Npower letter re smartmeters

teddysmum · 2 December 2017 at 3:00PM

Npower are sending out letters saying they are replacing all their meters with smart meters, saying you will soon be given an appointment for your conversion .

There is a leaflet with supposed FAQs, but nowhere does it say that they are not compulsory.

I rang, today, to complain that they aren't compulsory and the man has tagged my meter as 'refused', saying that tag remains in place until I choose to alter it. (The special line was very busy , so I assume they have had lots of calls about the matter.)

It may be worth pointing this out to any vulnerable people you know ,who may take the letter as 'legal'.

Cardew · 2 December 2017 at 3:09PM

I have had an email and yesterday a phone call from Ovo trying to persuade me(unsuccessfully) to have a smart-meter.

Does anyone know what financial incentive(if any) is being offered to the companies to get rid of SMETS1 meters?

System · 2 December 2017 at 3:11PM

I note that the following document makes no mention of the need to advise consumers that there is a choice:

http://www.npower.com/idc/groups/wcms_content/@wcms/@corp/documents/digitalassets/smicop-pdf.pdf?bcsi_scan_eec049581022ee5a=1

I suspect that this is a deliberate attempt by the industry to reduce the number of people who are currently saying 'No'.

EachPenny · 2 December 2017 at 3:36PM

Cardew wrote: »

Does anyone know what financial incentive(if any) is being offered to the companies to get rid of SMETS1 meters?

I imagine the main one is not having to write off the cost of stocks of useless SMETS1 meters when the Government finally gets its act together and tells the companies to stop installing them.

System · 2 December 2017 at 3:42PM

EachPenny wrote: »

I imagine the main one is not having to write off the cost of stocks of useless SMETS1 meters when the Government finally gets its act together and tells the companies to stop installing them.

The SMETS1 stop date is currently under BEIS review. Govt is worried that the smart meter roll out programme could stall as SMETS2 meters are still under DCC integration testing.

nPower · 2 December 2017 at 3:50PM

teddysmum wrote: »

Npower are sending out letters saying they are replacing all their meters with smart meters, saying you will soon be given an appointment for your conversion .

There is a leaflet with supposed FAQs, but nowhere does it say that they are not compulsory.

I rang, today, to complain that they aren't compulsory and the man has tagged my meter as 'refused', saying that tag remains in place until I choose to alter it. (The special line was very busy , so I assume they have had lots of calls about the matter.)

It may be worth pointing this out to any vulnerable people you know ,who may take the letter as 'legal'.

Hi teddysmum,

Thanks for your message. If you'd like further information about smart meters please contact us using the details on our profile page.

Thanks,

Jen

System · 2 December 2017 at 5:53PM

nPower wrote: »

Hi teddysmum,

Thanks for your message. If you'd like further information about smart meters please contact us using the details on our profile page.

Thanks,

Jen

NPower customers should note:

Quote Npower recently started "small scale pilot installs" of the new smart meters, and expects a wider rollout at some point next year. Unquote

Source: MSE

[Deleted User] · 2 December 2017 at 7:40PM

I had my npower electricity meter read recently. The reader asked if I would like a Smart Meter and just laughed when I said "No, I'll wait until they really work probably around version 3 of the meters"

House_Martin · 2 December 2017 at 7:57PM

Eon meter readers are also getting training to book smart meter install dates. They have not been told to ask customers if they actually want one in their spiel.They are booking smart meter installs to meters coming to the end of their life.
I think any supplier has the right to fit a smart meter to refusers so long as the meter is nt connected via a hub to the server. . There should be no one who can complain about that surely.
I personally don`t fancy having the awful Secure Liberty meters Eon now fit in my property and will refuse them.
If they still have Landis Gyr meters I will be happy with them.

teddysmum · 2 December 2017 at 9:20PM

gsmlnx wrote: »

I had my npower electricity meter read recently. The reader asked if I would like a Smart Meter and just laughed when I said "No, I'll wait until they really work probably around version 3 of the meters"

That's something like what I said to the man I spoke to, after he mentioned that actually we weren't due until February when the new meters are being tried . (There is no way of knowing whether we would be given the new version)

I don't see any personal gain from a smart meter for electricity as our readings are sent online and before the required date, so no 'nasty' estimates. The electric meter is easy to read being by the front door and at an easy height, but the gas meter is a problem, being low set and in the walk in pantry, but this doesn't affect billing.

They could save money if they didn't send meter readers (except for mandatory readings) to premises where regular readings are submitted, as it's a waste of time and can lead to complications when a reader either doesn't send in the result or it is rejected for some reason.

House_Martin · 4 December 2017 at 12:45AM

Nice to know a couple of people are my "followers " (or more like stalkers ) I can t reciprocate I m afraid
You both missed my "double standards "post earlier on the same subject .
i do have a hatred of the Secure Liberty meters which give too much information.
It might be acceptable for the odd weirdo s who are techno geeks, but for normal people, we just want the 5 digit number reading displayed (in kwhs for the electric meter and cub3 for gas ) on the first screen,clearly and not have to scrabble about pressing buttons of a tiny keyboard (9 ) which sets the meter scrolling madly round displaying lots of other info which is nt needed by a European just to see what the reading is whilst under the stairs with a torch.
.Don t forget old Ken and Marge are not too good at bending down nowadays. Eon are not concerned about the end user but they save a few quid on the cost of the meter
I ve seen thousands of these meters in use and never heard a good word said about them.
I challenge the head of meter asset boss at Eon to come around with me on my rounds and listen to what the UK think about Secure liberty rubbish meters.
I can see why the cheapjack suppliers buy them like Ovo, Utilita First Utility etc , because they are £20 cheaper than Landis Gyr meters but not one of the big six like Eon. shocking decision !
I will be switching from Eon in 11 months time anyway so I wont have to refuse them and their dreadful meters

Npower letter re smartmeters

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