Home smart-meter utility engineer checks whole house and condemns

[tram]

This is a sign of the times we live in. My girlfriend has her own house. She got a phone call from utilities that they HAD to change her meter for a smart meter, and that they were coming round to do change it.

When they came, they also looked in every room in the house, bedrooms, the lot, on the spot. In the kitchen they condemned her gas fire there and then, told her to go to a plumber about it, and litterally cut the pipe there and then, and put a danger sign on it.

I'm not a plumber, but the fire was fine, and was 20 years old. I used to vac it out from time to time. There was a slight yellow flame, but only slight. As an engineer I felt it was serviceable.

It was, because of its age, the type which didn't have the now required heat sensor that has to be hot to allow a gas flow. I understand such a sensor is a good idea, but to just use the excuse of fitting a smart meter to force appliance type change. Crickey.

Apparently, people have been less than happy and have 'thrown them out'.

Fortunately she keeps a very clean and tidy house.

 

[Jay]

They have to ask permission to turn an appliance off. And to cut the supply to it there must be an imediate risk to life or ptoperty. They do have a duty of care to visulay check appliances. Sounds like at worse the fire may of been 'AT RISK' which would just be turn off at the controls.

The only things that would be ID and require supply being cut are a gas leak. Spillage of fumes into room.

 

[Jay]

Forgot to as. I am a gas safe engineer

 

[tram]

Jay, it think it is right they do what they need to for safety. I think carbon monoxide alarms are a good idea, only about £20. But it is kinda funny to think of people being worried about someone seeing their bedroom, etc, in its natural lived-in state....the panic that there is nothing embarrassing in view. People just expect they will just be in the place where the meter is located.

 

[Wills]

Was it BG engineers / SALESMEN? EDF rang me up to arrange a smart meter install. I said no thanks so they tried to quiz me why not. I told them I switch suppliers to suit and the not so smart meter can't be used with other suppliers.

 

[tram]

Wills, I don't know who it was, but I guess it is across the board standard policy, but apparently the smart meter will not be smart if a different supplier, it would return to just being a normal meter..............and we are ment to be encouraged to switch suppliers. You couldn't make it up.

 

[Jay]

Cant see why thwy needed to go all over the house. They obviously turned off the has so would need to re light any pilots or reset boiler (is boiler in a bedroom).

There are loads of meter installers installing smart meter who are either career changers or just out of collage. They seem to think they have all these powers to do what they want.

A gas engineer HAS to ask permission to turn off an appliance.

An apploance that is AT RISK. Ie. One that if certain factors changed could pose a saftey risk. They should ask the customers permission to turn off at the user controls. If permission granted they will do this and issue warning notice. If permission not given then refusal should be documented on the warning notice.

For appliance that is ID (immedialtly dangerous) the engineer should still ask permission. If refused he can contact the gas emergency provider who will turn gas off in street. They are the only people who can demand.

I would ask why the appliance was deemed immediatly dangerous and if they have wrongly catogarised ask them to come back, reconnect and issue correct warning notice as per gas regs.

 

[Jay]

@tram , you are correct. Just switching from eon and our meter is now thick.

 

[Ian78]

Cant see why they'd check every room, if they change the gas meter do they have to issue a certificate? if so they'd probably need to check all the appliances but common courtesy you'd ask to see all rooms first.

 

[Mick]

Scottish power turned up, no appointment with a new smart meter. I was out. But the wife had been told not to let them in if they ever tried it.

The guy tried to argue his case. I spoke to him on the phone and told him my next call was to the police because he was trespassing and to eff off.

You do not have to have one fitted. Its an EU piece of crap legislation we signed up to.

 

[Sjacko20]

Constantly bothered by these people. There is supposed to be a universal network being set up so the meters can be used by any supplier however it does not exist yet so I tell them that until it is I ain’t playing! They use strong language saying I have to have it etc but haven’t had anyone turn up yet. They are also not interested that there is no mobile signal here! Bloody annoying idiots. Rant over

 

[Mick]

Constantly bothered by these people. There is supposed to be a universal network being set up so the meters can be used by any supplier however it does not exist yet so I tell them that until it is I ain’t playing! They use strong language saying I have to have it etc but haven’t had anyone turn up yet. They are also not interested that there is no mobile signal here! bloomin annoying idiots. Rant over

And if your mobile signal is crap they'll piggy back of your WiFi.

 

[Sjacko20]

And if your mobile signal is crap they'll piggy back of your WiFi.

and if they try that they will fail as our WiFi doesn’t reach that far but i’m sure they wouldn’t let that stand in the way of hitting their targets.

 

[4motion]

The government seems to want us all to have smart meters, that's a good enough reason for me not to want one ........

 

[Roadrunner]

BG did mine, they just came around at the time they said and changed both the meters. Only thing they did was turn on the gas cooker to make sure the meter worked and power was working. They asked to go in one room and check if the gas was working in the kitchen. Never went around any more rooms that that. Don't have a problem with the smart meter

 

[former member]

Our new house has one; I already utterly despise the supplier, British Gas, who think it’s okay to make customers wait 45mins to ask a 30 second question.

How easy is it to change suppliers if you have a smart meter?

 

[Loz]

Our new house has one; I already utterly despise the supplier, British Gas, who think it’s okay to make customers wait 45mins to ask a 30 second question.

How easy is it to change suppliers if you have a smart meter?

The change is easy but you might have to give reading off the meter again unless both the meter and supplier have changed over to the new universal system.

 

[former member]

The change is easy but you might have to give reading off the meter again unless both the meter and supplier have changed over to the new universal system.

Thanks Loz.
We're raising the Energy band from an F to an E (possibly a D) with a tonne of insulation and a separate circuit supplying a Quantum storage heater - bizarrely if we fit any more heaters, we lose points! The place already has a solid fuel burner but it only heats three radiators and the water (which is also heated by an immersion - we'll wire that up to the off peak circuit too) so not good enough. Should be ready to rent out (to a LOCAL family!!!) in about a month - meanwhile I've been doing...



DIY!! But not much luckily...

 

[Roadrunner]

Thanks Loz.
We're raising the Energy band from an F to an E (possibly a D) with a tonne of insulation and a separate circuit supplying a Quantum storage heater - bizarrely if we fit any more heaters, we lose points! The place already has a solid fuel burner but it only heats three radiators and the water (which is also heated by an immersion - we'll wire that up to the off peak circuit too) so not good enough. Should be ready to rent out (to a LOCAL family!!!) in about a month - meanwhile I've been doing...
DIY!! But not much luckily...

Though you rented your house @ polzeylad

 

[former member]

Though you rented your house @ polzeylad

We do.
We’ve bought the house outright but are staying here; basically it was a cracking pretty price and in an area we like; but this house is bigger and nearer the sea.

With some shuffling (claiming rent from the business, etc) we will pay no rent at all. Just bills.

Probably a bit mad but nice to own a house at last.

We might move into it eventually; keeping our options open.