SSE refusing to repair Pay as you Go meter

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    DesDixon wrote: »
    Is the 4 hour turn around legislation or guidance I can quote from somewhere? As they didn't seem too bothered. The flat is currently vacant but it makes life difficult if someone new moves in.
    Absolutely no legislation involved. Each supplier is a law unto themselves.At least SSE can be contacted easily enough .
    Suppliers such as the just gone bust Eversmart ,of which two of my friends were supplied by , found them impossible to contact by email, phone or even the chat line.
  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748 Forumite
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    Michaelw wrote: »
    They should send someone to exchange that meter in four hours.When my L&G prepayment gas meter went blank the supply remained on but Southern Gas Network did attend within that time.

    Many people are only going to become more familier with these failing gas smart meters when their 15-20 year old dial meter is removed.I would call these battery powered gas smart meters suspect after two years' the previous prepayment equivelent is much the same and it wasn't transceiving in function.

    The legacy 'card/token' gas meters have an internal battery obviously. Given they are not connected to the mains there's no spike issue (just as well as they are gas!) , however they won't by design fail with the gas open with a flat battery. Once it reaches a certain threshold it will shut the gas valve. There's plenty (weeks I think) of warning of this via the display. Once the battery voltage drops below a certain level a symbol appears on the LCD and then it will also start to display "Low Batt" or "Help" or something similar. If its ignored eventually it will reach another 'threshold' at which point it will shut the gas down while it still has enough 'poke' left in the battery to be able to do this, otherwise it would be freebie gas.

    I'd expect a smart gas meter to do similar too, although not having a smart gas I'm not sure on that.

    From a technical point and this is just my understanding of it, without research: Gas 'control' is not like electricity 'control' where with the latter a relay must be held (which consumes a fraction of power, only a few mA but its still constant) , the gas ones have the valves typically as a pulse/toggle effect (few seconds 'power' applied to it to open or close it) so they don't need permanent power to 'hold' them open like a regular solenoid valve would as you'd find in say a washing machine or suchlike, if they did the battery would not last more than a few weeks if that. :D
  • Simplycito
    Simplycito Posts: 22 Forumite
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    DesDixon wrote: »
    Hi All,


    By way of update - Tenant has since moved out and so I called SSE to 'take back' the account which I have done.


    I then informed them about the lack of display fault and said I'd like a replacement meter (not Smart), they said 'okay' after I explained I didn't want one right now. The lady tried got through to the appointments line only to come back and tell me there are no appointments and someone will call me back. This was several days ago - I called again today and was told the same. I clarified if the meter can still be used, they said it can.

    Follow the supplier's complaint procedure.

    I'm pretty sure when someone at the supplier with any sense realises they have a customer with a faulty meter on their hands, they will be around toute suite :)
  • Simplycito
    Simplycito Posts: 22 Forumite
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    DesDixon wrote: »
    Is the 4 hour turn around legislation or guidance I can quote from somewhere? As they didn't seem too bothered. The flat is currently vacant but it makes life difficult if someone new moves in.

    According to the SSE website, such quick attendance only applies if your PAYG meter develops a fault and your supply stops (assuming it's not a general power cut in your area)
    If your meter develops a fault and your supply stops, we'll aim to get to you:
    • Within three hours on a working day (Monday to Friday), if you tell us between 8am and 8pm.
    • Within four hours on weekends or bank holidays, if you tell us between 9am and 5pm.
    • The following day, if you contact us outside of these times.
    And if we don't get to you within these times, we'll pay you £30 as part of our Guaranteed Standards.
    https://sse.co.uk/help/energy/meters/pay-as-you-go/faulty-meter
  • AndyCF
    AndyCF Posts: 748 Forumite
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    That's the caveat really:

    "... your supply stops ..."

    As its 'alive' they are not bound to those conditions. Although it would be in their interests to sort it within a sane time-frame while its not recording use...
  • DesDixon
    DesDixon Posts: 7 Forumite
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    Just to update this.. I called in again and a helpful lady said that all Engineers were busy fitting smart meters for the near future but as someone new was moving in, she would tell them that the electric wasn't working. Someone then came out within 4 hours but he wasn't too happy about it but the meter was changed for another non-smart Pay as You Go meter and everything has been fine since.
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