I am a vicar in one of the most disadvantaged communities in Great Britain. We have been working for some time to provide an affordable base for our social activities and have decided on eight interlocking portable cabins to form one large building. We were planning to open in early September with a food bank, youth groups and activities for the elderly when the power supply needed to be connected. However, we need a three phase electric meter to power the unit and it seems impossible to achieve. Our supplier, Utility Warehouse (UW), does not have any in stock and no trained technician to install them. He has to outsource to a company who says they haven’t been contacted about the work, although UW has assured us they have.
We are informed that it may take another three months to install – if it can be done at all. In the meantime, our much needed building will remain empty and unusable. During the pandemic, the need is even greater.
HIM, Liverpool
Three-phase meters are required for larger buildings that consume more electricity and they are a standard part of the kit. There is absolutely no reason for it to take more than three months to install it and it’s a shame that you had to resort to the help of the media to get a result.
After contacting Utility Warehouse, your complaint was escalated and an appointment was confirmed for the following week with the promise that a management team will oversee the proceedings. The company accuses a “communication failure” of your installation canceled at the beginning of the month.
“We can only apologize for the delay and confusion caused by this,” he said. “UW does not do this kind of work directly because the demand is limited. Instead, we outsource these facilities as needed.
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