Asbestos backboard removal- Who's responsible?

That is my intention, thanks. It is not my job to try and make sense of this nonsense, and I’m not an electrician, but it must surely have to do with de-energising the main fuse? I can’t see any other reason to involve the DNO.

If you have already raised a complaint, even if ovo hasn't internally recorded that as a complaint for whatever reason, then you can ask the Energy Ombudsman for help after 8 weeks. You just have to have an audit trail you asked for a complaint.

https://www.energyombudsman.org/

It is relatively rare but sometimes unfortunately the only way to make progress is to escalate.

For whatever reason the moderators on the forum don't want to pick up the issue outside the forum, sometimes they will with issues.

Yes, I would go to the regulator etc. if it became absolutely necessary. Since there does not seem to be an RTS issue I can take a more measured approach. 

In my past professional life my frequent experiences with regulators and ombudspersons usually had undesirable, perverse or negative outcomes, as well as being painfully slow. E.G. have you ever tried to get the Information Commissioner to get a reply from a public body to a freedom of information request? 

Writing to a director sometimes yields results but OVO only has two of them! 

If you read the thread above you will note that my account has been marked ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’. No maybes, no ifs, no buts. And it’s not true.

On the subject of complaints, my first post on this thread said I could not get OVO to answer my complaints. I have answered some questions thanks to help from various quarters, but no help from OVO.

Here is what I said in my first post in the thread

“I asked OVO to replace my Econ7 meter 3 months ago. An ‘engineer’ called on 17 July, took a quick look at the meter cupboard and said ‘never seen that before, distributor will need to deal with wiring before meter can be swapped’ and drove off after about 10 minutes. I later got an email saying DNO had been notified and should make an appointment within 8 weeks. After 8 weeks I contacted OVO on Chat and was told DNO had been informed. I phoned DNO who knew nothing of it. After making numerous queries and complaints I finally got told this week the problem was ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’ and DNO had responsibility to rectify. I have several issues with this (incidentally I’ve read all the online help on this kind of issue I can find)

1. I complained that OVO should have told me about asbestos at the time of the visit. No response from OVO.
2. I complained ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’ told me nothing - where exactly was the asbestos alleged to be, and how did the ‘engineer’ reach this conclusion on the basis of a brief visual inspection. How could I discuss the matter with DNO in this state of ignorance? No response from OVO.
3. I pointed out several times that there was no DNO equipment in the meter cupboard so why is the DNO being held responsible. The main fuse and cut-off are on the wall opposite and the ‘engineer’ did not even look at them. No response from OVO.
4. I have asked to see the OVO ‘engineer’s’ report and the request made to the DNO. No response from OVO.
5. I have pointed out this is time critical and should be priority because of RTS withdrawal. No response received.
6. I have pointed out that the warnings OVO gave about RTS were completely inadequate, just generic warnings like ‘your meter may not work’ with no explanation why or description of the consequences. No response received.

…………………………………………………………………………….

Any advice how I can get OVO to confront their responsibilities and respond to legitimate queries and complaints? It’s above the pay grade of the help/complaints staff. All they can do is look at what the computer tells them and may not understand the issues. There are only two directors for the entire company and no mention of technical advisors.”

 

I would like to be told why, truly, OVO did not fit a new meter and what OVO thinks it has to do with the DNO.

 

If you have already raised a complaint, even if ovo hasn't internally recorded that as a complaint for whatever reason, then you can ask the Energy Ombudsman for help after 8 weeks. You just have to have an audit trail you asked for a complaint.

https://www.energyombudsman.org/

It is relatively rare but sometimes unfortunately the only way to make progress is to escalate.

For whatever reason the moderators on the forum don't want to pick up the issue outside the forum, sometimes they will with issues.

 

Yes, I would go to the regulator etc. if it became absolutely necessary. Since there does not seem to be an RTS issue I can take a more measured approach. 

 

In my past professional life my frequent experiences with regulators and ombudspersons usually had undesirable, perverse or negative outcomes, as well as being painfully slow. E.G. have you ever tried to get the Information Commissioner to get a reply from a public body to a freedom of information request? 

Writing to a director sometimes yields results but OVO only has two of them! 

 

 

It does vary, I admit that.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear ovo haven't actually even raised a formal complaint which could complicate matter if they wanted to try and delay you anyway.

Totally up to you, if you feel it will slow you down then simply persevere

Last week I submitted a complaint to a sub prime lender on behalf of my brother,  copied in the Financial Conduct Authority, and the issue was resolved in 2 days after the FCA intervened due to the serious nature of the issue which does not happen as a rule. I must admit to be a serial official complainer. The ICO has also been informed but that was a minor side issue. I have also been successfully with the FSCS and the Energy Ombudsman, so no my experience is not the same as yours.

I also use to answer foi requests in a previous role and we always answered them on time from my team, so no my experience is different to yours again.

Fingers crossed you will get sorted by ovo

You can contact the CEO if you have complained

If you read the thread above you will note that my account has been marked ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’. No maybes, no ifs, no buts. And it’s not true.

On the subject of complaints, my first post on this thread said I could not get OVO to answer my complaints. I have answered some questions thanks to help from various quarters, but no help from OVO.

Here is what I said in my first post in the thread

“I asked OVO to replace my Econ7 meter 3 months ago. An ‘engineer’ called on 17 July, took a quick look at the meter cupboard and said ‘never seen that before, distributor will need to deal with wiring before meter can be swapped’ and drove off after about 10 minutes. I later got an email saying DNO had been notified and should make an appointment within 8 weeks. After 8 weeks I contacted OVO on Chat and was told DNO had been informed. I phoned DNO who knew nothing of it. After making numerous queries and complaints I finally got told this week the problem was ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’ and DNO had responsibility to rectify. I have several issues with this (incidentally I’ve read all the online help on this kind of issue I can find)

1. I complained that OVO should have told me about asbestos at the time of the visit. No response from OVO.
2. I complained ‘asbestos in meter cupboard’ told me nothing - where exactly was the asbestos alleged to be, and how did the ‘engineer’ reach this conclusion on the basis of a brief visual inspection. How could I discuss the matter with DNO in this state of ignorance? No response from OVO.
3. I pointed out several times that there was no DNO equipment in the meter cupboard so why is the DNO being held responsible. The main fuse and cut-off are on the wall opposite and the ‘engineer’ did not even look at them. No response from OVO.
4. I have asked to see the OVO ‘engineer’s’ report and the request made to the DNO. No response from OVO.
5. I have pointed out this is time critical and should be priority because of RTS withdrawal. No response received.
6. I have pointed out that the warnings OVO gave about RTS were completely inadequate, just generic warnings like ‘your meter may not work’ with no explanation why or description of the consequences. No response received.

…………………………………………………………………………….

Any advice how I can get OVO to confront their responsibilities and respond to legitimate queries and complaints? It’s above the pay grade of the help/complaints staff. All they can do is look at what the computer tells them and may not understand the issues. There are only two directors for the entire company and no mention of technical advisors.”

 

I would like to be told why, truly, OVO did not fit a new meter and what OVO thinks it has to do with the DNO.

 

If you have already raised a complaint, even if ovo hasn't internally recorded that as a complaint for whatever reason, then you can ask the Energy Ombudsman for help after 8 weeks. You just have to have an audit trail you asked for a complaint.

https://www.energyombudsman.org/

It is relatively rare but sometimes unfortunately the only way to make progress is to escalate.

For whatever reason the moderators on the forum don't want to pick up the issue outside the forum, sometimes they will with issues.

 

Yes, I would go to the regulator etc. if it became absolutely necessary. Since there does not seem to be an RTS issue I can take a more measured approach. 

 

In my past professional life my frequent experiences with regulators and ombudspersons usually had undesirable, perverse or negative outcomes, as well as being painfully slow. E.G. have you ever tried to get the Information Commissioner to get a reply from a public body to a freedom of information request? 

Writing to a director sometimes yields results but OVO only has two of them! 

 

 

It does vary, I admit that.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear ovo haven't actually even raised a formal complaint which could complicate matter if they wanted to try and delay you anyway.

Totally up to you, if you feel it will slow you down then simply persevere

Last week I submitted a complaint to a sub prime lender on behalf of my brother,  copied in the Financial Conduct Authority, and the issue was resolved in 2 days after the FCA intervened due to the serious nature of the issue which does not happen as a rule. I must admit to be a serial official complainer. The ICO has also been informed but that was a minor side issue. I have also been successfully with the FSCS and the Energy Ombudsman, so no my experience is not the same as yours.

I also use to answer foi requests in a previous role and we always answered them on time from my team, so no my experience is different to yours again.

Fingers crossed you will get sorted by ovo

You can contact the CEO if you have complained

 

 

Thanks

Cliff

Yes if a job note is provided with the cost I’m sure this can be provided as a complaints resolution. I’m sorry you’ve had such a negative experience @lowerclapton. 

Sorry to hijack this, but I have same problem with my m in law’s oap flat, I of 27 in block, going round this same circle. My point is, these people, probably thousands in oap flats built in the 80s, didn’t ask for meter changes, but BBC have conspired to make the meters not function properly, and likes of SSEN and OvO compound the conspiracy by making life awkward over “possible” asbestos in backing boards installed originally by SSE, do they really expect all these old folk to individually go through this palaver of finding, appointing contractors to see if the boards are asbestos based, or more likely, cement boards, and for them all to get this done individually by the time the signal is switched off, with not long to go now. What planet are these people on? Surely between them they should take corporate responsibility for making this problem go away.

Hey ​@shirleyambarrett,

Sorry to hear about the issues you’re having with your mother in law’s flat. If asbestos is suspected then to protect the health of the engineers who work in these kinds of environments they need specific equipment and training to carry out the work. I’ve left a helpful article below that details who owns what when looking at meter replacements or fuse box work etc. 

Hopefully you make progress soon and get the work carried out and if you have any questions let us know. Any of the community would be happy to help 😊

Thanks for that, but informing people why the problem cant be fixed isn’t productive in achieving a fix is it? We need someone to bang various heads together to solve a problem that no-one wanted, and that should be fixed by the people who have created it, not just for one, but for thousands.

The meter board is the responsibility of the property owner. If MIL owns the flat, then it’s probably her responsibility. If she’s a tenant, then it’s the landlord’s. If as you imply the whole block is equipped with similar suspect backboards, probably in a communal area, then the owners will (collectively) have to negotiate a remedy with the DNO, which sounds like it might be SSEN. It’s possible that there is a property manager who could make the necessary arrangements, but it won’t be a straightforward task. The DNO doesn’t have authority to move meters, so the supplier’s engineer will have to be present when a backboard is replaced.

It sounds like this is someone else’s headache rather than yours, but the first approach should be to whoever has overall responsibility for the building. They should then ascertain whether there is an asbestos hazard and proceed accordingly. Any inspection should include the main fuses, which could also contain asbestos.

If there is no asbestos present, the supplier can go ahead with a meter exchange.

Last, it will be a waste of energy looking for someone to blame for a situation like the one you describe. It’s unfortunate, and some hardship may ensue, but if you’re able to help finding the solution for your MIL, that’s where you might concentrate your efforts.