I appreciate this is getting boring, but 3 days later letters are still arriving from HOMESERVE.

I am now "returning them to Sender" unopened

Concerning the meter and time switch. An ex EDF/EEB manager ( well actually a retired relation)has looked at these for me and agreed:

(a) the meter calibration date reads 1985

(b) the meter seal reads "Eastern Electricity 1985"

© an original cardboard tag is hanging from the meter dated 12/1/1986

(d) the time switch has a calibrated date of 1985

Assuming a refurbished meter may read 00000 how come since August2009 (4 months) I have used 270Kw in a one bedroom flat.

Conclusion, they are the original eqpt fitted when the house was built.

EDF Customer Services told me to ignore any Calibration stickers, dates or Utility Supplier names as they are irrelevant.

Our EDF manager says this is utter nonsense as all meters must carry a "recalibration date" which normally doesnt exceed 20 years.

With his statement and photographic evidence the problem has now been escalated up the tree with a letter to EDF HQ

We wait and see what happens, hopefully its game. set and match to me but that seems to easy.

Its astonishing what rubbish Customer Services can tell you, especially to ignore any calibration stickers etc.

Its a good job I have friends who work in the industry or I will have just been fobbed off with ridiculous statements.

Just an update.

3 days after posting the last message I receive 4 letters through the post all from HOMESERVE.

2 of them asking why I had cancelled the DD and to ring Customer Services.

The other 2 acknowledging the cancellation of the policies.

Will I ever shake them of ????

No, there was no money lost as I had already cancelled the Direct Debits.

When HOMESERVE rang back to ask why I had cancelled the DD, my mind was preoccupied. My son had just been rushed into hospital an hour earlier with severe abdominal pains, so when the phone rang I picked it up immediately expecting a medical update.

But OH No it was the dreaded HOMESERVE

Not only did I explain I no longer required their insurance, I had other things on my mind as my son had just been rushed into A & E and I was in no mood to discuss insurance.

This didnt deter HOMESERVE for one moment, of she went on her sales pitch about the problems I could endure with a broken pipe.

Enough is enough, I explained but the rant continued....at that point I hung up the phone.

After having a new Ideal CH boiler installed the Corgi engineer gave me a guarantee form to fill out and either post it off or telephone the 0800 number printed on the rear.

Making sure my boiler would be registered I telephoned the number and registered the boiler but I was uneasy because customer service didnt seem to know about this new IDEAL model.

Now I thought I was ringing IDEAL, but when I jokingly said " its strange you dont know about a boiler you manufacture" I then realised I was talking to HOMESERVE.

After a long winded registration I was then bombarded with offers of insurance to cover plumbing, electrical failures etc. The offer was £1 for each policy for the first 3 months - now after 20 minutes of pressure sales talk I relented and gave them my Direct Debit details knowing full well I could cancel within 14 days.

I put the phone down mentally exhausted after what should have been a very quick registration call.

I only wish I had posted the registration form and not phoned up.

A few days later the policies arrived, by return I cancelled them and stopped the Direct Debit.

Two days before the payment was due I received another call from HOMESERVE asking why I had cancelled the DD.

I told them I was pressurised into buying a product I didnt require and I had returned the policy documents the same day.

I told the lady, I didnt appreciate high pressure selling and that was end of the story.

But Oh NO, I was once again bombarded with a sales pitch telling me the risks of not having adequate protection ...

I was so mad I just put the phone down whilst she rambled on about " how HOMESERVE were there to help people like me"

More like, gaining commission on a sale if you ask me !

The moral of this story:-

If you think you are phoning IDEAL Boilers to register a boiler you will be talking to HOMESERVE

Post the guarantee form and do not talk to these people who have only one aim in life and thats to get you to part with your money.

I am on Economy 7 with EDF. My meter and time switch are both dated 1985 with the supplier "Eastern Electricity Board"

I have tried in vain with EDF to get these changed to digital. EDF insists on telling me the meter was changed last August and "Go away"

When I pointed out both appliances were stamped 1985 I was informed that this was irrelevant, they were refurbished items according to their records and this was correct.

My question > if the meter was refurbished would it not have a "REFURBISHED" sticker or some form of test certificate attached ??

I cannot get them to accept NOBODY has been to visit the property to change the items as they keep pointing out.

When I mentioned the time switch was 3 hours out I was informed they would make a visit within 5 days to set this correct. After endless waiting, I was then told they could not visit untiul 2009.

Any ideas ?

Just to confirm my previous message about Currys - the two machines were identical even down to the description and graphics on their respective web pages.

I personally think Price Promises are not worth the cardboard they are written on.

Outside my local Currys store there is a large sign which says it will beat any price offered by the likes of Comet, John Lewis and a host of others. Classic Price Promise.

They would even offer 10% back on the difference

I was after a Washing Machine: Currys Price £199, Dixons Price £179.

When I asked the assistant if they would keep to their Price Promise and sell me their Washing Machine at the Dixons Price, I got a flat refusal.

"No" she said, "We do not sell ay Dixons Prices"

I mentioned considering both Currys and Dixons are part of DSG Retail it was ridiculous.

I was told Dixons had just a few shops and were very small, so they could compete with theri overheads.

Not dettered, I asked another sales assistant:- this time I was told " Because Dixons was so large they could buy in bulk, Currys couldnt compete on price.

Two totally different stories.

Locally the Currys warehouse is at Thetfod in Norfolk, when I asked the sales assistant where the Dixons warehouse was they didnt know - I suspect its the same place.

So there we are, their Price Promise is not worth the poster its written on !!!