Dno Equipment Upgrades - Response Times ?

[Revved Up Sparky]

As some of you may know I have just started rewiring my old semi.

Below is a picture of my consumer unit, MET, and DNO equipment.

My supply from the DNO is provided via a 16mm twin & earth cable piggy backed from my next-door neighbours cutout. My main earth (provided by DNO) is the unsleeved 6mm cpc in that 16mm T&E cable. This earth is connected to my neighbours MET and can easily be disconnected by anybody in possession of a flat bladed screwdriver !.

In December 2014 I wrote a letter to the Health & Safety department of Scottish Power (my DNO) complaining that my equipment is in an unacceptable and in my opinion, unsafe condition. In January 2015 they did send an engineer round who took photographs and agreed that the supply & equipment in both semi's needed upgrading. It's nearly October now and they have not done anything ! I sent them another letter a couple of weeks ago but no response !.

How long do you think they will take to come out and actually do the work ?

I think I'll wait till they've been before I fit that 10.6KW shower !

 

[Blue Duck]

NICE!

UKPN are pretty good with this but it depends on other factors such as their subbies getting in next door to inspect the equipment and the communication s with your neighbours.

They will probably want to put in a new supply which may also depend on other factors.

Give them a call and badger them.

 

[misssweden]

Ooooh! Keep calling because that really does need sorting out. That's just rough on so many levels. Could be worth looking up Ofgem regs and see if they can provide you with useful ammo regarding response times and unsafe supplies.

Also, when you do get your new supply I definately recommend going for an outside meterbox. That will make life so much easier for you if you do have any supply issues in the future.

 

[ProDave]

Yes, what you want to be pushing for is them to install a new supply to your house. Next door can take care of his own affairs then.

BUT it will almost certainly involve digging up your driveway / garden etc and a lot of disruption in the house (e.g floors up) depending where the supply head is located in relation to an external wall etc.

Usually if I phone to report "something not quite right" it often gets lost.

If I report an "unsafe condition" it usually gets someone out sooner.

Where you can have a big headache is when your supplier is not your DNO. e.g the one time I tried to report faulty meter tails to N power and the parrot on the end of the phone would only say "put your request in writing" no matter how much you tried to tell her it was dangerous.

 

[NozSpark]

I've found Scottish Power to be quite good... Same day response for dangerous conditions...

and they even came out to replace a service head/meter mounting board within a week for me,,, then again the existing one was rotten and it was a PILC TNS supply

Oooh,,, and they don't care who your supplier is either,, they just get on with it

 

[Andy™]

well for a start, that T&E is not fully sheathed, therefore dangerous. so phone DNO and report it as dangerous

 

[binky]

This bit is not for Miss S's ears, would have been useful to have removed the fuse carrier, induced a big chip/fracture in casing and asked if it is safe??? Would get an instant response. :innocent

 

[steptoe]

One area I work in has a lot of supplies in lead sheath twin.

 

[misssweden]

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

 

[ProDave]

This bit is not for Miss S's ears, would have been useful to have removed the fuse carrier, induced a big chip/fracture in casing and asked if it is safe??? Would get an instant response. :innocent

Years ago I know somebody :innocent who had the incoming cables entering through a wooden door frame.  He wanted to replace the door but didn't want to pay to have the cables moved.

He "noticed" one day that the cotten outer rubber insulated incoming cable appeared to be damaged so he called the DNO to report the dangerous condition.

The replacement cable was fed in through the hole in the wall that appeared to have been recently drilled and led straight into the meter cupboard, thus allowing the old wooden door frame to be removed.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I would never put a blow torch on the tails to make them look like they have overheated due to a too small csa as that would be dangerous.

 

[misssweden]

:facepalm:

I need to stop reading this thread... :slap

 

[Murdoch]

Just last Saturday I contacted UK PN at about 2pm regarding a dodgy head I had looked at the previous day.

at 5pm last Saturday, I got an email from the client saying that UK PN had been, changed the head and had left

All in under 3 hours!

 

[Revved Up Sparky]

Thanks for all the replies, I will write a more strongly worded letter and report the cable and equipment as being "dangerous".

 

[binky]

:facepalm:

I need to stop reading this thread... :slap

just think of the overtime

 

[Murdoch]

Thanks for all the replies, I will write a more strongly worded letter and report the cable and equipment as being "dangerous".

Don't pussfoot around with letters. Get on their tech chat system........

 

[misssweden]

Don't pussfoot around with letters. Get on their tech chat system........

Or try twitter. Most DNO's has got a customer service twitter account.

just think of the overtime

Yeah. But.... No...! :slap

 

[binky]

ok think of the shoes you can buy :slap

 

[NozSpark]

Thanks for all the replies, I will write a more strongly worded letter and report the cable and equipment as being "dangerous".

I wouldn't bother with a letter,,,, just phone their emergency line and say that the supply cable is getting rather hot..

Scottish Power number is now.. 0330 1010 400

 

[misssweden]

ok think of the shoes you can buy :slap

Please don't encourage me, I have already bought a pair this week! :slap