AIBU to not want a smart meter?

[Jamonfirst]

Just that really. For reasons I can't adequately articulate, I'm quite suspicious of them. Having just recently moved, am currently in discussions about moving electricity suppliers and can't see any benefits for actually having one.

I definitely don’t want one. I know that every time someone had a shower or if we were cooking,my husband would be watching it like a hawk and get insanely agitated. We’d end up sitting in the dark in the evenings as the lighting would cost too much! Bugger that!

It makes my life easier. Never have to read the meter so every month my bill is accurate. Can't see any downside other than not all are compatible with every supplier.

Do they change the gas and electricity meters? Is it attached to the current meters or a free standing gadget? If free standing what does it run off?

Yanbu...my bills have gone up...not down.

They want me to stay at home on a work day so they can come and fit a smart meter in a 5 hour window... really they think that I’ll do that for free - get real

@malificent7 how did that happen?!

Just read that the display works off mains electricity. Does that mean that I need to use more electricity to see what electricity I'm using?

Get a bloody smart meter, you can unplug the bit in the house and forget about it. They can bill you accurately and remotely.
There are some causes for which it is worth fighting the system, this really is not one of them!

I don't want one yet. Have heard too much about problems with them and don't want to be an early adopter guineapig.

Yanbu. We've refused to have one and will continue to refuse it.

I wouldn’t have a smart meter unless absolutely forced by law to do so.

Smart motorways have endangered lives, cost billions of pounds and countless hours in delays and contra flows and are being used to raise revenue by fining drivers through lane discipline and average speed limits.

Similarly, smart meters will be use to ‘fine’ customers for their electricity usage through differential pricing throughout the day. In peak usage time the price per kwh will rise.

Government constantly misuses its power and pursues its own interests against those of the electorate. It is often completely wrong as has been seen in recent health advice, notably that concerning consuming animal fat and its admittance that smart motorways were not properly thought through and dangerous.

As they say in ‘School of Rock’, we need to fight ‘the man’.

Why are people so opposed !?

What can be that awful about them ?

Also it IS a legal requirement for energy companies to offer them. They have to take all "reasonable" steps to get people to switch.
If you dont want it - say no.

Smart motorways have endangered lives, cost billions of pounds and countless hours in delays and contra flows and are being used to raise revenue by fining drivers through lane discipline and average speed limits

What? I agree that smart motorways were a stupid idea and have failed but what does that have to do with smart meters other than the word ‘smart?’

Wow. I can't understand people who posted here saying 'why don't you want one'... Sooo. The environmental, practical, political and feasibility problems being plastered across several pages of this thread have passed you by??!

Rtft.

I'm 100% convinced that discussions about these smart meters are being commented on by the social media teams of the energy companies - if they'll NOT STOP harassing me about them by SMS , post, email even after I threatened to report them to the energy ombudsman toget them to stop since we know they won't work in our location due to the signal... I'm fairly sure it's not improbable that there's a bit of social media management going on too.

A lot of tin foil hat wearing on this thread.

Similarly, smart meters will be use to ‘fine’ customers for their electricity usage through differential pricing throughout the day. In peak usage time the price per kwh will rise.
This is how they’re sometimes used in Australia. It’s called Time Of Use metering. I’ve resisted getting one.
People who are at home during the day are happy with this because daytime rates are cheaper so during the day they pay less than people not on TOU. They can do their washing, cooking and run the dishwasher, etc and take advantage of the cheaper rate.
However, if you work and have TOU, your bills can go up because in the evening when you have to do all those jobs you’re on Peak Rate.

Yanbu...my bills have gone up...not down

As long as the meter is working properly it can't make you use more power, how would that even happen?

Have the meter checked of course but more likley is that you weren't paying for your actual usage previously and now you are

Your bills going up will not be the fault of the meter.
They only record the energy you use.