Forced to have smart meter

[Coatanger]

morning,

i’m Constantly being bombarded by Scottish power about having a smart meter fitted. I’ve consistently said no thank you and now the letters have changed, telling me that my meters are out of date and need changing.

is anyone else experiencing this?I feel like it’s just a ploy to fit a smart meter!

my gas meter was actually checked fairly recently with no concerns raised!

can I just keep saying no or will they escalate it?

Me too but I refuse as we have solar panels.

I think we do as we have 2 electricity meters but they're both normal rate not E7

Scottish Power have been badgering me to have a smart meter and have told me that my meter is out of date. I don't have any objections to smart meters in principle so I booked a date for installation a few months ago. I had to unplug all electrical devices which was a pain as I am elderly, awaiting knee surgery and live on my own. I had to move heavy items like fridge, freezer, dishwasher and beds to get at all the plugs. No one turned up.

I arranged another appointment this week. Again struggled and unplugged everything. Got a text in the morning reminding me of my appointment. Waited in all day. Again no one turned up. Again no apology or explanation.

I would actually like a smart meter as my meter is in an awkward position and I struggle to get down to read it. But I can't keep doing this. Terrible customer service.

I've been getting letters from Scottish and Southern Electric (now OVO) and British Gas since 2018, saying I MUST have a new meter installed as my old one has 'expired' and will not work properly any more. I've just ignored them. I don't want a smart meter because I've witnessed the problems that several family members have had with them when they were first installed,and as a disabled person with several health issues,I can't be doing with it on top of everything else. I will hold out until it's a legal requirement (which it isn't at the moment).

I've been getting letters from Scottish and Southern Electric (now OVO) and British Gas since 2018, saying I MUST have a new meter installed as my old one has 'expired' and will not work properly any more. I've just ignored them. I don't want a smart meter because I've witnessed the problems that several family members have had with them when they were first installed,and as a disabled person with several health issues,I can't be doing with it on top of everything else. I will hold out until it's a legal requirement (which it isn't at the moment).

Don't know why that posted twice! 🙄

I’m much happier to have a smart meter than have to regularly let a stranger into my house to poke around in my cupboard to get a meter reading. Then if we were out they’d estimate a bill and they always hugely overdid it so we had unnecessarily high bills.
I never generally look at the in home display - I just carry on my normal use.

People worried about their supply being cut off randomly are interesting - their supply can be cut off even if they don’t have a meter!

You really don’t need to unplug ANYTHING! When our meters have been changed they simply turn the power off at the consumer unit (fuse board) - just turn off (at the unit not the plug) anything that could be effected by power surge so fancy sound equipment, computers etc.

I didn't have to turn off things when my smart meter was fitted apart from my iMac.

I assume anyone who doesn't want one but moves house will be forced to have one? Guessing if the new home has one the energy company won't switch it back?

We ignore the letters too but were considering a house move.

I've never had anyone reading my meter fir the last 12 years!
Give a reading every month on the 30th and also take a photo of the reading in case I need to prove my very low usage!

If the new house doesnt have one then its all good. But they wont switch you back if there is one already in.

That energy companies are being aggressive, persistent and lying to force people to have one? Why?

Nothing pushed so aggressively is for our benefit.

Has anyone had a non smart meter installed? How much was it?

Thanks @Jagshamesh

How annoying! We won't base our purchase on whether or not there's one but if there's two houses we like with little other difference between the two, we'll choose the one without a smart meter.

Yes same with So Energy.
I'm currently on a Direct Debit where I pay exactly what I've used, no averaging out over a year. My usage is pretty much the same (I'm on oil for heating) all year round. They're desperate to get me on a contract.

When I was with EON they estimated my bills all the time until I was so much in credit but difficult to get it paid back.

Energy companies are a nightmare and I don't trust them. They are in it to make as much money out of us as possible.

So you’re saying either your meter is inaccurate or hers? You pay for what you use either way, the smart meter doesn’t magically increase your bills, if her bill is twice yours then she’s using approx double what you are, there’s no conspiracy 😂

Meters are mechanical devices, like analogue clocks, and their moving parts wear with age, meaning they lose accuracy over time. The utility companies have always been required to replace them when they ‘expire’. In fact, they’re breaking the law if they don’t! As consumers, we’re entitled to accurate bills, and normally we absolutely insist upon them. Smart meters have been standard for years now, but suppliers will fit a non smart meter, normally for a hefty fee.

No I’m saying smart meters are notoriously inaccurate. My meter definitely isn’t wrong.

One of the "features" of a smart meter is that it can be switched to a prepayment meter remotely, without electric company coming into your house, for which they would need your permission. I think that counts as sinister....

Sorry but thats a load of horse. Elec meters have been digital for decades, not mechanical but they've now decided to invent some certification so that they can pretend they have an expiry date.

Solid state components can also go bad over time. They haven’t invented anything. The certification periods are prescribed in the Gas Act (1986) and Electricity Act (1989), and applied long before then, too.

I didn't have my meter read for years, then in the space of 3 months, 2 came round to read my smart meter, BG ignored those readings as well as all the ones I gave. It was Morrisons meter reading group on behalf of BG that came round

They’re just as accurate as dumb meters. I’d love to know what the unit rate some of these smart meter refusers have, my average rate for the past 3 months is 16p/kWh and I can assure you my meter is very accurate.

But you are probably on the Octopus tracker or some deal, not everyone with a smart meter will get those rates