Your meter is 'out of date'

[Pebbles16]

So we've been jumped around with suppliers recently and now told our meter is out of date. It probably is as it's likely 25 years old. But is this just a tactic to get a smart meter put in which then ties me to the supplier?
Possibly paranoid

Ah, the "I'm alright jack" approach.

In a free market, you'd be OK. But this isn't a free market, so invariably (see water) everyone will end paying directors bonuses.

I mean I am OK with that, because I believe that some people in life deserve to have gold plated taps that dispense Perrier, whilst others starve to death on freezing streets. Which is obviously the only sensible viewpoint.

But as this thread shows there are a lot of weirdoes out there who believe that smart meters should save them money. I blame the internet.

Add to that the fact they're all on pre-payment meters which are more expensive too.

A shill upthread said she saves loads of money on a pre-payment meter because she knows how much she's using 🙄🤔.

I mean it's just straight up lies.

Every time they make a change to something, they shaft the savvy people who make an effort.

Brought in a price cap for energy which basically removed a lot of the cheaper tariffs you could switch to if you looked into it and made the effort.

People were being charged more in a second year of insurance because they could not be bothered to change/shop around. So they removed the incentives for new customers which basically means everyone pays more.

Why should cheap deals be removed just because some are too inept to take advantage of them. So yes, I'm not bothered by surge pricing as again, if you make the effort you can make it work for you. Its one of the few changes which might actually benefit consumers like me.

@ScottishScouser How can people living in flats especially cheaper ones which are crowded on top of each other with little noise separation, "make the effort" to do things they can't due to their living circumstances, i.e. not being able to afford a house so being unable to, due to neighbours sleeping, use a washing machine at night?

Every time they make a change to something, they shaft the savvy people who make an effort.

Well they're hardly going to give money away are they ?

So you're fully aware we're all being ripped off and fucked over by these companies.

Don't you think we should do something about it?

Before I could get cheaper insurance by putting in the leg work to find a cheaper new deal - legislation stopped these cheap deals being allowed. It did not result in other prices coming down - it just remove the cheap options and brought everyone up to the previous higher prices.

Same with utilities - before the price cap there were often lots of cheap deals a lot lower than the variable rate they charged. Now those cheap deal don't exist because there is a price cap and we pay more to subsidise those people who never bothered shopping around.

If they ever tried to regulate the cost of holidays in school holiday time then it would not bring down the prices in the holiday period but would result in those who can go during term time paying more.

It's the same as any time people cry something is not fair. Any effort to regulate it does not benefit those paying more - it just removes the options for those who could pay less. The higher price is still the higher price it just means those who had to pay it don't have to look at people who could pay less.

The politics of envy never fixes the problem just removes the option that people can get envious about.

I'd rather go back to a freer market where those who make the effort can save money.

Had this with our energy supplier. They had been pestering us to get smart meters fitted for years. They tried this tactic and I made the smart meter appt, which they then cancelled on the day (but made it look like I cancelled it). So they can fuck off now.

We are kind of on the same page. The difference being you seem to enjoy feeling smug about the efforts you put in.

The system shouldn't be rigged. Prices and tariffs should be transparent and simple to understand. In a free market there should be market competition where genuine deals are easy to find because companies are eager for new business and costumers.

Instead we're lied to, confused and bamboozled by companies who genuinely couldn't give a toss about their costumers or costumer service.

These sort of communications only started when smart meters became possible. My parents ' old meter was 60+ years old when they opted for a smart meter. Friends have one 70+ and aren't changing unless they have to.

My electricity metre is one of the old ones with dials, I think I did request a smart metre a while ago but they said they couldn't do it... or something like that 🤷🏻‍♀️

I find it extremely upsetting that we are paying through the nose for gas and electricity while these companies are making money hand over fist and the government does nothing to regulate 🤬😭🤬😭

Again you seem to be misunderstanding where the saving money element comes in.

Yes, by being more aware you might change your habits and use less electricity but thats a completely separate issue to the fact that you can access cheaper and more flexible tariffs if you have a smart meter.

You pay less per unit, it's not a contentious issue, its been the case for years, I don't understand why you're arguing about something that's common place. As time goes on the offers become more nuanced, are you really not aware of any of this?

I'm not. But I'm resistant to having them. Various engineers have said the salts in the sandstone in my old house means they won't be accurate. Also, if I book an appt & it's a 'health & safety issue' to fit they will decline & charge me £85 failed appt fee. I have 2 meters, the electric is at (Victorian) ceiling height on landing, the gas is in the basement. The former has 1986 on it, the latter I don't know (but was here 20 years ago as I got the gas checked when I moved in as I could smell gas). I get emails every week. I ignore them.

Various engineers have said the salts in the sandstone in my old house means they won't be accurate

I’m intrigued. Did they explain how the salts would affect a smart meter?

But it’s not just an extra bit of tech that communicate with your supplier basically how much you are using and meter readings. it also allows your electric to be turned off remotely and replaces a perfectly working meter. Further to that many houses can’t use the “smart” features because they’re too remote or their walls are too thick.

Just curious about all the people saying your electric can be turned off remotely if you have a smart meter; what is that all about? Why would the energy company be turning your electric off?

Because you owe them money/debt is the simple answer. It's far easier for them to turn it off and wait for you to complain to them, then wait so long before complaining to the ombudsman, then wait for resolution before restoring the supply (during this time you are slowly repaying debt and not adding to it). The other option is for them to go to court and ask for a pre payment option for debt reduction. Cuts out that pesky legal middleman who thinks peasants have rights.

Realistically though, how many people are in that position? Having a pre payment meter installed if you are not paying your bills is the right course of action. I think the whole 'they can turn it off remotely' is just scaremongering.

It’s only “scare mongering” and unimportant if you don’t understand WHY utilities can’t be arbitrarily turned off. It’s a big deal to me, not because I am ever likely to need that sort of protection but because people with less resources than me do.

It has to be court ordered though but if they can switch remotely they won't bother with that kind of "admin" (and prepayment is a lot more expensive).

As for how many are in that position (with agreement, with court order, or illegal remote switching) - with 60,000 of these switches in the past three months alone

Again, calling this scaremongering - hah! I guess you don't read the news, especially last year. Just google it as most news outlets carried at least one story. But perhaps you'll believe this man instead.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/11/smart-meter-prepayment-switched-remotely-rights/

Edit - if you don't believe him, maybe the BBC will do?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63554879

@INeedAnotherName

Sorry not saying I don't believe anything? I just asked the question of how realistic it was that supply would be turned off. It seems that actually it's a prepayment switch not a no supply switch that people are meaning so I picked it up incorrectly.

I appreciate the links etc you have posted, it makes interesting reading. I genuinely didn't know this information and quite happy to be educated.

Because it's cheaper than building a power station.

It has to be court ordered though but if they can switch remotely they won't bother with that kind of "admin" (and prepayment is a lot more expensive).

That could be easily changed. It's what governments do.

Look at the way the legal system was quietly amended to allow train companies to prosecute without the nuisance of evidence. 75,000 wrongful convictions (and counting). No reason that could not have been used for energy debts. In fact, if you want to make a bit of money, make a bet that all the big energy firms had plans to do that anyway. Would cost an FOI request.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyx0p18kq74o

@SerendipityJane

Because it's cheaper than building a power station.

What do you mean?

I'm happy to learn, but I can't learn anything from a single sentence.