Not so smart with their electricity meters roll-out in Badenoch
A Kingussie resident is caught-up in a Catch-22 situation because a power giant is telling her to get a smart meter when they are not being installed by the same company in Badenoch.
The woman, who did not want to be named, uses a pay-as-you-go meter.
But she said that a storm knocked out the meter readings in April, last year, and ever since she has been on SSE’s ‘merry-go-round’.
She said she is aware that other households in the town are affected by the same problem although no precise numbers are known.
The woman said that SSE will not repair the old meter and every time she gets the same stock reply.
She said: “I was told by SSE we will need to instal a smart metre and I said ‘fine’ but was told by them that at the moment they have no-one in our area to do it.
“I have rang many times since and I get the same response.”
She raised an official complaint with SSE in October, last year, but said ‘there was no response to that’.
“I called them again just last week but nothing ever gets done,” she said.
“We have received the government vouchers but we can’t use those and two of them have now expired although I have been told they will be backdated.
“Every time I ring they send out smart cards – I now have six of them but they are useless of course.
“I’ve even had correspondence to book the installation of a smart meter but you go on to do this and once again there is no-one in the area doing them.
“It’s a Catch-22.”
The woman is concerned about debts mounting in the current cost of living crisis: “I have no idea how much electricity we are going through. I have been told we will not be cut-off which is fine but I have absolutely no idea how much we are spending.”
On losing the meter, the woman said there was a power cut for five to 10 minutes and when the supply resumed there were no readings available.
She was able to use her key card three times to put payments on at the town’s Co-op store then after that it was no longer valid.
An SSE spokeswoman said: “We sold the retail part of our business to Ovo Energy and this would fall within their remit.”
The Strathy also contacted Ovo Energy but has yet to receive a reply.
Are you having similar issues in the Badenoch and Strathspey area. Let us know below in comments or email editorial@sbherald.co.uk
