Contact Energy issue

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#3148695 18-Oct-2023 10:13

I'm pretty sure that Contact don't actually read meters, they contract it out - probably to Wells.

Contact's contract with their service provider almost certainly doesn't include a requirement to routinely (final readings will be different) read a meter on a specific day, it will be on the preferred date +/- a day or two to allow for weather, sickness, etc.
The meter reading contract company would undoubtedly charge (a lot?) more for meter readings to be done on a specific date

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Rikkitic

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#3148702 18-Oct-2023 10:32

PolicyGuy:

I'm pretty sure that Contact don't actually read meters, they contract it out - probably to Wells.

Contact's contract with their service provider almost certainly doesn't include a requirement to routinely (final readings will be different) read a meter on a specific day, it will be on the preferred date +/- a day or two to allow for weather, sickness, etc.
The meter reading contract company would undoubtedly charge (a lot?) more for meter readings to be done on a specific date

Why should that be the customer's problem? I am already paying for a service. If Contact has an inflexible contract with an external provider, it is their issue. In any case, I am not asking for a particular date, just the courtesy of actually showing up on whatever date they choose or at least informing me of any change so I can make sure to be home. Apart from that, they almost never show up anywhere near the date they have indicated. I have repeatedly made a point of being home on the date they give, and the one before, and at least one after, but they rarely appear on any of those. Why should that be my problem?

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Qazzy03

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#3148727 18-Oct-2023 11:16

It is your problem because Contact energy hold the power (pun not intended) in the relationship.

I doubt they care if you move power providers.

Question why don't you enter your metre reading online or via the app?

https://contact.co.nz/support/meters-and-connections/providing-my-own-meter-reading#How-do-I-read-my-energy-meter-and-send-you-my-reading

Aucklandjafa

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#3148729 18-Oct-2023 11:26

PolicyGuy:

I'm pretty sure that Contact don't actually read meters, they contract it out - probably to Wells.

Contact's contract with their service provider almost certainly doesn't include a requirement to routinely (final readings will be different) read a meter on a specific day, it will be on the preferred date +/- a day or two to allow for weather, sickness, etc.
The meter reading contract company would undoubtedly charge (a lot?) more for meter readings to be done on a specific date

Even more reason to either install a smart meter (assuming there's cell coverage) or allow the customer to manually input readings and arrange a final reading if/when the account closes. Doesn't seem like rocket surgery

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#3148734 18-Oct-2023 11:38

Qazzy03:

It is your problem because Contact energy hold the power (pun not intended) in the relationship.

I doubt they care if you move power providers.

Question why don't you enter your metre reading online or via the app?

https://contact.co.nz/support/meters-and-connections/providing-my-own-meter-reading#How-do-I-read-my-energy-meter-and-send-you-my-reading

They are contacting me to discuss the issue.

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Rikkitic

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#3153700 30-Oct-2023 13:48

I said I would get back if I had a response on this. I guess I have had a kind of response. I received a blank email with an image attachment saying 'we recently received a complaint from you', along with their contact details. I also received a separate email from someone at customer resolutions asking for my phone number. I replied that I preferred email for communications, both because I don't like the phone and because email leaves a written record. That was 10 days ago. I haven't heard a thing back from them.

I think I will give it another week just to be completely sure and then ask why they haven't been in touch. Complete silence seems oddly cowboy for a big company like Contact. They must really not like email.

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raytaylor

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#3155695 4-Nov-2023 09:57

Rikkitic:

My objection is I just can't see why they are unable to make an appointment for a specific day and stick to that. Doctors and dentists do it. Car mechanics do it. Why can't Contact do it?

From memory your all the way out in Raukawa.

Scheduling a person to drive out there just for a single visit is not going to happen without a custom charge.

Meter readers are only really viable because they have a route with lots of reads per hour.

As everyone switches to smart meters, meter readers are becoming more and more expensive per read.

However i understand due to your location, a smart meter might also not be viable - i cant remember if the new RCG cell tower around the corner from you is capable of serving smart meters. I suspect it isnt.

There is indeed an email address you can email a photo of a meter read to - a contact CSR told me about it when i switched an account to them recently but im sorry i cant remember exactly what it is but its something like meterphotos at contact.co.nz or something like that.
My contact bill in town has a "next meter read date" on it but in reality it reads it every half hour. I think investigating a smart meter is the best option for you or emailing photos.
The meter should be on the outside of the house anyway so the reader doesnt need to come inside and they could then turn up at any time without a charge to you.

Edit: Oooh i just remembered you might actually be south enough to be on the centralines network - all theirs have been smart meters for the last 20 years since they have a scada network that covers all of central hawkes bay. One of the first in nz to deploy smart meters.
But no it looks like your just within the unison network - it stops at Te Onepu Road.

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Rikkitic

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#3155699 4-Nov-2023 10:21

Hi Ray,

Saying the meter 'should' be outside isn't really very helpful. It is inside. That is how it was installed at the time, however many centuries ago. That is the reality I have to work with. This is an old place.

People (not only you) seem to have a hard time understanding what this is actually about. Of course I do not expect the meter readers to make special trips out to my place or do anything else beyond their normal duties. I just want to be informed when they know they are coming to my place so I can make sure I am home. They have to know when they are coming to my home or my area at some point. It will be rostered or something. Why can't that information be passed on to me so I can ensure I am home? That is all I am asking yet it seems to be beyond the capabilities of Contact Energy not only to do this, but even to comprehend it.

Anyway, I am still having a discussion with them about it. This is progressing very slowly but I guess I have all the time in the world.

Thanks for the meter photo info. Maybe I will have to do something like this but the meter is up high and I live alone and at my age I am not keen on going up ladders. There are reasons for my choices and I think they are valid. But like I say, the negotiation is still ongoing. I have repeatedly asked Contact Energy why they can't give me the actual date for the meter reading, which they have to know at some point, but so far they have persistently failed to address that simple question. I live in hope.

Edited to add: Yes I am with Unison.

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PolicyGuy

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#3155733 4-Nov-2023 14:36

Rikkitic:

I have repeatedly asked Contact Energy why they can't give me the actual date for the meter reading, which they have to know at some point, but so far they have persistently failed to address that simple question.

Contact probably can't tell you because they don't know, it's not that they don't want to tell you or won't tell you.

Contact have outsourced the meter reading service. The meter reading service provider almost certainly employs subcontractors to actually drive around and read meters, they don't do it themselves either. Each level of contract probably says something like meters will be read "between every 57 and 64 days" and allows each next-level-down contractor sufficient flexibility to arrange their activities efficiently (for them, of course, not you). I suspect that this kind of relatively loose arrangement also allows the degree of 'autonomy' in the relationship that will ensure that IRD won't suddenly decide they're employees rather than contractors.

So, it may well be that Contact's billing folks only know your meter has been read when they get the reading from the meter reading service company, who maybe got it from the actual meter reader the previous day. If Contact staff look in their internal system it might at best tell them that your meter is due to be read this week, but not a day.

Rikkitic

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#3155741 4-Nov-2023 14:53

PolicyGuy:

Rikkitic:

I have repeatedly asked Contact Energy why they can't give me the actual date for the meter reading, which they have to know at some point, but so far they have persistently failed to address that simple question.

Contact probably can't tell you because they don't know, it's not that they don't want to tell you or won't tell you.

Contact have outsourced the meter reading service. The meter reading service provider almost certainly employs subcontractors to actually drive around and read meters, they don't do it themselves either. Each level of contract probably says something like meters will be read "between every 57 and 64 days" and allows each next-level-down contractor sufficient flexibility to arrange their activities efficiently (for them, of course, not you). I suspect that this kind of relatively loose arrangement also allows the degree of 'autonomy' in the relationship that will ensure that IRD won't suddenly decide they're employees rather than contractors.

So, it may well be that Contact's billing folks only know your meter has been read when they get the reading from the meter reading service company, who maybe got it from the actual meter reader the previous day. If Contact staff look in their internal system it might at best tell them that your meter is due to be read this week, but not a day.

If this is the case, why can't Contact simply say so? I keep asking and they keep not answering but instead waffle about other things.

Even if this is the case, someone somewhere down the line has to know the actual date. They have to have a schedule of some kind. All they have to do is flick me a quick message and the problem is solved. Again, I can be home anytime. I just need to know when.

If they can't manage this simple thing then they need to find a better meter reading company. I am not asking for anything exceptional or unreasonable.

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Handle9

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#3155863 4-Nov-2023 16:23

Im not sure why you are making such a big effort to solve Contacts problem for them.

I’d just ignore their stupid threats and otherwise get on with life. They are extremely unlikely to be enforceable.

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#3157031 7-Nov-2023 15:25

Handle9: Im not sure why you are making such a big effort to solve Contacts problem for them.

I’d just ignore their stupid threats and otherwise get on with life. They are extremely unlikely to be enforceable.

Not sure if it is just threats. They say they will charge me $30 for an unscheduled read if the meter reader has to come twice. I don't know if that is enforceable or not.

For those following this thread, can anyone tell me anything about having a smart meter installed? I have since heard back from Contact and this is the only real option they have offered me. I still think it is not unreasonable to ask for a simple notification when the meter reader is scheduled to come, but it doesn't look like they are prepared to do that. The smart meter is their only offer.

My concern is that I have a very old wooden power board in an old farmhouse. I am not utterly against a smart meter in principle, but I am very worried about opening a can of worms if anyone touches the power board. It could well disintegrate if it is opened. I cannot afford any major repairs and I don't want to tempt fate here. What does the installation of a smart meter actually entail? If anyone can tell me I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks as always for the help!

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wellygary

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#3157042 7-Nov-2023 15:50

Rikkitic:

My concern is that I have a very old wooden power board in an old farmhouse. I am not utterly against a smart meter in principle, but I am very worried about opening a can of worms if anyone touches the power board. It could well disintegrate if it is opened. I cannot afford any major repairs and I don't want to tempt fate here. What does the installation of a smart meter actually entail? If anyone can tell me I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks as always for the help!

If you are that worried about futzing with the original power board, then your best solution is talk to them about installing the smart meter in a supplementary meter box, separate from the power board,

They are reasonably common these days, with the meter box being on the outside of the house and the "fuse" box and distribution board inside somewhere else;

raytaylor

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#3157080 7-Nov-2023 17:52

A smart meter takes about half an hour to install.

You can book it with contact who will send out a technician to replace the meter.

The technician will need to cut power to the house for about half an hour - usually only 15 minutes.

If you are in a low cell coverage area, they may need to run a cable to an external antenna.

You can talk to the technician before they start and say they are to inspect the board and abort if it will cause any other work to be required. They should also be reminded to check the network coverage before they start too. Its a little larger than a dumb meter.

The smart meter has a display which cycles through current load, kwh used since it was installed.

The smart meter has a cellphone module inside it and occasionally sends a text message to the metering company with recent usage broken down into half-hour blocks. They pass the data on to contact who then displays the usage on their website in the customer portal. Its really cool being able to see the half-hourly usage breakdown over the last few months.

Edit: I should also say smart meters are not actually that smart - they just have some really basic remote control functions but mostly just give more granular usage reports via a cellular connection. This enables you to have a time-of-usage type of electricity plan rather than just an anytime single-rate plan.
Hot water control is still done via ripple control - a separate box on your fuse board.

Ray Taylor

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lxsw20

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#3157087 7-Nov-2023 18:06

As above has said - remember these guys have done 1000's of meter replacements, so I'm sure they've dealt with the situation of an old install before.

The smart meter is going to be your best and least stressful option going forward if you'll let them install one and they say its OK to do.

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