Morris Minor Owners Club

Not insurance related so apologies for going off topic, but something I wish to get off my chest.

Npower (my gas supplier) sent a letter through beginning of May. "We have tried to contact you on several occasions but you appear to be ignoring our request." (this was the first letter off them, I thought, you haven't been trying very hard as I live at the address you sent the letter to and you have my phone number). Anyway, it said they need to check my gas meter is safe and the next stage is a magistrate warrant to break in and check it. Seems harsh, but hey ho, we are where we are.

Anyway, as the letter sounded important I rang them and managed to get an appointment in three weeks time, within a six hour time slot. How convenient I thought. Anyway the day comes I waited and waited.... nothing, I decide to look out the front door and there was a card... SORRY WE MISSED YOU. So I rang up Npower with a moan, the person didn't knock the door bla bla bla. Made another appointment same happened again. Two days holiday wasted, people with kids will understand, holidays are a valuable commodity.

Anyway I rang again and they stipulated if I don't get the meter checked they will go to court to get a warrant to break in. If feel like saying... ok do it that way, at least I know for sure you will bloody turn up and knock the door first and I'll get the meter checked!!! Donuts!

Sounds very annoying and worrying. Hope you sort it soon.

A very snotty letter would be in order... sent recorded delivery so they can't say they didn't receive it.

I sit on a Village Hall Committee. Our Village Hall was rebuilt and relocated a few miles back into the village only last year. We had received a few Gas bills showing quit a big increase of usage. Our Treasurer inquired as to how we owed so much and was told that it was a guessamate. They would send someone out to read our meter and send another updated bill. We then were sent a letter that our person was sent to read the meter and that could not gain access to our Hall. We arranged for a committee member to wait in for another person to call. No body turned up and another letter arrived. We then informed them that we waited in and nobody came but we needed not to have been there as the meter cupboard is out side next to the front door. They still sent another three people to try and read the meter without success. In the end we read the meter ourselves and sent them a strongly worded letter. Our bill finally arrived with a saving of over £1000

I fell for the old safety check routine from my power supplier. I was told that my fuse box needed replacing with circuit breakers. Cost £650. Checked at my local friendly electrical shop, all I needed to do was to replace the individual fuses with circuit breakers, cost £125! I still have the fuses.
Now when I get annoying phone calls I inform them that my neighbour (qualified) checks my systems.

Hello Mike,

that is nonsense, circuit breakers are no safer than fuses, given the correct gauge is used as a replacement if one blows. Certainly they are more convenient. Older wiring systems may have other potential faults but just changing the fuse box for a modern consumer unit is not addressing those problem.

Alec