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Original poster

Smart meter - yay or nay?

106 replies

FuckingHateRats · 12/08/2022 13:06

We're with Bulb.

Currently pay £229 DD every month (four bed semi with shit windows). Sitting with £475 credit at the min.

Bulb are keen to install a smart meter.

Those who have one, would you recommend it? Will it make my payments go up or down?

OP posts:
godmum56 · 12/08/2022 21:51

MarmiteCoriander · 12/08/2022 14:48

I recently moved. Previous house was still on economy 7 and Bulb's smart meters cant be fitted to those apparently- despite constant emails about installing one!

New place we are renovating. I was religious about monthly readings previously, but I can see daily what has been used and what is on at the moment. I always turn lights off etc, but its opened by eyes to daily appliances and what they use. Microwave and kettle use FAR more when on that I ever expected.

I also see the amount shoot up when the workmen have their cement mixer on and then charge their tools on our electric! 😡

I was initially against getting one. Someone advised that in time- we will likely ALL need to get one, and best to get in now whilst free. Each to their own though.

have meters ever been charged for?

bellac11 · 12/08/2022 21:57

What puts me off is that I read that it can cause faff when you want to change providers.

I cant see what benefit I would get out of it to be honest, I read the meters maybe once a year or so, just done them, the lasst readings were in October so not as bad as I thought, we are in debit now but as each month goes on we clear that.

Cynderella · 12/08/2022 23:57

Picking up points made ... it's no longer a faff if you switch suppliers (I believe) because 'universal' meters (SMETS2) are being installed now. And no, it won't remind you to switch off a light BUT it will show you that lights have been left on by others. At times, that's how obsessively I have watched my display - it's not even plugged in now, but it's on my To Do list ahead of winter.

When money was really tight, I used the smart meter display to limit our usage, especially in the evenings when increases showed something had been left on. I know it's going to frighten me out of using the tumble dryer, turning up the heating or not checking all lights are off this winter, so I'm pleased we have it.

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Cynderella · 12/08/2022 23:59

Oh ... and the PP who said they were not in credit now ... I would be concerned - if you're not in credit now, you will struggle in the winter. It's the summer credit that cushions the winter bills.

Clymene · 13/08/2022 00:23

Anything an energy company tries super hard to persuade you to do is for their benefit, not yours. They're not coming out to fit it out of the goodness of their hearts

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 13/08/2022 01:24

They don’t come out and fit them. You just get them out of the box and plug them in and they work by … erm… magic? 🤔

cakeorwine · 13/08/2022 08:11

A smart meter helps the energy companies to get daily readings.

Having a monitor linked to that Smart Meter is useful. You can easily see which devices are using energy - and the daily readings can show you which days and activities can use energy. I can tell when we use the oven or have a bath as on those summer days, the gas usage increases.

I love my energy monitor - it has helped and it has helped DS see the impact of his activities.

Most smart meter installations are fine.

Heroicallyl0st · 13/08/2022 08:17

Changedmynamefor · 12/08/2022 13:28

DH works for a utility company and says we’ll get one over his dead body.

but why? His opinion is pretty useless without some rationale.

I’ve never had any problems with mine - just saves me sending meter readings and my direct debit has always been adjusted through the year to make sure I end up balanced by the end of the year.

Time40 · 13/08/2022 08:33

No, because I've heard too many people say that they have broken down or otherwise gone wrong, and have caused a lot of problems. Why change from a reliable system that never breaks down to one that could potentially create trouble?

And also, I'm against the trend for "smart" things - they give companies information about what's going on inside your home, and this isn't risk-free, for reasons that it would take me a long essay to explain.

cakeorwine · 13/08/2022 08:35

Time40 · 13/08/2022 08:33

No, because I've heard too many people say that they have broken down or otherwise gone wrong, and have caused a lot of problems. Why change from a reliable system that never breaks down to one that could potentially create trouble?

And also, I'm against the trend for "smart" things - they give companies information about what's going on inside your home, and this isn't risk-free, for reasons that it would take me a long essay to explain.

I thought that. And that's what I posted a few years ago.

Then I got a cheap deal and they said I had to have a Smart Meter.

I think it's great. How could you be convinced that they are useful?

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 13/08/2022 08:43

I don't want another lump of plastic cluttering up my already small kitchen surface. It's really not difficult to take a metre reading when you're asked to and keep appliances switched off when you're not using them. I am baffled as to why anyone wants one.

CoffeeBeansGalore · 13/08/2022 08:46

We are already getting warnings about power restrictions in winter. Those with smart meters will be the ones the energy companies can easily target.

NoWordForFluffy · 13/08/2022 08:52

Cynderella · 12/08/2022 23:59

Oh ... and the PP who said they were not in credit now ... I would be concerned - if you're not in credit now, you will struggle in the winter. It's the summer credit that cushions the winter bills.

EDF pay you back if you get to over £100 in credit, thereby rendering the equal monthly payments utterly useless (as they then try to up your DD in winter due to using more and having no credit to cover it). I keep the refunds in a savings account for when it's needed.

FayeGovan · 13/08/2022 08:59

I have a smart meter now but ive never plugged in the wee thingmyjig they give you with it. Does it just tell you how much energy you use, whats the point of that? You know if you plug something in its using energy....

FayeGovan · 13/08/2022 09:00

Im in credit wirh EDF and haven't been offered it back...

lisers · 13/08/2022 09:01

We don't have one and we pay our bill quarterly based on actual readings, not by direct debit (DD).

DD is fine for fixed monthly bills, but a complete con when the monthly bill varies. Why should the energy company get the pleasure of having money off me before it is due?

My relative has a smart meter - countless calls and months later it is not working. She (and the energy company) have no idea what her usage has been.

cakeorwine · 13/08/2022 09:02

FayeGovan · 13/08/2022 08:59

I have a smart meter now but ive never plugged in the wee thingmyjig they give you with it. Does it just tell you how much energy you use, whats the point of that? You know if you plug something in its using energy....

It tells you the energy usage, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly

It tells you the cost

You can look at how different devices use energy so you can get an idea of what your washing machine uses, dishwasher, electric shower.

Data helps you make data driven decisions and can help nudge behaviour. And reduce costs

Changedmynamefor · 13/08/2022 09:03

Heroicallyl0st · 13/08/2022 08:17

but why? His opinion is pretty useless without some rationale.

I’ve never had any problems with mine - just saves me sending meter readings and my direct debit has always been adjusted through the year to make sure I end up balanced by the end of the year.

Show quote history

Because they are 100% for the energy company’s benefit, not ours. Because you are handing over a huge chunk of data with no idea what they are going to use it for. (Most likely surge pricing when there is peak demand)

Runnerduck34 · 13/08/2022 09:05

We had one installed a few months ago. The gadget thing that goes with it that shows energy use when different things are plugged in etc has never managed to connect to our meter. Spent more hours than I care to say trying to sort it out with third party installer then with my supplier Shell Energy.
In some ways I wish I'd just stuck with my old diall meter!!
I'm sure they are good if they work..... and if you can get your energy supplier to resolve any issues...

cakeorwine · 13/08/2022 09:06

Because they are 100% for the energy company’s benefit, not ours. Because you are handing over a huge chunk of data with no idea what they are going to use it for. (Most likely surge pricing when there is peak demand

And cheaper when low demand so you can top up your house battery and electric car cheaper at night.

godmum56 · 13/08/2022 09:08

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 13/08/2022 01:24

They don’t come out and fit them. You just get them out of the box and plug them in and they work by … erm… magic? 🤔

that's the monitor. You need a smart meter installed for the monitor to work

godmum56 · 13/08/2022 09:10

Heroicallyl0st · 13/08/2022 08:17

but why? His opinion is pretty useless without some rationale.

I’ve never had any problems with mine - just saves me sending meter readings and my direct debit has always been adjusted through the year to make sure I end up balanced by the end of the year.

Show quote history

I can do the DD changing by sending in readings

Changedmynamefor · 13/08/2022 09:12

cakeorwine · 13/08/2022 09:06

Because they are 100% for the energy company’s benefit, not ours. Because you are handing over a huge chunk of data with no idea what they are going to use it for. (Most likely surge pricing when there is peak demand

And cheaper when low demand so you can top up your house battery and electric car cheaper at night.

Theoretically yes, I agree that could happen.

TitInATrance · 13/08/2022 09:15

Elphame · 12/08/2022 13:27

No. Some companies are already charging more at peak times with cheap offpeak electricity.

It's the slippery slope to this becoming the norm to the detriment of young working families who can't cook/run appliances at unusual times.

It benefits only the electricity providers.

I wouldn’t have a smart meter because I’m very happy with the 2-rate meter I have. Industrial and commercial use far outweighs domestic consumption so it’s unlikely that typical working hours would ever be cheap rate.

Still amazed not to have heard anything about the amount of rising cost being borne by heavy industry. Might be proportionate, might not - who knows!

NoWordForFluffy · 13/08/2022 09:17

FayeGovan · 13/08/2022 09:00

Im in credit wirh EDF and haven't been offered it back...

They auto-pay mine back when they bill me. It's not offered, it's sent!

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