Smart Meters - A Cautionary Tale

[derrick]

Mine is in one of those outdoor meter jobbies, the fibreglass jobs with the clear panel so the meter can be read without opening it. As a copper id been to a few jobs where herberts thought it funny to open the cupboard and interfere with the meter or even interrupt the supply, hence me fitting a hasp and staple to mine - the welcome side effect is it prevents underhanded meter swaps by energy firms.

Are you allowed to padlock someone elses property? Not that i give a ****.

 

[Drago]

Only the meter belongs to them. The house to which it is attached is mine, all Mine! Mwooaaahhhh ha ha ha ha...

 

[perplexed]

We keep getting emails from the energy people we have, all regarding how they 'need' to change our meter to a smart one. I did a bit of 'looking up', and when you actually invesigate, as others have alluded to, they want to fit one, rather than 'need' to fit one.

So far we've ignored them. There'll be no sneaky meter change at Chez Perplexed, 'cos the buggers are in the garage...

We may get one at some point, but it'll be our choice, not theirs.

 

[Salar]

I've sent information to BBC Watchdog.

I have also emailed all the information to our local MP, who is not a conservative.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

As well as OFGEN, your MP really ought to be imformed if energy firms are resorting to such underhand tactics.

I doubt either will care, it's being done with their full consent & our money as I understand it.

 

[Drago]

It depends on the moral compass of the OPs particular MP.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

It depends on the moral compass of the OPs particular MP.

Well we know what that will be, got to take care of those opportunities that will come along after they get deselected

 

[subaqua]

Only the meter belongs to them. The house to which it is attached is mine, all Mine! Mwooaaahhhh ha ha ha ha...

And the service pipe/cable/service head which they have a responsibility to access. You may also find that the meter cabinet belongs to them if they provided and installed it. Utilities can be a mare..

 

[Salar]

Let's wait and see what responses I get.

My MP is a member of Plaid Cymru. They do have a green energy policy, but they won't support the Tory's.

Anyway what I have made clear in my email to him is the underhand tactics being used in our area to fit meters and that the energy companies could be preying on our elderly and vulnerable local community.

 

[Drago]

And the service pipe/cable/service head which they have a responsibility to access. You may also find that the meter cabinet belongs to them if they provided and installed it. Utilities can be a mare..

Well, they'll find the dirty great Abus hasp and staple preventing them changing the meter belong to me. That's the physical reality of the situation.

 

[classic33]

You'll have put in a request for a copy of the calls you made. They will have been recorded by the other side.

 

[Salar]

I hope the provider has recorded the calls.

I doubt if they would like to release the recording of their call centre line manager agreeing with my comments though and their admission of automatically generated appointments.

 

[postman]

I cannot go in to too much detail,cos my mate had signed a clause when he got a job as a meter installer.Not even going to name the comp,because it might cost him thousands in re-paying back his training.But the company are sheet sheet sheet. Installers are under pressure to put in so many per day.Targetting the old,it stinks.He had to go back to put right installations another of his team had not done properly.It's ok in the class room all the safety procedures are looked at done signed off,but in real life IGNORED even by management who are pushing for quotas,my mate WOULD NOT cut corners.Meters are not compulsory and tell them to fark off.I'm waiting till they try it on here.

 

[Salar]

I'm still waiting, in my Victor Meldrew vigilante mode just in case they turn up.

 

[sheddy]

The outside water meter can't be controlled from the internet so unlikely to be a problem ?