Western Power Isolator fitting fees increase!

[BruceBanner]

Been getting quotes of DNO to come and fit DP ISO for scheduled works or as req for a while now at approx £90.00, de/re energise approx £80.00 each way. With the increase of smart meters, shiny new seals with numbers on and a lack of seal fairys, to keep things above board with not to much additional cost when you take out what you would done it for, client take up, it wasnt a bad deal.

Last quote of DNO was nr end april, been elsewhere but came back to my own stuff and went to book some in, got a call back after a week at £187.00. After a week of chasing got to talk to the man here, queried it and told him a price increase of that size was a **** take. He advised me that it came in start of april from on high, little or no advanced warning and that i wasnt the only contractor to tell him that.

Comments ?!

 

[Richard Burns]

The de-energisation and re-energisation of an installation should be free of charge as this is a requirement from them and they state they are in control of the main supply so there is no other option there.

Fitting an isolator is a sensible approach but if they are going to charge £187.00 then it would be much cheaper for you to fit the isolator instead.

DNOs increasing charges and adding charges for this service indicate to me that they want electricians to de-energise installations themselves which is obviously a sensible move from our side of things but a totally opposite approach from DNOs (apart from SSE).
If they were serious about wanting to maintain control of the supply then they should reflect this in their practical approach as well as in their documentation.

 

[uksparks]

I always got the isolator myself, never call the DNO as its a rip off. I ha e no problem what so ever in pulling a fuse out so long as it's modern and in good condition.

 

[BruceBanner]

Thanks for the reply,
i agree it should be down to the DNO's to de/re energise FOC to us or the consumer, as should fitting an ISO by the DNO be a requirement for them to do so in the first place. And yes I can fit one cheaper than them, now by a long way. But they still dont want the seals broken by me to de-energise to do it, so they still want to charge one way or another to do that bit.
At £90.00 approx the difference between me fitting one and them was on the limits of acceptable, Now?

 

[BruceBanner]

I did used get the ISO's myself to, then the charges got sensible, so i figured the difference between my charge and theirs was worth was worth consideration, the benefits on newly tagged and numbered services were good and the smarties being put in place made keeping it above board a bonus, the client take up once explained was good to.

Believe me the fairy does reappear when applicable but this is just a massive backward step, its like some beancounter realised offering BOGOF deals to entice the punters in then pulling the plug overnight was a smart way to increase revenue?

Call me a synic if you like but there it is.

 

[Bobster]

I've never worked in the domestic field, so correct me if I'm wrong.

Do these new smart meters not come with a screw/switch that isolates power to the installation?

 

[Spoon]

I've never worked in the domestic field, so correct me if I'm wrong.

Do these new smart meters not come with a screw/switch that isolates power to the installation?

They can be isolated remotely. I'm not sure about locally.

 

[7029 dave]

Why are you ringing the DNO.? The metering supply company can arrange, some charge some don't.

 

[Leesparkykent]

They can be isolated remotely. I'm not sure about locally.

I don't think they all can.

 

[Spoon]

I don't think they all can.

Which mate? Remotely or locally?

 

[cloverman]

I have purchased and fitted myself on some occasions and on other's I have got the customer to arrange with the Supply company to install free of charge

 

[Leesparkykent]

Which mate? Remotely or locally?

Remotely, Some of the smart meters I've seen installed are like the ones we used to fit on the "free" solar jobs. Not 100% sure but don't think they could be remotely switched.

 

[Octopus]

Never see any seals any more....

 

[Spoon]

This is the answer I got from SmarEnergyGB to my question "I saw a program on some smart meters and how they were made ( It was morethan a year ago ) and in the program it stated that the supply could be turnedoff remotely via these meters. Is this the case for these meters as well?"

With respect to remotelyswitching off energy supplies, please be assured that consumers are protectedby exactly the same strict regulations that currently protect them against anenergy supplier switching off or disconnecting their gas or electricity supplies.This protection remains as strong with smart meters, as it was with traditionalmeters.

All the programs I have see showing these smart meters, they all have had remote isolation switches. I can' say for sure that they all do.

 

[Midwest]

Out of interest, those fitting an isolator (not the dno or meter co), what are you fitting, metal or plastic ?