I have been advised that my Electric energy meter is at the end of it's life?

[Bulldog01]

My energy company has advised me that my Electric meter has come to the end of it's life? They will need to fit a Smart meter?

They have tried everything to make me have one installed!
Has anyone been advised, that their electric meter needs replacement?

I am aware that the Smart energy meters have been unreliable,
or just not working as they should?

Has anyone on Mumsnet had a smart meters installed either Electric/Gas, would you recommend having them fitted?

I am not happy, having our electric meter replaced, I like to send readings every month. Knowing how much I have used, how much I owe?

When I have had issues with my bills for electric & gas, its usually due to the energy company's not reading the meter for months.

What are your thoughts, either good or bad?

Thanks in advance!

I don't understand why having a smart meter is handing more power to energy companies and government than a having a dumb meter. They always had the ability to to dispute readings or cut people off.

Isn’t there something about smart meters making it easier/possible for dynamic unit pricing to be rolled out - higher unit prices at time of high demand, maybe even rotating power interruptions in small areas to manage demand when the Grid is struggling, rather than a full on power cut across the board. Smart meters make that easy - they give the power companies more flexibility in supply.
Depending on your viewpoint, that may be a good thing (if the nation is using more electricity than we produce, it has to be managed somehow) - but the smart meter roll out doesn’t spell that out.

I had this from EDF in August 24. I ignored and they haven’t contacted me about it since.

Your meter's reaching the end of its lifespan. We're legally required to come and replace it for you^.
Meters may become less accurate over time (like a clock or watch). We're legally obliged to replace older meters with new modern meters to make sure accuracy is maintained.
If you don’t book an appointment, we’ll contact you with a date and time when we'll be coming to exchange your meter, if you’d rather book an appointment to suit you book now.
We’ll also change your gas meter whilst we’re there. There's no extra cost for either installation, it'll take around an hour per meter and you'll only be without power for around 30 minutes per fuel.

Rolling blackouts to manage demand, via smart meters, will never happen. We’re too reliant on electricity nowadays, and there are many vulnerable households which cannot withstand any interruption to their supply. Any government which attempted this would be faced with mass meter-tampering and swift removal from office

Looks fine. Do you disagree with what they’ve said?

No? I’m just stating they never followed up on this.

Ah, ok. They will eventually. No doubt they’ve currently got their hands full with the RTS situation.

I have been constantly phoned, emailed and letters through the door asking me to switch. I have refused.

I don’t have an rts meter but they say I do.

Sounds annoying. Maybe the property had an RTS meter in the past?

I am 65 years old.I have lived in a bedsit x 1, flat x 2, a maisonette x 1, a house x 7. Eleven addresses in the last 65 years.We have never heard or experienced electric meters having a expiry date prior to having smart meters being rolled out.What is bizarre, no mention having a smart meter for the gas? Our gas meter looks much older than our electric meter? Yet have you been sent any information that your gas meter needs upgrading to a Smart meter? Once again! We have less choice how we choose to live our lives.TV ariel's become obsolete.Smart TVs now with hundreds of channels that you cannot stand to watch.Or may need to pay to view.Mobile phones 3G,4G,5G.To keep up to date! Fibre optic Internet if you want fast internet.Where will all this end? Some people my age & older are happy with less.These private companies are there to make huge profits for themselves! Which usually means everyone is going to have to pay up one way or another by having something called smart.Nothing very smart as far as I'm concerned.Life should be mean more than this! Why people choose to live off the grid, I wish I could,never needing to keep up with this never ending round of boring greed!

Where will all this end?
Wait until you read about surge pricing for your water supply...

I totally agree with your last post though. Slowly being corralled into zero choice.

You not having heard of energy meters having a finite life doesn't make it not a fact.

Its easy to Google multiple different sources of information that will confirm that and it's not surprising that after decades mechanical equipment will become less effective. Gas an electric meters are different things, why would you expect that to have the same useful life?

If you buy an electric car you HAVE to have a smart meter.

Why?

Edit: Just checked. You don’t.

If you want an advantageous tariff you do.

How else are you going to get an advantageous tariff, i.e. one with lower unit rates at certain times, without a smart meter?

Of course you don't 😃

You mean if you want to be able to take advantage of cheaper charging rates. Not everyone can even change a car at home, doesn't mean they can't but one

We had to have ours replaced apparently the signal that keeps the time is being turned off, nothing to do with the energy companies and the meters affected won't work properly without it. Like you we were reluctant, but it's actually fine (so far) and it gives you access to better tariffs.

www.energy-uk.org.uk/customers/the-radio-teleswitch-service-switch-off-what-you-need-to-know/

They will contact you again when the time signal is being turned off in your area, you then pretty much have to agree to get it done. The old meter (probably) won't work properly when the signal stops.

Yes, that's what I said. Did you mean to quote someone else?

While it would be sensible to do so, you don’t have to have an advantageous tariff to charge an electric car. It will charge just fine at any rate. If you have one, you could charge it overnight at a lower rate using a traditional “dumb” dual rate meter.

Ergo, you don’t HAVE to have a smart meter if you have an electric car.

The signal being turned off only affects a special type of meter called a radio teleswitch. The majority of households will not be affected. However, all households must have their meter changed, regardless which type or model, when it reaches a certain age.

My friend had his meter replaced with a smart meter today. He kept getting pestered by EON constantly. It was relentless and he kept saying no. Then a month ago the housiing association fitted a new kitchen including replacing the electrics. Which meant the electric had to be turned off. When turned back on the meter was blank and remained that way. He was told today that it will take twenty four hours to activate and be able to read. He is on PAYG and because its been four weeks has no idea how much he owes. Obvs he doesnt want the electric to suddenly go off. Incidentally he had to chase this all up himself with no help from the HA

I work in the energy sector. Many issues with Smart meters are with S1 meters (first generation) not S2 or S2D.

S1 meters are experiencing a communication problem which is industry wide and we're looking for a fix so they can work as Smart meters again. Until that's possible, it's back to reading the meters manually. Sometimes an S1 can be changed to an S2 but it depends.

I don't think they're amazing but then I don't think they're the devil's creation either. I've heard good and bad stories about them. They certainly have their uses!

Same here.