This happens so often. Can’t put the heating on. Credit slowly dropping away even though it’s not been on, we have a 9 year old, 8 year old and a 1 year old in the house and it’s freezing. We’re on top up yet can’t change provider because we apparently owe them money when we don’t. It’s an awful situation
A monthly occurrence for us. Had 4 different meters installed and still the same old same old.
byu/PiDDY_ inCasualUK
by PiDDY_
28 comments
***NOT a gass man.
Wondering if there is a manual valve and it is still shut, forgot to enable after install, this wil be before the meter, normally a red handle. The lever should be ‘inline’ with the pipe (open), if the handle goes at an angle across the pipe, the valve is shut.
​
Otherwise I would just keep calling the emergency line stating the baby factor.
As you say this is a new meter, i think they are battery powered, so low power cant be an issue. It has to be an issue with the mechanical value.
When they installed it they would/should have left it in a working c
​
Also credit going down whilst not in use, that that not the standing charge being deducted.
Is it a prepaid meter?. If it is can you go with DD per month?. A lot cheaper overall. Prepaid is a rip off.
It appears they want you to use all your electric boiling the kettle to fill the bath.
Smart meters will be the new horizon post office scam of the future. Just a million times more.
Mine does exactly the same, it’s incredibly frustrating! 😡😡😡
My mum’s place has this meter and we’ve also had issues with it. Most notably, the battery inside (used to open and shut the valve etc) was dead and the whole meter had to be replaced (they’re built so that the batteries can’t simply be swapped, for some ungodly reason). It could potentially be a faulty battery or install? In any case, it sounds like a job for a British Gas Engineer. But considering I was on the phone with BG for 3 hours yesterday morning (also meter related), I can empathise that that’s probably not the answer you were hoping for. I’m sorry you’re in this situation!
How much do they say you owe them? Can they provide an itemized bill?
Also, I think I read yesterday that they must install a regular meter if there is a kid under 2 which is the case here.
Sometimes when they cut off due to running out of credit there can be pressure issues. It might work to try closing the emergency valve handle then slowly opening it again over 30 seconds and trying.
This might also be an issue with the gas pressure being too high or low potentially.
I’d be using this to get off a meter, go direct debit. The cost of the gas and electric is cheaper 🤷♂️
If you’re not getting anywhere with British Gas (I didn’t when I had a problem) then file a formal complaint via their complaints process. They’ll have 8 weeks to offer a resolution, which you can choose to accept. If they go over that 8 week threshold or you don’t accept their offer of resolution because it’s shitty, you can contact their Ombudsman service and likely be compensated financially.
Just a word of warning, they left it until the 11th hour with me, but it did get sorted and it was better knowing that it would be sorted within that set time than keep wasting hours on hold/waiting on chats trying to speak to someone.
Edit: use the term ‘off supply’ – say it a lot.
I had this a couple of times, read somewhere that it wont turn on if something is on that uses gas i.e the boiler, have you tried turning everything that uses gas off first, Then turning the gas on?
Am currently in a 2 month dispute with EON next, I some how have 2 electric meters and 3 gas meters attached to the property. Smart meters are becoming a pain!
arent you supposed to hold it down?
the message you get is what happens when you dont hold it down and or it has failed.
it doesn’t open from a single press, its designed to make sure a human is there, hold it, then release when it says and it will open
You have a baby, you need to stress that to them. It’s extremely cold at that moment. There’s a priority services register you should be able to register for, you’ll have to look at your provider for info. They should come to you straight away then .
Tell them you want to make an official complaint and that you’ll also be taking it to the Ombudsman. That should give them a kick up the arse.
When you’re trying to get it back on are you making sure all gas appliances are switched off including the gas valve and boiler?
Hope you can get it sorted!
I work in the industry and everyone says the new smets 2 stuff is very flakey, gas meters don’t work properly and the electric meters aren’t able to send the reads off.
We don’t use gas because we don’t know what it is!
So I used to work for British Gas and and fit these meters, it’s a known fault with these meters that the valves will randomly close cutting off your supply. The only way around it would be to change the meter, but the valve might then again close on the new meter. Only way to stop this would be to fit a non smart meter, but British Gas will not want to fit you one of these
Make a complaint. You can claim compensation from them for this.
> Compensation if your gas supply goes off
You can claim at least £40 if your gas supply goes off due to planned works without seven days notice from your network operator. If it goes off due to planned works without five days’ notice from your network operator you can claim £20.
> For unplanned interruptions to your gas supply you are entitled to at least £60 for every 24 hours the gas is off. Additional payments and provisions are available for households on the Priority Services Register, such as alternative heating.
> You can claim more if you are off supply for more than 24 hours. The amount increases depending on how long you are off supply.
> If your gas goes off because of disruption to the national energy supply, you will not be entitled to compensation. This is because it is not due to a fault on the network.
How to claim
> You must claim within three months for unplanned supply cuts, or within a month for planned supply cuts where you were not given notice.
> You can make a claim through your local network company.
That’s an ‘E6’ meter, with fancy electronics, nothing but trouble. Ask for a ‘G4’ meter , an old style mechanical type, with monthly bills.
Press the B button long enough and press A(long press) to release the gas after it gives you that option. It should work.
Edit: also wait for the gas to release do try turning on the heater after it beeps 2 times.
Bro press b quick as you can then it should say something like hold A to Open valve, you’re spending to long pressing B, so it’s registering as a double click. Which brings this error up,
You want to split second press B then hold A until it Clicks(valve opening)
Also it will drop no matter if you’re using it or not. daily recovery is a thing with most energy supplies that have a debt tied to the meter, they’ll take X amount off you a day.
Would the amount taken since you topped it up not just be the daily standing charge plus whatever you’ve used?
You could boil your kettle to do the washing up, and get yourself some hot water bottles to keep warm under a blanket. Not an ideal solution but something to help.
And ring British Gas and tell them to get somebody out today because you have a baby.
What to do?
Obviously go to Reddit for advice.
???
Profit i guess
If your baby is under 2 (which it sounds like) you can have them remove prepayment and put you on credit mode (rates are also slightly cheaper on credit)
Only yesterday were (some) suppliers allowed to start fitting prepay under warrant and the new rules are very clear that a baby in the household precludes fitting one.
Have u tried holding B until it says let go?
If holding B doesn’t work, turn the gas tap off so there’s no pressure behind it, then try. But wait the full 2 mins