Still waiting for EDF

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Yes despite ringing them as they opened up this Wednesdaymorning and being put on hold for ages while the chap in the Philippines talked to the team in the Uk about an appointment, he had to come back and say they were not willing to come out until they had interrogated the meter via its IP address. I pointed out that surely if the smart meter was really that smart, if it was a software problem they should have had an alert four days ago when the economy 7 stopped, its thus more likely to be hardware? He said he would ring me back when they had done their tests. Its now almost lunchtime and nobody has rung me. I did want to go out, this afternoon, but I guess now Ill have to sit it out or hope they will call the mobile and use some sense rather than the nonsense they seem to be showing at the moment.

I'll keep those here posted. I'd rather like to know what the answer is here since why is it my display will not tell me if E7 is actually working or not? Brian

[newshound]

Sounds a real PITA. I believe all suppliers are supposed to have a "special service" for the more vulnerable. You might have chosen not to have that box ticked but, if not, this might be the time to invoke it.

I've heard it said that many service organisations monitor Twitter, and that a suitable post there sometimes elicits a rapid response. I have no wish ever to use Twitter, but that strikes me as an interesting use. Also social media, local press, local MP?

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

and if you didn't, you should have reinforced that idea when you spoke to them on the phone..

Yes, social media is very public and you tend to get fast responces. No company can afford to ignore very public complaints for long.

[Brian]

That is beyond disgraceful.

Again, without wishing to offend you Brian, to leave a person in your position without your heating - even though it is relatively mild- is disgraceful.

I have always been dubious re Smart meters - although we have Economy 7 via an old fashioned meter for general use ( if it fails to switch to ?cheap?, at worst we pay our day rate to run the washing machine, charge the car, run the oven self clean cycle now and then etc) - I?m even more against them now.

I?d recommend an Email to EDF?s UK CEO. That normally gets a reaction. It works with BT and others.

[Andrew]

EDF (energy), formerly known as SEEBoard is now owned by a Hong Kong Chinese Zillionaire. I wonder if he is under the thumb of the commie chinks on the mainland or is one of their supporters without being 'persuaded' ?

Andrew

[Andy Burns]

Based on what info?

All I can see says that EDF energy is wholly owned by EDF France, which is 83% owned by the french govt.

[Andrew]

[Tim+]

Why? As Brian Gaff has demonstrated, even without a smart meter you can end up losing all heating.

I?ve had more than my fair share of dodgy smart meter problems but it?s never left me sans electricity or heating.

Tim

[Andy Burns]

"UK Power Networks" previously known as "EDF Energy Networks" is not "EDF Energy"

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

I do have a twitter account but cannot use it well enough to understand what I'm doing really, there is a difference between accessibility and usability of web sites and apps, and to me this is a classic example of how to get past the access tests but fail the usability tests. Nobody rang me and I had to ring them. The line kept dropping due no doubt to it being voice over ip to the Philippines. The second lady said I should get my own electrician in, but I pointed out that everything after the economy 7 supply out was mine, but the rest was theirs. She has now promised to get them to call me today. I'm not confident. I suspect somebody is triaging the complaints. In one case I pointed out I was on their priority list they said that did not matter since they had all been on the course, Well box ticking is hardly actually doing it. In one case a lady connected me to the appointments number which played me pretty music then suddenly went engaged as if somebody had lifted and slammed down the phone, cutting me off. I find that kind of behavioiour ignorant. I aspect they did that to stop them having to record a call they were unable to handle. It would have been nice if instead of just making up excuses and hanging on for ages, if they are busy, if they simply told the truth that they had more jobs than people and gave me a date they would ring me. This current nobody wants to be left holding the grenade when it explodes approach is a classic case of no proper chain of command and nobody has responsibility to get the jobs done. Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

UK power networks cannot intervene unless you have a total loss of power and this particular installation has no way to recharge the heaters on the main supply, or if it does have such a thing has never been told to me. I don't think its smart meters which are the main issue in this case its the fact that staff on the customer services end have not a clue how E7 works and who owns which bit.

Brian

[newshound]

From Google/Wikipedia

"EDF Energy is a British integrated energy company, wholly owned by the French state owned EDF, with operations spanning electricity generation and the sale of natural gas and electricity to homes and businesses throughout the United Kingdom"

Brian talks about "UK Power Networks" in his latest post, so perhaps his problem is not, in fact, with EDF Energy. Maybe "UK Power Networks" is the local equivalent of Openreach?

[charles]

The company that looked after Brian's electricity supply was called EDF Energy Networks. That's the one that is now called UK Power Network (my supplier too).

[Andy Burns]

UK Power Networks is the local DNO (presuming Chessington is within their area?) they own the cables in the street up to the cut-out in the house, so given brian has some power, I can't see they're responsible.

I presume EDF Energy is brian's retail supplier? Probabaky true if he's never changed supplier, they own the tails from the cut-out, the meter (and presumably any ancillary E7 switching devices, but maybe that's part of the smartmeter now?) Can brian get a neighbour/helper to take a few photos of the whole installation and upload them somewhere?

Anything else from the meter tails to the consumer unit(s) is brian's own kit.

[Andy Burns]

But they're not responsible past the cut-out, so it's not likely to be their problem, but the firm that brian pays his bills to and own the meter (or possibly brian's own E7 consumer unit).

[Robin]

+1

It's far from clear that the problem is anything to do with the supplier. But they should check the smart meter and tell Brian if it is reporting consumption - and not reporting faults.

[Andrew]

My bill says edfenergy.com and at the bottom it says

Distributor: UK Power Networks, Ipswich 0800 029 4285

[Andrew]

Brian

when I was interested in their EV tariffs, I got one of the ladies down at plymouth ? to send me a PDF file which she did and sent it from her own email address :-

Mrs Jillian O'Leary Customer Service Advisor Customer Services

T: 0333 200 5100 Email: jillian.o' [e-mail]

Try emailing her directly and remember to tell her that you are blind and have had no heating since xmas day.

(assumes that she still works for EDF).

regards

Andrew

[Tim Streater]

Yes, two different entities.