PROBLEMS WITH THAMES WATER'S NEW SMART METERS

Thu 17 Sep, 17:21

Can somebody tell me how we know whether or not our smart meter is working; we don't have a display screen as many people do for their power supply meters (gas & electricity) so are we supposed to go online and find water usage figures there?

Interestingly our power supply screen has never worked to show us anything at all in spite of getting British Gas here to try several times; all they say is "switch it off and on again and it will start to work". Regrettably not, though it does send readings to the supplier which I have to assume are correct as they are the same figures as the meters show if I interrogate them!

Thu 17 Sep, 15:07

Christine, I had to beg them to have my smart meter activated so I would be surprised if you have been connected without your knowledge, but this is Thames Water..........

Thu 17 Sep, 14:09 (last edited on Thu 17 Sep, 14:10)

I didn't ignore the letter about Smart Water Meters that was sent by Thames Water earlier in the summer. But as they never answered the helpline phone number that was listed in the letter, despite numerous attempts, I might as well have simply ignored it.

As far as I know, the Smart Water Meter has yet to be installed (under the pavement outside my property), but I am now wondering how I would know whether or not I have been connected via Smart. Do people still get paper bills? And how are the readings checked? 

I can see no advantage to the customer in fitting the new meters. We are in an internet-stressed area - -  even more so than a water-stressed area. 

Thu 17 Sep, 13:58

This is a well known issue with Thames Water (shock!). Article here from 6 years ago with people complaining about erratic billing 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-8074279/Customers-complain-Thames-Water-charging-smart-meters-without.html

Thu 17 Sep, 12:43

I think I have eventually got Thames Water to switch me onto our smart meter and they tell me that its working. I struggle to understand how that when they sent me 2 emails this morning, both at 8.26am that the first one states I am almost £1000 in credit and the second one states that Im £360 in credit. They really do not know what they are doing.

Thu 17 Sep, 10:45

I think Thames has been given the power to fit compulsory meters. We had a letter last year saying that as Charlbury was in a water stressed area they would be fitting a meter. We did ignore the letter and they turned up some time later without any warning, or even knocking on the door. The man doing the work was very polite, but said we have no say in the matter, fitted the meter, gave us a leaflet and left. Ten months later our online account with Thames does not show any meter recorded, and we have no idea if it is even working. Friends of ours have had similar letters and also been told they have no say in the matter.

Thu 17 Sep, 07:25

Well the meter is in the pavement off our property and when I pulled up from work he was just coming up to ring the doorbell so I’m not too fussed about that. I am very fussed at having had no notification or any information about it at all. To be fair to the installer chap he was very friendly and tacitly admitted that they don’t work well here as reception is poor … which he wasn’t supposed to tell me. Definitely getting politely turned down if he comes back. 

Wed 16 Sep, 22:57

Don’t TW need your permission to come on to your property, Jody?

Wed 16 Sep, 20:08

Bringing this back up to ask whether people are still experiencing issues? Came home today to find a Thames Water chap on our drive eyeing up our meter cap speculatively. Apparently he was here to change it and that of our neighbour. However, we have had no communication whatsoever on this from TW. I asked the man if he had to do it then and he is going to come back tomorrow but if they’re still not working effectively and if we have had no info at all from TW I’m minded to refuse the work tomorrow when he comes back. 

On related news have lined up some evening reading on the debate in parliament yesterday on public ownership of the water companies… I feel my ire likely to rise still further. 

Thu 27 Aug, 19:32

Makes it easier to pay for their bonuses and dividends. Just saying

Thu 27 Aug, 17:18

I have managed to do that but the Smart element is defo not working. I have heard back from the CEO office and we will wait and see. I have a guy I know in Chad who saw this post and has a similar issue. 

Thu 27 Aug, 16:13

You can submit a meter reading via the website, that might help, but it won't help the low-power, long-range, and bi-directional radio communication protocol (LPWAN) not working, which could be due to topography.

Wed 26 Aug, 18:07

This is a known problem. A neighbour’s did the same and was charged a huge amount in one go.

Good luck!

Wed 26 Aug, 17:56

My neighbour and I on Marlborough Place are having issues with our new 'not so smart' meters not sending readings to our online accounts. We are currently getting nowhere fast with any resolution by customer services - which has now been a couple of months in the plodding.  Just wondered if anyone else in Charlbury is having similar issues and if so, how have you resolved them. I am about to send an email to the CEO to see if I can escalate the matter.