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Smart Meter changed to Boost- Now off supply!

  • 21 February 2023
  • 5 replies
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Came home from work to discover that our electric had been cut off! Not I may add because we were in debt to them or owed any money at all. Our meter is a smart meter, and paid each month on the dot by direct debit. We have lived here 35 years the house is paid for. 
5 months ago I received a letter from Boost saying that a Fiona Stead owed them a considerable a mount of money for her electric. The address was ours, I phoned OVO immediately to ask why we had received the letter and that she had never ever lived here, even before we purchased the house. I was told at the time that it was sent in error to us. Well it’s now turn out after trying to find out what’s happening that because of this person we have be cut off!!!! We have one METER it’s not shared accommodation,?please answer me this? How can you have 2 supplies going through one meter? How can you paid your bills on time and have the app to tell you how much electric you are using and how much in credit your  can they cut you off by using the smart meter? Their help line is rubbish no help what so ever and because the office is closed they can sort anything out. I have cancer and I’m classed as vulnerable but they just don’t care. Can anyone help us we need electric and is there any number we can ring? 
we have contacted 105 but because there’s power to the meter they can’t help as the power has been cut from the meter. Please help thank you 

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Best answer by Jeffus 21 February 2023, 22:27

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Userlevel 7
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Just seen your post - sounds dreadful.. @Jeffus usually suggests contacting twitter for help out of office hours. Not sure of details how to do this. He may come to the rescue….. It sounds like you would need Boost to put your meter back on as it would appear they’ve hijacked it somehow. Looking at Twitter @boostpoweruk they have replied 2 hours ago to someone so you should get a response.

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Hi @Camper Sue

It is not easy to contact Boost or OVO out of hours, but this sometimes works. 

1. Try this website and lets see which supplier is registered for your current meter. That may give some idea who to chase in case your meter is wrongly registered. 

I assume you are with OVO rather than Boost. 

https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

2. I would try both the OVO and Boost twitter pages

 

I would include the word EMERGENCY as it will hopefully attract attention. 

Post on their public pages without personal information and then send a direct message with personal information.

- full name, full address including the postcode, account number and your date of birth. 

Can't guarantee it will work but worth a try. 

You could repeat on Facebook both public and then private message. 

https://www.facebook.com/ovoenergy

https://www.facebook.com/boostpoweruk

I have alerted the moderators on the forum in case they pick up tonight.

@juliamc and i don't work for OVO, we are just customers like you, but will do our best to help.

Keep us updated if you can.

@Tim_OVO @Emmanuelle_OVO flagging in case you happen to pop by this evening. The issue was raised a few months ago on the forum but has now resulted in @Camper Sue  being cut off for someone else's debt. She has cancer and is vulnerable. 

 

Userlevel 7

Hello @Camper Sue,

 

Really sorry to hear this, that sounds like a very stressful situation to be in.

 

It may be that your meter has been remotely changed to pay as you go mode, if so please contact Boost who’ll be able to remotely change your meter back to credit mode opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm or Saturday, 9am to 2pm on 0330 102 7517 . If this is the case it sounds like there is some confusion maybe as to who is responsible for your meter, they should be able to identify the issue and ensure this doesn’t happen again. 

 

Another option, if the meter is completely off supply is that the battery has failed. As you have an account with OVO would be to contact them on 0330 303 5063. explain the situation and they may be able to book in an emergency meter exchange as you are off supply. 

 

I’d advise getting added to the Priority Services Register this means that if there was ever going to be a planned outage in your area you would be informed, it also offers a number of free services that may be helpful to you. 

 

Keep us posted with how you get on. 

 

Hi 

thank you all for your help and advice last night, I was at my wits end. 
Meter has been replaced after 17 hours without electricity. Engineer and the Lady from OVO I spoke to today said the older smart meters, when changing suppliers can revert back to PAYG and with a limit of £998 will cut off when this is reached, which is what happened to me. I changed to OVO last March so that amount would make sense. 
Good news is electricity is back on and new meter installed. 
Thanks again and keep an eye on those meters

Userlevel 7
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@Camper Sue so pleased 🤗 that’s very good to hear. What a palaver!

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