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How do I get unused 1980's off peak meter removed?

I am trying to get a smart meter installed (and 2 very old meters removed) at my late father’s house which we are purchasing.

I have been told that it is impossible at the moment by an OVO reply to my email requesting this.

Currently there is a very old (1970s) mechanical off peak meter installed (pictures attached), this hasn't been used since the 1980s.

The property was built with the old underfloor electric wire heating which was too expensive to run so was converted to gas central heating in the 1980s.

As you can see in the attached pictures there are no fuses installed in the off peak side of the supply. We will never want to use the off peak again.

We will be installing a new consumer unit and electric car charger after the purchase has been completed.

Is there any way forward with this?

 

Electric box

 

38 replies

M
Rank

Just an update

 

Still no further forward, I had a DM which still states that they can’t do anything because of RTS.

Despite telling them that it is not RTS it’s a mechanical version installed in 1970 or 1971 when the house was built. This has also been confirmed by the visiting DNO engineer.

Installation of RTS did not begin to be installed until the 1980s 

The instructions from the DNO are:-

The supplier needs to remove the meter and send flows advising, break the relationship between the mpans and then send a D0132 logical disconnection request.

This seems straight forward to me.

Other suppliers are already offering to do it, this is from a competitors website

How do I get my Economy 7 meter removed?
We can only remove Economy 7, 9 or 10 meters if they are not part of your electrical heating system. We'll charge you £80 to remove your meter; you'll need to pay this before we can confirm your appointment. Once the meter is removed your Distribution Network can disconnect the service.

 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hey @MT_OVO24,

 

I’m sorry you’ve had a frustrating experience,

 

If your meters aren’t RTS then we should be able to remove the redundant meter if an electrician has proven that there are no appliances attached to the redundant meter. 

 

These topics may be helpful: 

 

 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
M
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As per the initial photo and my repeated comments in this thread and to staff I have spoken to on the phone there aren’t any fuses in that side of the supply as gas central heating was installed in the 1980’s so the off peak side hasn’t been used since then.

 

The meter reading hasn’t changed since the 1980s.

M
Rank

Latest reply :-

‘We can raise the case for logical disconnection and they can send the forms and flows to show it as de-energised on the national database and our system. This process does break the relationship between the MPANs, it's the next step we can't do at the moment, which is completely removing the secondary meter information from the account. We can make it show as removed on the system but not remove it from the account as yet

They would recommend waiting and doing all of it at once when we're able to fully remove the meter from the account, rather than remove the meter now but still have to wait to remove it from the account.’

 

We are having the house rewired and a new consumer unit installed (so the off peak side will only be connected to a henley block) so after that is done we will be moving supplier as we need a smart meter to get better tariffs for our ev.

 

OVO can do the job but because it leaves a non existant meter on the software they don’t want to. There must be a system to follow when a property is demolished and that meter disappears.

Shads_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 4

Hi @MT_OVO24,

 

It’s good to hear that you’ve managed to get some sort of update about this. I understand it may not have been the answer you’d have wanted, I’m sorry about this.

 

Keep us updated on whether you decide to go ahead and get the meter removed.

Firedog
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Userlevel 7
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it's the next step we can't do at the moment, which is completely removing the secondary meter information from the account. We can make it show as removed on the system but not remove it from the account as yet

 

I’m not quite sure what the problem is here, specifically what the difference is between ‘removed from the system’ and ‘removed from the account’. If, as I suspect, having the account showing a second meter - even though it’s (a) defunct and (b) not RTS anyway - will result in ‘computer says no’ to allowing the installation of a smart meter, then computer needs a kick up the backside. Perhaps that’s what ‘when we’re able to fully remove the meter from the account’ means. Who knows how long this will take?

It’s a really sad and silly situation you’re in, and I feel for you.

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA
Shads_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 4

Hi @Firedog,

 

Unfortunately the process is not yet as simple as we’d like and although work is starting soon on removing these meters, we can't remove them completely from accounts which is causing further issues. This is currently being worked on so we can hopefully soon make those changes too.

 

At the moment I’m afraid we don’t have a confirmed date or deadline for this but will keep the relevant topics updated when we know more.

M
Rank

What do you do when a property is demolished?

Blastoise186
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Userlevel 7
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That’s a completely different process - the one for a Physical Disconnection of the entire supply applies there.

In those cases, the OVO account would be completely closed down in a similar way to if you moved out, except that no new account would be opened and the entire property - and ALL MPAN/MPRN - would be disassociated from it. All meters would also be removed from the property before it gets pulled down.

In other words, OVO would decommission the entire property from its systems permanently.

On the DNO’s side, the MPAN (and MPRN for any Gas Transporter) would be decommissioned and removed from the national database - ECOES for Electricity and Xoserve for Gas - along with all their equipment being removed before demolition.

It’s not the same process as for a Logical Disconnection like in your case.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
M
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That is how I imagined the process

Such a pity this method can't be 'part' applied to allow the many customers who are stuck in my position 

Having a smart meter is a necessity for me as we have 2 electric cars and are considering an air source heat pump.

My ONLY option seems to be to move to another supplier who does this meter change without any problem

Blastoise186
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Userlevel 7
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The fact it’s two completely different processes is something set down by the industry many years ago - OVO didn’t make it be that way, that’s just how it is.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
M
Rank

Final update on getting the off peak meter removed and having smart meter installed

I did have to swap energy suppliers, which went through yesterday. I had a call today asking me if I wanted smart meters fitted (duel fuel swap), they suggested an econmoy 10 smart meter as they noticed the 2 electric meter numbers but when I explained the situation (we don’t need the off peak side) they have arranged an appointment next week for installation of an electric and gas smart meter plus removal and de-energise for the secondary meter & MPAN.

Completely different response to a cusomer’s needs.

 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Userlevel 7

I’m really glad to hear that you’ve finally managed to get this sorted @MT_OVO24 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.

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