[AMcG]

Help please.

I am on your Priority Service Register as I am severely disabled. I cannot read my meter due to its very low position and small numbers on the screen.

When I was with npower, their own meter reader came every 3 months to read the meter without fail (although Covid did delay it occasionally in 2020).

When eon.next took over, I asked about meter reading as on the PSR and received an e-mail from a lady at eon.next in June 2021 who confirmed I was on the Priority Service Register and stated:

‘’We do have the same process as N-Power where we will send a meter reader once every three months.’’.

A meter reader from a contracted company thus called in July 2021 and read my meter. I have had no meter reader visit since.

Fortunately, my neighbour has read my meter occasionally which I have submitted online. However, my neighbour has moved away and I cannot get the meter readings now.

I did ask about having a smart meter fitted to negate having to read the meter but was told that due to having a ‘complexed meter’ with two pmans (or something) with 4 readings, I cannot have a smart meter as there are no complexed smart meters.

It is now coming upto 6 months since an official meter reader visited. What is going on please as you keep sending me emails monthly demanding meter readings which I cannot do?

Why do you not send meter readers round every three months to those on the PSR as stated in your email (above) and as npower used to do?

Thank you.

[Beki]

Good afternoon @AMcG.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post on the Community. My name is Beki and I am the Community Manager here. I don't know if any members would be able to help you with your query as it would require looking into to your account. I have attempted to use your email address that you used to sign up here to locate your account but I am having some trouble.

Usually we sent meter readers out every 3 months or so, but by law, energy suppliers only have to read your meter once every two years. Some energy suppliers may visit more often, while others may request that you send them readings. I understand that with a complex meter and disabilities this can be tricky, if not near impossible. I would like to have a check that your PSR settings are correct on your account and that you are set up for regular readings.

In regards to a smart meter, we are unable to change a complex meter for a smart meter straight away. We would need to change your meter for a single credit meter first of all and then request the smart meter to be fitted.

With a complex meter exchange, it can be a rather difficult process.
When converting a complex set-up to a simpler meter, customers may need to have the home re-wired prior to our appointment. This would involve an independent electrician potentially installing a timer to allow the customer to control the heating. This is because the MPAN we’re removing may be controlling the heating in the home via the meter's time switch or Time Pattern Regime (TPR).


The only times this won't be needed is if:
- The customers heating has been removed/exchanged and has its own timer(s).
- Gas has been installed to run the heating.
- The customer is happy with E7 hours only for heating with no options of daytime heating.


If the home is not surveyed and re-wired by an independent electrician, the customer's heating may not work at all OR it may be on all the time without the option to turn it off. Potentially leaving a vulnerable customer without means to heat the home or creating very high bills.

I think @AMcG, I would like to have a look at your account and maybe arrange a telephone call where we can discuss all the options together. If you'd like to, you can ping me your account number, address and full name so i can get in contact with you. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Beki 😊

[theunknowntech]

You underestimate my skills Beki. XD

There's a LOT of different types of Complex Meter out there, and one of the easier ways for me to try to identify them is with photos of the meters. Failing that, I know that the most common type is Economy 7 which can have two MPANs. these Complex Meters are some of the easier ones to replace, but may lose Economy 7 by going to a Single Rate meter. In theory, it can be possible to directly replace them with a Five Terminal SMETS2 Smart Meter, to retain full E7 all the way through but it depends on the supplier being able to support a direct swap. If you no longer need Economy 7 though, then it's as described above (sometimes with a direct swap).

However, if you're in a Load Managed Area, then this may restrict your options right now - it's more common with setups like THTC and not as common for Economy 7. In those cases, it wouldn't be possible to go to Single Rate and there's currently no S2 Smart Meter on the market which can handle a direct replacement from THTC.

Either way, if you're planning to make any changes like this, it's definitely advisable to speak to customer service first - particular to an electric heating team if one exists. You'll need to migrate eventually if you have a Radio Teleswitch Meter or Dynamic Timeswitch Meter though, as support for those meter setups is ending in the next couple of years.