[RJNext]

Hi

We had a smart meter fitted 13 months ago (see photo for model) but it’s never sent in a reading. I registered for the LOOP app but they could never retrieve any data either.

However if I go to https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/meters … it tells me…

———————————————-

Your electricity meter's working in smart mode

Supplier: E.ON Next Energy Limited

———————————————-

In addition, the SW, WAN and HAN lights on the meter flash green every 5 seconds. From googling, my understanding is that this means that comms should be all good?

We’re located in rural Oxfordshire and I thought it might be a signal strength issue (the meter is on the outside of the house away from the mobile mast I’d expect it to be using), but if I place my mobile phone next to the meter I get a couple of bars of signal, which I would have thought would be enough?

I’ve raised it with customer service who initially said…

"We are unable to raise DCC ticket or book an appointment for this account due to the manufacturer code of the comms hub. These comms hub issues are currently being looked into and worked by industry performance. No timeframe is available currently, please advise the customer to provide manual readings until the issue is resolved."

When I pressed for clarity, a subsequent reply then stated…

“The issue with your meter is to do with signal in your area or the placing of it on your house. As my colleague had stated previously, this issue is being looked into, but has no time frame of fixture.”

… which doesn’t sound like quite the same thing as the first reply, and is of no help when I’m looking to purchase an EV and need a working smart meter to access the tariffs.

Any suggestions on what the actual issue is and how to resolve it?

Many thanks in advance for any help

Russell

[JoeSoap]

@RJNext

I have the same comms hub and my meters sent smart readings regularly for a couple of years before losing comms several weeks ago. The Citizens Advice smart meter checker still says they are working ok. I currently have an engineer visit booked to investigate the matter.

You could always raise a complaint by emailing hi@eonnext.com. This may not get an immediate result but at least if you don’t get an explanation you’re happy with within eight weeks you can raise the issue to the ombudsman.

Others on the forum are more learned than me on these matters so now I’ve bumped your query to the top of the page hopefully you’ll get some more responses.

[JohnT]

@RJNext

You have the dreaded EDMI-ES10 meter.
Myself and others have reported comms issues with this meter, and also the reading refusing to change. I have had the same reading for the last four months.
My electric meter stopped communicating with EonNext and the IHD last April, but the gas meter still sends smart readings successfully and presumably uses the same comms hub?
Like you I have received the same 'no time frame' message, so it looks as though EonNext is in no rush to deal with these problems.

[RJNext]

Originally Posted by JoeSoap

@RJNext

I have the same comms hub and my meters sent smart readings regularly for a couple of years before losing comms several weeks ago. The Citizens Advice smart meter checker still says they are working ok. I currently have an engineer visit booked to investigate the matter.

You could always raise a complaint by emailing hi@eonnext.com. This may not get an immediate result but at least if you don’t get an explanation you’re happy with within eight weeks you can raise the issue to the ombudsman.

Others on the forum are more learned than me on these matters so now I’ve bumped your query to the top of the page hopefully you’ll get some more responses.

Ah, really appreciate the reply (Joe? Mr Soap?) & bump. I’ve already raised a complaint but was becoming increasingly frustrated with both the initial reply to my customer question and then the responses to my complaint. It was starting to smell a bit fishy. And I’m starting to see why…

I guess the suppliers are incentivised/penalised on the FITTING of a smart meter rather than the fitting of a WORKING smart meter.

There is therefore value for them in installing (even a non-functioning) meter, but no value in sending out a costly engineer to try to fix/reinstall a broken one 😔

Seems like a classic failure of governance/regulation. You (only) get the behaviour you incentivise. Someone defined the box to be ticked badly.

I will continue to pursue my complaint vigorously in an effort to get the issue resolved. And it feels like a complaint to my MP is in order re the lack of interest/timely action to address faulty meters.

Thanks again for your reply - much appreciated!

[RJNext]

Originally Posted by JohnT

@RJNext

You have the dreaded EDMI-ES10 meter.
Myself and others have reported comms issues with this meter, and also the reading refusing to change. I have had the same reading for the last four months.
My electric meter stopped communicating with EonNext and the IHD last April, but the gas meter still sends smart readings successfully and presumably uses the same comms hub?
Like you I have received the same 'no time frame' message, so it looks as though EonNext is in no rush to deal with these problems.

Thanks for your reply & details of your own experience John! Really unhappy to hear this sounds like a systemic comms failure with this specific meter. Was hoping it might be a mere signal strength issue that I might be able to do something about 😔

[RJNext]

@JoeSoap seems like you’ve had more luck than me in arranging an engineer visit.

I asked for an engineer visit to be booked to inspect and replace the meter and/or comms unit as this is clearly a known issue - eonnext have fitted a faulty unit which is preventing me from switching to an EV tariff (from ANY supplier).

The latest (and final) reply I’ve received to my complaint states…

“This is a known issue as explained before, we cannot send an engineer out.

We are unable to raise DCC ticket or book an appointment for this account due to the manufacturer code of the comms hub. These comms hub issues are currently being looked into and worked by industry performance. No timeframe is available currently.


I will be closing this complaint due to it being a business decision and we are unable to help you any further with this issue.”

I’ve sent an email to the ceo address (much good that will do) and another to the ombudsman. I just can’t believe this is the state of affairs and there’s nothing to be done to resolve it.

[JoeSoap]

@RJNext

I’m not so sure I’ve had much luck. My pending engineer visit is the current position I’m in after a fair bit of hassle. See my thread linked below…

https://community.eonnext.com/threads/7173-IHD-Tariff-Update-Request-More-Troublesome-Than-Normal?p=35601&viewfull=1#post35601

Hope you get some kind of good result from CEO or ombudsman.

[RJNext]

SIXTY pages of posts on that thread??

Zikes! Ok, that’s made up my mind. No EV for me just yet. I’m back at looking at a super/turbocharged V6/8 for the next few years. Decision made 👍

[retrotecchie]

@RJNext

So long as it's a diesel, we won't criticise you!

EDMI meters are notorious for being a bit shonky. When all the older SMETS1 meters were 'adopted' onto the DCC systems, all the meter companies co-operated with the process and provided either firmware updates to their meters or at least provided assistance with migration. EDMI refused. So many EDMI first generation meters were left for dead. It seems the 'industry wide' issues with their SMETS2 meters, not just with E.On Next, are likely related to the meters themselves rather than issues with communications.

They started off in Australia as EDMQ but were acquired by Osaki Electric Co. of Japan. Maybe they don't like being hung the wrong way up in the Northern hemisphere!

At least Landis and Gyr are Swiss. Their meters work the right way up.

[RJNext]

Thanks @retrotecchie.

No diesel for me! Petrol all the way 👍

Appreciate your post which adds to the wealth of knowledge I’m acquiring on the intricacies & failings of the UK Smart Meter rollout.

There must be a way to capitalise on this and get a return for everyone’s combined time & effort in figuring out what & how things are broken so badly…