Refused a smart meter due to work at height?

Well, after an online chat, Field Force are coming next week to install the meters, apparently bringing all necessary equipment for what they call “an equipment job”.

I gave a link to this forum discussion which saved me having to explain it all, so thanks to those who contributed.

Fingers crossed for next week, I will report back.

Hey, no worries!

We’ll be here if you need us! :D

Update: We are now the proud owners of an electricity smart meter. A hi-tech step ladder was employed by the installer…

Unfortunately, they could not fit the gas meter, because apparently there is an issue with a bracket on the gas pipe. We asked our local gas engineer about it, and he said the supplier would need to sort it out. So back to OVO I guess..

Hi ​@portland555,

That’s great news about the electricity meter - thanks for letting us know. I’m wondering whether ​@Lukepeniket_OVO might be able to get in touch with you about the gas meter - it might be that our engineers need certain kit to get it installed, however it may be the Grid that has to come out first before the smart meter can be fitted. Hopefully it's not anything too technical.

This is it - not sure what the issue is.

The meter is not properly supported by the bracket.
It looks like a support leg has been deliberately cut off by someone so as to jiggle it into an awkward place without having to disconnect the meter?

I assume that the meter isn’t sitting on it’s base and may even be just supported by the pipes? Or will be if the bracket corrodes any more.
That is unsafe hence the “DO NOT USE” warning sticker.

Even if the meter is sat on it’s bas a new meter may be smaler, the new gas smart meter I has fitted a couple of months ago is 1/3 the sixe of the old one.

We can’t see what the bracket is fixed to either - if it’s actually fixed to anything.
It should be secured to the wall in that configuration.

it just needs a new bracket, but as that means unfastening the pipes from the meter then it’s a job for the supplier to do - but I believe that its your responsibility to supply the bracket,
New brackets are readily available and not expensive.
 

ok thanks. So what do I actually have to do now to progress this? Who do I need to call?

Edit: Sounds like to need to speak to SGN.

Presumably the engineer will have submitted a report about why the gas meter wasn’t changed, particularly if they have also issued that “DO NOT USE” prohibition.

When fitting such a label they should have also provided you with a gas warning notice; which should contain precise details of the unsafe situation.

I am only going off what you have said about the bracket being an issue and that photo - the actual safety issue might be something else.

What a gas safety notice means for the consumer:
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/home-gas-safety/gas-appliance-warning-labels/

You might want to wait a day or two for OVO to contact you, or to make sure they have the engineers report before you contact them.

EDIT- I don’t think that you need SGN involved, as long as the meter engineer knows that he will need to fit a new bracket then he should be able to do that - he is taking the old meter off anyway. But as I said you will probably have to buy the new bracket and have it ready to be fitted.

PS the type of bracket you have looks like this one - when it’s not got a support leg missing:
https://www.bes.co.uk/gas-meter-bracket-for-u6e6-and-g4-meters-3-4-inlet-8211/

If you do have to buy one then you may want to double check the dimensions between the pipes and from the pipes to the wall, just to make sure the new one is the same.

Update: Ovo are sending another engineer next week to do a “site investigation” and decide what we need to do next. My guess is the defective gas meter bracket may be bonded to the box in some way, so a new wall box may be needed.

Hi ​@portland555,

Thanks for letting us know. I’m glad to hear that the ball is rolling on this. I’ve reached out to a colleague and have passed your photo on to them, just to check if the site investigation is definitely the best way to go. I’ll get back to you when I’ve heard from them. Just to confirm, was it Customer Services who booked this in for you?

Cheers 😁

Yes, I phoned up Ovo yesterday and the call agent booked the appointment.

Well, the shiny new in-house display lasted all of a week and now fails to connect to the meter.

You’re still in the setup phase - this is not unexpected.

Have a chat with OVO and ask them to use XJoin on it, that should kick it back into gear.

ok - the daily smart meter readings on the website stopped on 21st Feb as well.

That’s normal during setup. It should return in a few days

Not a very consistent message between the OVO app and the OVO website!

And yes, I do “mind” sending one manually. That is why I have spent a year fighting to get the d**n thing installed so I don’t have to risk life and limb climbing a ladder over the stairs!

Latest update: the new smart electricity meter is dead. Engineer swapping it out with a new one today.

As regards the gas - apparently an expensive job for SGN, so that won’t be happening. I will continue to be smart for electricity only!

Website still shows the old meter serial number and no reading received. new IHD not working either. Hopefully it will all start working before we move house next month.

Just a heads up - it may take up to six weeks for all records to update following a meter swap.

I know that is the line they trot out to cover themselves, but seems a bit extreme just to update a few database records. It also means we may be unable to give a final meter reading when we move later this month!

It’s not just updating a few database records on OVO’s side I’m afraid - it’s updating database records across the entire industry and making sure they all agree.

Not as fast a process as I’d like either...

Strange that it has literally started working in the last 10 minutes :-) The Systems admin’s ears must have been burning!

Or just my magic touch… I am a SysAdmin myself after all… XD

Finally received a Glow IHD as a replacement. Worked immediately!

So, further to my previous conversation, I raised a complaint about the fact that I got lots of visits but got no actual work done because my rts meter is above my stairs and needs a ladder or platform for access. The lass on the complaints line basically said all she could do was repeat all the details of the issue already recorded from visits 1, 2 and 3 and book another visit.   So, morning of 4th visit the engineer called to say he couldn't do the work as he had no equipment and no 2nd person, so he was going to raise a second complaint, and speak to his boss as OVO would have to sort something out. 20 days later, all I have is a leaflet through my door saying I needed to book an appointment.  Not anything to do with previous visits, just the implication that they'd never heard from me at all.  So, OVO, will you please sort this out, contact me for an appointment when you have arranged to get someone who can do the work, with the necessary equipment and not yet another lone person with no access equipment. If you need to arrange for someone local to set up the access, that's fine, but I really can't bear a fifth round of wasting my time...