FloGas accidentally put me on a smart meter plan (and activated my smart meter)..

Loro78

Hi.

I moved house recently and the new house has a smart meter installed, but it hadn't been activated yet.

So when I rang FloGas customer support to cancel my previous electricity account with them, the agent told me that they had this fantastic offer at the moment, which was a 24 hour rate with a significant percentage discount, and a 220 euro welcome bonus - which would benefit me also as it was a 24 hour rate, but for this I'd have to keep my smart meter inactivated.

I agreed to this and all was good - now almost three months later, I received a phone call by another FloGas customer support agent, telling me that they accidentally had signed me up for a different plan than I had agreed to, and that this was a smart meter plan and that therefore my smart meter had been activated three months ago. Basically, I'm not able to revert this and apparently I will have to stay on this plan (that I never agreed to) for the contract period, which is one year. He also said he'll check with his manager what kind of compensation they can offer me for their error, but hasn't gotten back to me yet.

It all seems a little shady, I don't know... I'm at home all day every day, as I work out of hours, so the 24 hour rate would've suited me perfectly, and it worked out as a great annual estimate, but apparently there's no going back from once a smart meter has been activated..?!

Any advice on what I can / should do?

Thank you...

JVince

A smart meter doesn't prevent you having a 24 hour rate.

I don't understand why people think this.

I've had a smart meter for about 3 years and a smart plan with all the metrics.

I have a 24 hour rate as it suits my usage.

All a smart meter does is it gives you more choice and better information.

daheff

They can't force you to stay on a plan that you didn't agree to.

Tell them you are cancelling the contract because of a breach on their side. Look to go through their formal complaint process. Move your account to a different provider.

Nigzcurran

I just signed up to a smart 24hr plan. Something like 25c a unit

JVince

Looking at their rates there's very little difference except at the 5pm - 7pm time slot

27.77c / unit Versus 27.42c a unit 8am to 11pm

32.85 / unit 5pm - 7pm

and then a reduced rate of 21.65c from 11pm to 8am.

my guess is the overall cost difference will be rather small (or cheaper) unless you are a heavy user between 5pm & 7pm and use very little from 11pm to 8am.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123008189#Comment_123008189

I agree with the first point. You have not consented to activation so the contract is or should be voided.

Ask them to reverse the activation due to it being their error. If this is not possible due to ESB Networks policy, perhaps you can request a new meter or MPRN, and insist it is unactivated.

Bottom line, Flogas have to put you back to where you were prior to their error.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123009239#Comment_123009239

That's ridiculous.

You can't request a new meter and a new mprn just because of a simple plan error.

Any difference would be very easy to work out and I suspect that the OP has done better on this plan unless they are heavy users between 5pm & 7pm. The OP could actually work it out themselves in a few minutes.

But lets not make this out to be an error of a huge magnitude - it will be about €50 or so better or worse off.

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123009281#Comment_123009281

If a householder does not want their smart meter to be activated they have that right.

Smarten

Raise an official complaint with flogas. Detail your reasons and what you want from them. If not resolved to your satisfaction, raise a complaint with CRU and give your reasons and expectations. Once raised with CRU, it will get resolved

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123009429#Comment_123009429

They won't change back to non-smart (MCC01) plans though. CRU rules don't allow you to go back, even if in error. Best the OP can hope for is a 24 hour smart plan at this stage.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123009281#Comment_123009281

I agree it's ridiculous to have to go to such lengths. My post just outlines the extent the customer may wish to go to be put back to where they should be.

It should never be with the customer to live with an irreversible mistake by a supplier. That too is ridiculous.

oneweb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123009429#Comment_123009429

https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/consumers-home/contact/report-a-consumer-protection-issue/

https://www.cru.ie/make-a-complaint/complain-to-your-energy-provider/

https://www.cru.ie/make-a-complaint/complain-to-the-cru/