

Thanks for your quick response. Did you parents find away around this problem?

No never found a way round it.
They are in their mid 80's so don't want any hassle !!
I can't even put their meter readings in online or on NPowers automated phone system.
I always have to speak to a 'live' person.......most annoying & very time consuming I am afraid.

zaax · 17 March 2017 at 9:48AM

Can they not change the meter to one they can read?

sgun · 17 March 2017 at 7:25PM

I have a complex metering system and have electricity provided by Npower. I get a legacy tariff so it works out as the best deal I can get. I did enquire with Npower about changing to a normal E7 meter and was told it would cost about £60 to do so. When I then worked out what I was spending it really didn't make any difference so I have just stayed on the complex system. I have storage heaters and get an afternoon boost (its not E10 though).

If you do contact Npower to discuss it try to speak to someone in their energy efficiency department (can't remember what it is called). It took me 12 years to find someone at Npower who actually understood my metering system and they were in that department. Everyone else has been either incompetent, rude or useless.

I can understand that they won't have the parts to fix your meter - my cut-out couldn't be updated recently (its a three phase one, much excitement from the Docwra lads when they saw this!). Your meter is probably really outdated. BUT no reason why they can't change it. You would need your LL permission and would probably have to pay.

You won't be able to move onto a different tariff though.

MYMETERISCOMPLEX · 17 March 2017 at 8:34PM

This sounds very similar to the position we were in a year ago. We had an outdated dual rate meter (not e7 and also not e10) and were on an expensive legacy tariff, also with nPower. We tried twice to switch suppliers and as Footyguy suggested, both attempts ended in tears. "Yes you can switch" turned into "Oh no you can't, you have a complex meter".

Eventually we got the right advice and were able to switch the meter to a standard e7 meter. This was carried out for free by nPower, though we did have to get an electrician who we know to confirm that no wiring changes were required. This could have potentially cost a good few quid had any work been required. However we were ok so the meter switch basically cost us nothing

Switching to a standard e7 meter opened up the market for us. We immediately went onto nPowers best fixed e7 deal, saving lots against the old tariff and with that having now reached its last month, we have just completed a switch to a good fixed tariff with a Scottish Power. This tariff switch has also thankfully gone without a hitch

Back at the start we did have problems with nPower Customer Services as they didn't understand our complex metering status (and back then neither did we). For us it all came together via the nPower rep on this forum and also nPower Executive Complaints, who can be contacted at Executive.Complaints@npower.com

Hope this might be of some use to you

Non standard electric meter problems

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