Smart Meters

[StarfishDish]

What are your experiences with them? Pros and Cons? 😊

As for the 'they can switch you on and off remotely' worry; that is a concern, although I don't know if they ever would. Switching it off when people are at work (to save the country power,) seems pretty daft. What about your fridge and freezer? All your food would thaw out!

They can do this now, switch off supplies remotely. Why do people think a smart meter means energy companies will suddenly start switching people's supply off?

I waited until the second gen ones came out, did lots of research, etc.

Then went for it.

The fitter said they had to send out the display unit separately because of Covid (?) but it never came.

It still hasn’t a year later.

I have been in touch with the composure but got a fob off email back basically saying it’s not working properly,, they have no plan to come and sort it out and nothing about a display unit.

I still have to submit readings.

Waste of time for me.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

The main point of smart meters isn't for your direct benefit So all that 'help reduce your bills' has all been a case of false advertising then??

Yes of course it has.

The only reason they want us all to be metered up is so the energy companies can bring in individualised surge pricing.

You can have a smart meter installed in ‘dumb’ mode, in the sense that it will have no connectivity and will function exactly like a traditional meter. I had to have a new meter as the old one developed a screen fault so you couldn't read it, and had it installed like this.

My first meter (and the electric and gas supplier) fitted by Utilita was an absolute nightmare. I ended up taking them to the Energy Ombudsman who ruled in my favour and got a small amount in compensation but wasn't worth the hassle.

Switched to British Gas who installed second generation display doesn't work so yet to see if it is accurate.

If I had had a credit meter to start with I would never have switched, that is my advice.

Had to switch though as had a card meter and couldn't go on like that in lockdown as couldn't charge the card.

If i were you I wouldn't switch to a smart meter.

We have had our (2nd gen?) smart meter since late 2020. It was mandatory with our energy deal (Npower now Eon).

It has certainly made us consider our energy usage, specifically electricity, as the gas central heating is either on or off as far as I can see.

We have converted to low energy lightbulbs. We have stopped using our old spare (energy inefficient?) fridge/freezer in the garage. I estimate they were costing us 80p daily to run, which is just shy of £300 annually

It also prompted us to look at a water meter which we had fitted in May after a few false starts in March and April. Our unmetered bill was £94, our new bill is £58 and I reckon that will drop further after the 6 month reassessment.

I understand the conspiracy theories and that the meters are not really for the benefit of the consumer. On this occasion I'm happy to go with it.

I am stuck on top up because when I want to change to normal they say smart meter is the only option here🙄

@AngryWhompingWillow EDF
"This is an URGENT message for an account holder, blablabla call us"
Phone, mail, email🙄 "Nothing is wrong, we just wanted to make you an appointment to have your smart meter fitted"
Cunts

Pro- not having to read the meter I suppose although we didn't have to do this with other companies anyway.

Cons- the display which was the whole reason for us getting the thing doesn't connect unless we're stood next to the meter

They don’t manufacture the old meter types any more so you will have one installed eventually.

Meters have a life span and need to be replaced after x years. But you can choose to have the ‘smart’ part of the meter turned off and continue to submit meter reads yourself.

Don’t blame the energy companies blame the government mandate and the company they set up to manage it who are useless!

It’s not true about suppliers using smart meters to cut off your electricity whenever they want / need to because of the grid being overloaded.

Smart meters may in the future provide an opportunity to do what is called “demand side response”, which means that users can opt to have certain appliances switched off when demand on the grid is high, and be paid for this. This will be more relevant in the future when the majority of people have electric cars and electric heating (heat pumps).

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@AngryWhompingWillow EDF
"This is an URGENT message for an account holder, blablabla call us"
Phone, mail, email🙄 "Nothing is wrong, we just wanted to make you an appointment to have your smart meter fitted"
Cunts[/quote]
😂😂😂 Made me LOL that post did!

But seriously, the swines are always pulling shit like this!

@NotYourCupOfTea

They don’t manufacture the old meter types any more so you will have one installed eventually.

Meters have a life span and need to be replaced after x years. But you can choose to have the ‘smart’ part of the meter turned off and continue to submit meter reads yourself.

I know exactly what I will be doing then (if the 'normal' meters cease to be made.) Having the 'smart' bit turned off to change it back to a credit meter!

@AngryWhompingWillow we were told by a British Gas engineer that we had to have a smart meter as it was a legal requirement and our energy supplies would be cut off if we didn't. He even phoned his manager and made DH speak to them when he refused. Needless to say DH told them we had no intentions of having one and we put in a complaint but that could have really scared a vulnerable person.

I know all companies are pushing them but I object to being lied to!

[quote AngryWhompingWillow]@NotYourCupOfTea

They don’t manufacture the old meter types any more so you will have one installed eventually.

Meters have a life span and need to be replaced after x years. But you can choose to have the ‘smart’ part of the meter turned off and continue to submit meter reads yourself.

I know exactly what I will be doing then (if the 'normal' meters cease to be made.) Having the 'smart' bit turned off to change it back to a credit meter![/quote]
How long do meters last usually then - I have lived in my house for 32 years and still have the original meters - and they weren't new when I moved in!

I don't need one and don't want one in my house

Im on prepayment electricity and refuse to get one. Absolutely no need.

Cant gave a gas one, thankfully

But seriously, the swines are always pulling shit like this!

It's really frustrating because the way they do it makes you think something's wrong with the account. I had 4 calls one day. Four.

The first generation of smart meters were hacked. The next generation were supposedly hack proof but you never know what’s round the corner.

You are also using your electricity to run the meter.

@mafted

Pro- not having to read the meter I suppose although we didn't have to do this with other companies anyway.

Cons- the display which was the whole reason for us getting the thing doesn't connect unless we're stood next to the meter

I had smart meters fitted a couple of months ago - my meters were elderly & did need replacing - the actually fitting was fine & it all looked promising. The electricity has showed on the display unit from the start, the gas never has. To give the company their due (Octopus) customer service dept are very helpful, but none of their suggestions have worked & we're now at the "have you tried turning it off and on again?" point. It's getting on my nerves now. I've had emails asking me for gas readings, but CS say they ARE getting readings directly from the meter, the bloody display unit stays stubbornly blank for me though. As others have said reading your meters once a month is hardly difficult. I'm cross i opted to have them installed now, but as i say my meters were old so it seemed the right thing to do.

Thanks everybody

We're with British Gas who have told us we need a new meter installing (it ie ancient) and it MUST be a smart meter. I've heard quite a few bad things about them tbh so wanted other people's experiences.

Does anybody know if there are any other providers who will install me an 'old' meter and not insist on a smart one?

I had Smart meters put in in March, and I haven't experienced any issues with them (touches wood).

The biggest bonus is not having to read the meters, which is a nightmare in this house (you have to pull out a heavy sofa and then crawl into a tiny cupboard, I was quoted an obscene amount of money to have them moved so didn't bother).

Since they've been installed I've realised that the spotlights in my kitchen use a ridiculous amount of leccy and I've got into the habit of turning them off when I'm not in there. And I'm a lot better about not overfilling the kettle.

@VexedofVirginiaWater it depends on the meter the old mechanical ones last much longer than smart do as they don’t have a battery but you can ask your supplier who can confirm the date it would need to be changed by.

@StarfishDish none I would imagine they just aren’t made anymore. But you can have the smart element switched off if you don’t want it on.

The next thing will be the best tariffs are offered to customers with smart meters only which is starting to happen already so probably just easier to get one.

Should add smart meters now should be compatible with all energy suppliers so you won’t have issues moving supplier either

I don't have a smart meter and ignore all the requests to make an appointment to have one fitted.

The main reason (which may be unfounded) is that once the majority of people have them installed the suppliers will be able to increase the charges during peak demands (advert breaks in Coronation Street, when the kettle gets put on, that sort of thing)