Energy company under fire as Sutherland customers wait more than a year for their energy meters to be fixed
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A power company has come under fire from East and Central Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureau (ECSCAB) over the inordinate length of time it is taking to replace or repair household energy meters.
Rachel MacDonell, manager of the Golspie based bureau, says that some customers in Sutherland are still waiting for an engineer’s visit more than a year after contacting OVO Energy/SSE about their meters.
The situation means affected households are unable to calculate their energy usage and run the risk of going into debt.
Ms MacDonell said: “At a time when people all over the country are dreading the impact of the price cap, here in Sutherland, there are people who have been waiting months and, in some cases, more than a year, for an energy meter to be fixed or replaced. It is really quite astonishing.
“This is an issue affecting many more people across Sutherland, not just those we are seeing at CAB, and something must be done to improve the situation for those impacted.”
She has written to Sutherland, Caithness and Easter Ross MP Jamie Stone to ask if he could help on a political level, and he in turn has contacted the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem).
Energy giant SSE sold SSE Energy Service - the part of SSE that supplies energy to households across Great Britain - to OVO Energy in January 2020 for £500 million.
The deal followed approval by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and saw OVO take on around 3.5 million accounts. The transition of SSE Energy Services gas and electricity customers has been gradual.
Formed in 2009 and based in Bristol, OVO is the largest independent electricity supplier in the UK.
Ms MacDonell said an increasing number of people, who have been waiting months for their meters to be repaired or replaced, were contacting the citizens advice bureau. In most cases, they had been told that no engineers were available in the area.
She said: “One local resident told us that they had requested the installation of a prepayment meter to manage energy usage to avoid energy debt. They now have over £1600 in energy debt after the installation appointment was cancelled three times.”
She added: “In the meantime, I would encourage anyone who is having problems with their supply or their bills to contact their local CAB for free, impartial and confidential help.” Click here for details on East and Central Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureau.
MP Jamie Stone said: “Repeatedly failing to send meter engineers north of Inverness is bad practice at the best of times, but it is particularly concerning when households are grappling with a devastating cost-of-living crisis.
“OVO/SSE need to understand the problems they are causing by leaving so many households in the lurch, and give priority to their Sutherland customers who have been waiting for far too long.
"I have written to Ofgem to highlight these issues and I look forward to taking this forward with the regulator and the local CAB to make sure energy customers in Sutherland receive the standard of service that they deserve.”
An OVO Energy spokesperson said: “We encourage our customers to get in touch and we will do our best to support them. Our teams are continuing to install smart meters and attend maintenance work through our engineers and partners.”
CASE STUDY
Dornoch resident Brett Ireland says he has been “totally let down” by OVO/SSE and worries daily about his energy usage and how much he will have to pay for it.
Mr Ireland moved into his current home in July 2021 and shortly afterwards contacted OVO/SSE asking for a prepayment meter to be installed.
“I’ve always used prepayment meters as I find it easier to see what I’m using and to pay as you go, rather than in a lump sum when the bill comes in,” he said.
An engineer was scheduled by the power company to visit his home but did not turn up and over the next eight months three other scheduled visits were cancelled with no warning or explanation.
Mr Ireland said: “I’ve explained the situation and the impact it’s having on me countless times to OVO/SSE customer services. It’s now September 2022 and I’m still waiting on an engineer to install the prepayment meter. Every now and then I get an email from them to say they’re on the case, but nothing changes.
“I do nothing but worry on a daily basis if this will ever be resolved. I feel totally let down by OVO/SSE. It seems like they are not interested in helping those living on low incomes who need the help most, especially as I contacted them on the day I moved in.
“I feel like I’m just getting put to the back of the queue and forgotten about, their attitude seems to be that it’s too much hassle to send engineers to customers in Sutherland and they are hoping I’ll switch suppliers.
“Now, with the increases to energy costs, it’s getting closer to the point where I could be paying more in fuel bills than I will be for rent. It’s a scary time for everyone, no matter your bank balance”
