I have been waiting for ten months, written 180 emails and have the Ombudsman involved.
Still no action from Scottish power. It looks like I am going to have to go to a lawyer next to sort this out.The problem is that it seems Scottish power DO NOT install the meters themselves, their contractor does, and they seem unable to tell the contractor what to do.
The law quite clearly states everyone is allowed to refuse a smart meter and you do NOT have to accept one in the UK. Anyone in doubt about this statement is free to contact me and I will send them the goverment transcript. I was never given the choice wether I wanted one one or not.They just went ahead and did it when I wasnt in my house.MY house.They are bullies.They should only install when they have written permission form the landlord.They broke my new gasbox cover and I also had to re-paint and fill holes around the perimeter of the electricity meter.Still, that's not the issue.
The issue is that these so called smart meters will spy on you, maybe not now, but they certainly will in the future.This is your right.Dont get spied on. If you read the small print it quite clearly states that any information given or collected can and may be used by the police, goverment agancies or any one affiliated with them.
Each time a smart meter is installed they get paid around 400 pounds.
Sick, the lot of them.
Contact their helpline? Wait an hour on the phone, yes an hour, then they do nothing they promise.
I am sick and tired of them big time.
@alie Just a couple of things worth checking out before you go throwing money at lawyers:-
I think I'm right in saying that if a tenant pays for their energy directly, they are allowed to choose their supplier and whether or not they have a smart meter installed, despite any tenancy clauses saying otherwise. Consumer law says a landlord cannot unreasonably restrict them from changing suppliers or having a smart meter. I'm also led to believe if the tenant then decides to move on, and the landlord wants the smart meter out, the tenant is supposed to arrange it - has to leave your place as he found it.
Secondly, some tariffs and suppliers make installation of smart meters compulsory depending on that tariff or supplier. The supplier wont necessarily make this clear in the basic agreement, but it'll be in the small print, so it's a contractual obligation. This means maybe even the tenant didn't know a smart meter was going to be fitted - some energy suppliers are notorious for not being completely clear about things when there're targets to achieve.
Now, if your property was damaged by the meter fitter, I would have thought it's them who you have a claim against, not the energy supplier - they're usually different firms. It's awkward you've had the damage recified, as there's now no proof, unless you took photos. I would find out which firm fitted the meter and speak to them directly.
Lastly, you divulge more information about yourself every time you surf online than you do through your smart meter. As far as cyber security goes, smart meters are the least of your worries.
The government made it quite clear consumers would be given a choice whether they wanted one or not.
I am a consumer.I have NOT been given a choice. WHY NOT? The tenants arranged for this to be installed, a month later they moved out without a forwarding address.Leaving me with the problem., in the contract they singed it said they were NOT to change the meters.I also had a conversation with SP about the meters in 2016 requesting them not to be changed at any time after tenants installed card meters. The tenants did say they would pay to have them put back in but that would be difficult as it's taken Scottish Power almost a year to liaise with me and still no solution has been found. I wonder how much wasted time has been involved in this for everyone? They are stubborn and arrogant. I would imagine about 30 hours so far in emails,missed appointments, Ombudsman time and investigation time.I dont even have a display to see what I am using.So what exactly is the benefit to me of having this smart meter? None. Nothing. The only people who benefit are those collecting ''data''.