To expect EDF energy to pay for the damage their meter reader caused?

[Catsu]

am very cross!

Came home on Friday last week to see the meter box open and flapping in the wind (it's on the side of the house so noise is annoying, especially at night). Thought that the meter reader must have left it open so got my key and went to lock it again. Discovered that the locking mechanism had been snapped right off! It's now inpossible to lock.
Rang EDF and asked if their meter reader had been to our property to read the meter on Friday. They said yes.
Explained about the damage. They said, sorry we are not responsible for the meter box, it's your property. I replied yes, it's my property but your representative damaged it!
They refuse to pay. They have agreed that their meter reader probably did it, they will accept responsibility to send a replacement lock for the box but say that the cost of a tradesman fixing it is down to me.

I pay over £100 a month in gas and electric to them and they can't spare £30 to fix damage to my property that they caused.

Am very cross. What can I do?

Well at least they're replacing the damaged lock.

I'd fit it if I were you and just put it down to one of those annoying things that happen.

At least it won't cost you anything.

I had bad experience with EDF. Customer service was zilch so i'm suprised you've got as far as a replacement lock.
YANBU to expect them to replace it but you are relying on them doing it as a goodwill gesture. They may argue it wasn't them as hard to prove. Plus if they have it in your contract that you are responsible for your own meter box they've got you there.

I will never deal with EDF ever again after my experience. Maybe its time to switch?.

Really? It just seems terrible customer service to me!
It took some persuasion to even get them to pay for the new lock and they are merely offering the £3 odd it's worth to me off my bill, not even sending me the actual lock. I have to buy the lock myself, get a receipt, send the receipt to EDF who will refund me for the amount of the lock, then I have to fit the lock myself or pay someone to do it depending how tricky it is.
Would be more normal to assume they would send someone out with a new lock to fix it for me and to say 'sorry about that' surely?

I just read again your initial post and you said that they agreed that their meter reader probably did the damage. Did you get that in writing as that could be usueful if you want to escalate the matter higher?

Well there's all manner of things to take into consideration before they spend money on sending a locksmith to your home armed with a lock to fit.

For starters they don't know what condition the lock was in, in the first place and whether their meter reader actually did break it.

It's very annoying but should be simple enough for you to fit.

What about fingerprints? Try the Police by saying that someone has been at your meter. They might come and do fingerprinting.

Do you live in a mansion? £100 a month is a lot. Would be more worried about the cost you are paying for energy.

It's for gas and electricity. I live in a 4 bed, 3 storey house. Dh works from home so use a fair bit of gas and electricity...

Do you live in a mansion? £100 a month is a lot.
Really That's what we pay roughly and we are just a family of 4 in a 3 bed place.

I had the police come and fingerprint a garage door someone broke, I see this as no different. I'd be informing EDF that I'd be passing their details to the police as likely suspects.

Criminal damage is criminal damage whether it's a bored teenager or an incompetent representative of a large organisation.

hearsounds £100 for gas and electricity is NOT a lot! For a tiny, one bed flat in a well insulted new build then maybe. Most people ooop north where I lived had cheap 3 bed 'period' terraces. So that is no insulation and a cold damp cellar sapping heat... £100 is nothing even with the heating only being on for an hour in the morning and a few hours at night.

We live in a 4 bed 3 storey house and pay a lot less than that. What is your DH doing all day?!
Can you change suppliers? Complain and moan, then complain some more.