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Hi there, newbie here to Ovo and to smart meters - and certainly not an expert in electrical setup.

We moved into our new property just 10 days ago. Still surrounded by boxes to unpack.

I’m feeling a little stupid, but for the life of me I can’t find our electricity meter (or if I’ve found it, I don’t recognise it as one). 

I’ve found the smart gas meter, next to the gas boiler. This is a SMETS2 meter installed in 2021, with red A and black B buttons on. If I press either of them I get a gas reading with ‘m3’ units. There is also a honeywell smart thermostat. 

I’ve searched all around the outside of the property (front and back), and all the rooms, corridors, etc for the electricity meter. It’s not a huge property so there aren’t many places it could be.

There is an electricity ‘meter box’ outside at the front with the standard triangular key. Inside there is a big Series 7 100A cut-out fuse box. But there is no meter as far as I can tell.

The previous owner left no details or final reading and has not responded to my messages / questions.

I discovered that using UK Power Networks I could do a reverse search using my address and so I discovered the existing supplier (Ovo) and MPAN. Using this I’ve been able to create a new Ovo account, and they appear to have successfully connected to both the Gas and Electricity smart meters and given me a usage pattern for the last 10 days. So the meter must exist and be working!

What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions for where the meter is? Is it combined with the gas meter? Or simply hidden somewhere very strange?

Hi @zac-has-limited-knowledge , and welcome to this customer forum. Well you’ve got further than some if you’ve found your meter details. 
If you can post a few photos of the gas meter and inside the other meter box that might help someone to identify - please don’t include and personal info as this is a public forum. 
I wonder if you’ve seen your distribution board while searching? That’s the device with the row of switches for different circuits. The electricity meter is normally close by .. between that and the incoming supply (100A cut out).

 


Thanks @BPLightlog appreciate the reply. 
 

I’ve added the photos of the incoming supply and the gas meter. The incoming supply is in box on the outer wall, with no obvious other box nearby.
 

The gas meter is in the boiler cupboard next to the boiler. Again nothing else in that cupboard. 

 

I haven’t found the distribution board. 
 

I’ve had one thought, which is that our flat occupies the ground floor of a three story house and has an independent entrance. The other two flat flats above have a short shared corridor leading to the stairs, and whilst I don’t have access to that entrance it’s possible the meter(s)  for the whole house is/are in there. Worth a check. 
 

Any other suggestions appreciated 
 

 


Ok so that feed into the building looks like a 3 phase supply (not sure how many properties it supplies) but that access corridor you describe could indeed be the part. 
You really need to find the distribution board in case you need to isolate any circuits (or if anything trips) but also just double check that you have the correct meter reference (it’s printed on the meter) so that you’re paying for your own use and not any of the others. 
The only other though is in an ‘under the stairs’ cupboard, favoured by installers. 


Hmm…

I’m not happy about something here. Bear with me a second as I need to get some advice.


Back again, sorry for the wait.

It looks like there might be some damage to those cables @zac-has-limited-knowledge . It might be worth asking UKPN to have a look and see about getting a few repairs done.

If you think they’re in a dangerous state, feel free to call 105 and they’ll see what they can do.


I can’t see any damage @Blastoise186 . The blue single to 3 feed connections is simply the neutral in-comer being split to supply each phase out to building


You might be right, I just don’t think I’ve seen that before.

Either way, if memory serves I think OVO and UKPN are capable of tracing the meter. I know Western Power Distribution can as I’ve had them do it before (at no cost!) so it may be worth asking both and see what you get.


@BPLightlog @Blastoise186  thanks both. 

In the first instance I’ll have a go at asking our neighbours if there’s a meter in their shared corridor. The more I think about it the more I suspect that might be it. Still would be odd to install a meter (and distribution board!) in someone else’s property since the split between the three flats in the building goes way back (several decades), but I guess for smart meters it might make more sense. 
 

If not I’ll get in touch with OVO and then UKPN if they can help direct. 
 

I keep feeling I must have missed something obvious and will be left feeling pretty silly, but having looked everywhere accessible from our flat I can’t see where it could be located. 


It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen meters in weird places. One of OVO’s Smart Meter Engineers talks to us a lot and I’m pretty sure he’s seen tons of weird ones as well.


Just in case it helps at all @zac-has-limited-knowledge those 3 black cables on the bottom right of your picture going out of the electrical box are the feeds into the building. The meter (and distribution board) will be somewhere along those and of course before the individual supplies. 


Hey @zac-has-limited-knowledge,

 

Any updates on this? If you’re able to pop back to this topic once you find out as it may help other Community Members. 

 

I had a thought while reading through the thread,  if you aren’t able to find it, could you book in a meter reader appointment? Presumably the meter would have been read before as per OFGEM requirements so the company should be able to tell you where the meter is. 


Hey @zac-has-limited-knowledge,

 

… could you book in a meter reader appointment? Presumably the meter would have been read before as per OFGEM requirements so the company should be able to tell you where the meter is. 

That’s certainly worth a shot if needed although whenever someone has read mine, the first question is usually “so where’s the meter” 🤔


@Emmanuelle_OVO no update yet as we’re still introducing ourselves to neighbours but I will post here once I know more. Thanks 


@Emmanuelle_OVO @Blastoise186 @BPLightlog  - thanks for your help, I have an update!

I found the meter and distribution board. I do feel a little silly as I should have worked it out / noticed sooner. It was down to my son (10yo) who asked me what was in the ceiling hatch in the hallway and whether we could get through it to the people above. That was a lightbulb moment for me (ha) and I realised I hadn’t considered the hatch.

In my defence I wouldn’t call it the most accessible or sensible of locations as the ceiling is extremely high and I had to buy an extra tall stepladder to get up there (also needed for me to change lightbulbs etc). Coupled with the fact that one of the screws keeping the hatch in place had a stripped head so I had extra complications to remove that to get in.

I’d asked the neighbour but they didn’t know and had simply suggested the box outside. 

I’ve added a photo for your info so you get the idea. Thanks for all your help. Perhaps this will help others out in the future. 

Ceiling Hatch

 


Wow. That’s a weird spot!

Unfortunately, that’s gonna cause some possible problems in the future. From what I understand, most engineers aren’t allowed to climb ladders due to… You guessed it! Health & Safety. This may make maintenance of that stuff more tricky.

I can try to dig into that if you’d like me to.


I’ve never seen a meter in a similar spot before @zac-has-limited-knowledge. I wonder if it’s something to do with any building renovations or similar .. formerly on a stair or stairwell. Anyway glad you found it. 
Did you manage to take a reading? 


Interesting as the building was split into flats several decades ago and this is a smart meter installed in potentially in 2021 if it was installed at the same time as the new gas meter.

Very high meters over front doors are seen sometimes in certain older properties . We had one in our previous house. See the front door in the photo as an example and imagine a meter above the glass panel.

I wonder if the meter was that high always and at some stage a false ceiling has been added either before or after the smart meter was installed.

The ceiling may be lower in that section of the corridor 


@Blastoise186 @BPLightlog  @Jeffus 

I think you have it @Jeffus - the ceiling is lower in that section of the corridor, with downlights and insulation installed in the gap. The front section of the corridor near the front door has a much higher ceiling, and a couple of the other rooms do as well.

I suspect the false ceiling was installed around 15-20 years ago, when I believe a modern set of renovations took place to the flat (flooring, lighting, upgraded bathroom, etc). At that point they would have moved the distribution board (perhaps from above the front door? Or outsdie?) and installed a traditional meter.

Then a couple of years ago they simply changed it to a smart meter when they were also installing a new boiler and smart gas meter. 

@BPLightlog I did manage to get a reading, thanks.


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