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Original poster

Council installing smart meters in Council homes. Is this legal?

54 replies

applesorangesapples · 22/10/2022 23:07

Received this today and think it's intrusive. No prior information has been received so far from the Council and this is completely out of the blue. Surely, it can't be legal to monitor people - for whatever reason - under the pretence it's to keep them safe. Does anyone here have personal experience of these smart meters and have they had a positive experience? I've never (touch wood) been burgled and therefore that can't be used as an excuse for installing the the tag. Do I have a right to refuse installation in my home? Or would that lead to Council stopping me from accessing other services?

Council installing smart meters in Council homes. Is this legal?
OP posts:
Lisagreen12 · 22/10/2022 23:09

That’s disturbing

Original poster
applesorangesapples · 22/10/2022 23:10

Correction, title should read "smart tags", NOT smart meters.

OP posts:
NewBootsAndRanty · 22/10/2022 23:11

Its not a smart meter.

CourtneeLuv · 22/10/2022 23:15

It doesn't read that intrusive to me. It sounds like they want to put a tag that their operatives to scan so it automatically links up to the records for your property. Kind of like a QR code. I don't think it's sinister, just automating their records. They will arrive, tap their device on the tag on the side of your meter and then your record pops up and maybe an automatic reading is taken.

CourtneeLuv · 22/10/2022 23:16

The readable tag is probably cheaper than giving everyone new meters.

PerkingFaintly · 22/10/2022 23:17

That doesn't look like a problem to me – although you might want to ask what the "additional records" are just out of interest.

As you say, it's not a smart meter.

It sounds like a barcode or QR code or the like. If doesn't transmit any information about your activities or electricity use, then it doesn't infringe on your privacy.

If it improves the council's record-keeping about which meters have been inspected for safety, that's a good thing.

The utility companies' own record-keeping about which serial number meter is at which address is notoriously poor – hence the weird bills MNers sometimes report. The council doing better than that is Good Thing.

NewBootsAndRanty · 22/10/2022 23:18

It doesn't even mention the meter does it? I thought the consumer unit was the fuse box..

WhatsitWiggle · 22/10/2022 23:20

It's not monitoring you. It sounds like it's for when council employees / agents do their electrical safety checks, they update this tag and that will update the council records. Just makes their record keeping more efficient.

WhatsitWiggle · 22/10/2022 23:23

And it's nothing to do with the meter readings. It's the inspections of your consumer unit - fuse box.

NewBootsAndRanty · 22/10/2022 23:24

The safety checks it mentions will likely be electrical safety checks, I don't think it's anything to do with preventing burglary.
As pp have said, it doesn't sojnd ominous. If you're worried, get in touch and find out exactly what information they want to record/store/update and why.

DogInATent · 22/10/2022 23:26

It's a dongle that the operator reads with a fob. It proves they attended the house and didn't sit in McD's carpark inventing safety inspections.

Nothing intrusive about it at all. Nothing to worry about.

CrookCrane · 22/10/2022 23:29

DogInATent · 22/10/2022 23:26

It's a dongle that the operator reads with a fob. It proves they attended the house and didn't sit in McD's carpark inventing safety inspections.

Nothing intrusive about it at all. Nothing to worry about.

As this explains it’s just so they can be sure the inspections are actually done. It’s nothing to do with the electric meter.
As a PP said it’s the fuse box/consumer unit they attach it to. Also nothing to do with burglaries.

thelionthewitchtheaudacityofTHISbitch · 22/10/2022 23:55

Is it only for electrical safety measures? It used to be that gas meters had to be checked for safety every 2 years. But I couldnt get my now old defunct gas supplier to ever accept that liability.

NewBootsAndRanty · 22/10/2022 23:58

If you're a council or social housing tenant, gas safe certificates are annual. I think its the same same for private renters...

Original poster
applesorangesapples · 22/10/2022 23:58

Thanks for the responses. What got me wondering is in all the years I've lived at this property, there has never been any one turning up for a "safety check". I've had a courtesy visit from someone but that was to ask if everything was ok with the property. They didn't look at appliances or electrics or anything.

Secondly, the "electric consumer unit" which I'm assuming means the electric meter is outside the property, therefore access inside the home is not necessary.

Thirdly, adding "additional records" seems so generic that it could be anything.

However, I'm comforted to see that most people think the tags are ok. If they are to be put on the electric meter, then I have no problem with that. As it's outside and they can monitor away.

OP posts:
NewBootsAndRanty · 23/10/2022 00:02

The consumer unit is not your electric meter. It is your fuse box.

Since 2020, you legally need to have an electrical safety check from your landlord every five years if you're a tenant..

Original poster
applesorangesapples · 23/10/2022 00:02

CourtneeLuv · 22/10/2022 23:16

The readable tag is probably cheaper than giving everyone new meters.

New electric smart meters were installed just a few years ago to all properties in the area I live in.

OP posts:
DogInATent · 23/10/2022 00:04

It's a boilerplate letter written without knowledge of where the unit may be located. This tag (probably an RFID tag like a supermarket security tag) is just a fancy version of a label with the property reference on it.

It's not chemtrails, magnetic vaccines, or the child catcher's calling card.

NoSquirrels · 23/10/2022 00:15

It’s for your consumer unit.

If you’ve never had an electrical inspection in all the time you’ve lived there then you can maybe see why this is needed! Your council are negligent in their duties as a landlord if they’re not doing safety inspections of gas and electrics on a regular schedule.

Stripyhoglets1 · 23/10/2022 00:16

They are trying to improve the inspection process, making sure inspections are happening and keeping you safe as your landlord.
Trust me your council does not have the time or resources to carry out random gathering of information.
Having your electrics checked is surely a good thing?!

CrookCrane · 23/10/2022 00:30

applesorangesapples · 22/10/2022 23:58

Thanks for the responses. What got me wondering is in all the years I've lived at this property, there has never been any one turning up for a "safety check". I've had a courtesy visit from someone but that was to ask if everything was ok with the property. They didn't look at appliances or electrics or anything.

Secondly, the "electric consumer unit" which I'm assuming means the electric meter is outside the property, therefore access inside the home is not necessary.

Thirdly, adding "additional records" seems so generic that it could be anything.

However, I'm comforted to see that most people think the tags are ok. If they are to be put on the electric meter, then I have no problem with that. As it's outside and they can monitor away.

The electric meter and fuse box/consumer unit are completely different things and the fuse box will be in the house, not outside. As well as having the electrics checked every 5 years the gas appliances should be checked every year, unless you’re all electric?

prh47bridge · 23/10/2022 10:50

Something monitoring you would not be legal, but this doesn't monitor you. To the extent that it monitors anyone, it monitors council employees/contractors and makes sure they have inspected the properties they claim to have inspected.

Original poster
applesorangesapples · 23/10/2022 12:04

Thanks everyone for your responses and for allaying my fears.
I'm going to hide the thread now as questions I had have been answered.

OP posts:
Lornao1 · 12/11/2022 23:42

I also received this letter . I’m not sure about this and don’t understand why it needs to be attached to my electric meter . I have previously refused a smart meter and I have almost been bullied into having one , until I investigated my rights that is . Now the council want to attach a smart tag to my meter ? I don’t think so .

Johnnysgirl · 12/11/2022 23:49

Lornao1 · 12/11/2022 23:42

I also received this letter . I’m not sure about this and don’t understand why it needs to be attached to my electric meter . I have previously refused a smart meter and I have almost been bullied into having one , until I investigated my rights that is . Now the council want to attach a smart tag to my meter ? I don’t think so .

Do you actually understand what it's for?