meter change

[Marco1976]

Hi,

I wrote a letter to our supplier npower telling them our meter is 21 years old and asking them if it needs changing.

Their reply is that they are not responsible for meter changes in our area but UU is. They have however booked an appointment for us.

I thought suppliers were responsible for meters and also I didn't think that UU were responsible for meter changes.

We live in Salford. Can anyone confirm if UU are indeed responsible for changing this equipment? If the info provided is a load of b...s I would rather avoid wasting a morning waiting for a company that is not responsible for the task involved.....

thanks

 

[westie101]

The suppliers rarely do any work directly on meters, they employ "Meter Operators" who do the physical work.
UU does indeed have a section that operates as a meter operator so the information is correct

 

[Stoday]

Npower is indeed responsible for metering; it contracts out its responsibility to a Meter Operator.

The customer has a contract with a supplier; the supplier has contracts with the DNO and MO. Customers do not have a contract with either DNO or MO so legally have no connection with them. The legal route for a customer who needs DNO or MO services is through the supplier.

 

[Mike2007]

UU used to do meter changes (as I was part of the company) in your area. It got sold to Enterprise PLC and now may be contracted out to smaller sub contractors as Enterprise lost most of its workforce to British Gas.
Try your best to just get a Smart meter installed first off, as they will be back to install one in future times.
Cheers

 

[Marco1976]

Thanks guys for the response.

I actually wrote to the supplier enquiring about the age of my meter.

I got a letter stating "replacing your meter is the responsibility of your localo meter operator and is not usually arranged through your energy supplier. Your local meter operator is a company called united utilities and I have been in touch with them and booked an appt...bla bkla bla"

The way they have written to me is as if they are not responsible for the meter but out of goodwill they are arranging a replacement. From what you are telling me they are responsible for arranging the replacement.

I have book half a day off work and I am curious to see if / who will turn up.

Will keep you posted.

 

[mattylad]

Why would you want an old meter replaced?
AFAIK if anything happens to them they read less than they should ?

 

[Marco1976]

Why would you want an old meter replaced?
AFAIK if anything happens to them they read less than they should ?

cause it is big and we need the space in the small room where it is located. Also the tails going into it have some mm of exposed copper, not happy about that.