Caught in a smart meter muddle

To cut a long story as short as possible, I have two electricity meters with two separate Meter Point Administration Numbers (MPANs), and I did have two electricity meter serial numbers. However, Economy Energy put its

smart meter on the meter that applies to another electricity provider. I now have two MPANs both linked to the same smart meter but with different suppliers.

Apparently Economy Energy just needs to change the information on its system and on the national database but it has failed to do this so many times I have lost count.

Are you able to unravel this for me please? KAREN CHADFIELD, N YORKS You were only using Economy Energy for one area of the property. When it came to installing an electricity smart meter, Economy Energy’s representative put it on the other supplier’s meter.

I became involved two and a half months after this had started. Even then it took nearly another three months with constant prompts for Economy Energy to resolve this. Time and again it gave you deadlines for call backs and response emails that were not kept. There were also long wait times for both of us when calling Economy Energy on the phone. We both feel the failure to give realistic deadlines and so manage your expectations significantly aggravated the frustrations over all of this.

Meanwhile it offered a £20 gift voucher as compensation. This, of course, given all the trouble you had experienced, and the fact you were desperate to relinquish Economy Energy’s services, was neither here nor there.

At last the matter was untangled and, with further prompting from both of us, statements which you had not had before detailing exactly what you were owed were sent.

Economy Energy has also sent you £200. On the day this was done you started the process of switching your energy supplier. You have now submitted final meter readings.

At last you are able to breathe a sigh of relief. You are convinced that if I hadn’t become involved in the matter, you would still not be free of this. sent a photocopy instead. The LPA is my property. I paid a fee for it to the Office of the Public Guardian. I have written to three officers at Barclays to ask for its return and have had no reply.

Can you help please? RM, SOMERSET

You had lent your certified copy of the LPA to Barclays. However its Delegated Authority Team and the branch concerned were then unable to locate what you had sent, only copies.

The official stamped certified copy carries the same authority as the original and will be accepted by banks.

Further to my involvement the bank has provided you with instructions on how to proceed with getting a replacement and has issued you with a cheque for £185. This includes the £35 cost of obtaining the official stamped copy and £150 as additional compensation.

A Barclays spokesman apologised for the level of service you received in relation to the missing document. The bank said: “We have agreed to cover the cost of obtaining an official stamped copy of the document from the Office of the Public Guardian, and have offered an additional £150 for the distress and inconvenience.”

I understand from the Ministry of Justice that costs are £35 for a copy of an LPA and £25 for a copy of an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA). Expect it to take two to three weeks from making a request.

Lawyers and notaries would certify a copy of an LPA/ EPA, but check what their charges are before committing to having it done this way.

Having gone through the process, you now have the document you need.