Smart Meters - Ask me anything!

EachPenny · 22 April 2017 at 5:41PM

fewkeste wrote: »

Comments and advice please.

1) Would you personally gain any benefit from the features of a smart meter?

2) Are you Ok with taking your own meter readings and submitting them to your energy supplier from time to time?

If the answer to (1) is no, and the answer to (2) is yes, then why complicate life with a smart meter when a luddite one will do the job just as well?

fewkeste · 22 April 2017 at 6:59PM

EachPenny wrote: »

1) Would you personally gain any benefit from the features of a smart meter?

2) Are you Ok with taking your own meter readings and submitting them to your energy supplier from time to time?

If the answer to (1) is no, and the answer to (2) is yes, then why complicate life with a smart meter when a luddite one will do the job just as well?

Re. point 1 - I'm not really sure what the benefits of a smart meter are other than knowing your instant usage. I know how much energy different devices use - still there may be other things to learn I suppose.

Re. point 2 -The supplier I'm leaving (Robin Hood Energy) asks for a reading once a month which I take and submit via their website which I'm happy to do. I run a comprehensive spreadsheet detailing readings, usage, projecting future usage and bills and the projected state of my account (in debit or credit etc.) I know my annual usage for the last seven years and my monthly usage for the last 18 months.

My new supplier (Powershop) seems to market/sell electricity as buying so many days usage at x% discount off the base tariff (if I understand the charging model) and may well need much more frequent readings to get a better idea of my usage pattern. It's a bit like topping up a PAYG mobile phone in that you might buy £10 of credit for £9 - that kind of thing. Powershop came out as the cheapest supplier for me on the Which comparison site (MSE don't show them yet - they are working on it)

So, taking monthly readings and submitting them has been fine for me but, if I had to take and submit weekly or even daily readings, that might become a pain. However, if having a smart meter means I don't have to go outside to read my meter, log on to the website and enter the meter readings then - yes that would be a benefit to me.

I can't see the negatives of having one other than the security related issues of someone at the place that receives the data technically being able to discern if our property is unoccupied.

Are there other pitfalls of having a smart meter I have not picked up on when I read this thread?

EachPenny · 22 April 2017 at 8:08PM

I'm not sure I fully understand the Powershop model, but one part of their website says if you don't want to take meter readings yourself then they will come and take quarterly readings. I don't see anything that suggests they would require data more frequently than that, and at least not more than once a month that you already do.

fewkeste wrote: »

I run a comprehensive spreadsheet detailing readings, usage, projecting future usage and bills and the projected state of my account (in debit or credit etc.) I know my annual usage for the last seven years and my monthly usage for the last 18 months.

With that level of data, unless you are planning on changing your usage pattern significantly then wouldn't you already have whatever you need to predict accurately what you'll use on a week-by-week basis?

But if you want more regular meter readings without the hassle of going outside then it seems the answers to the questions are (1) Yes, an in-home display would make life easier (if it works) and (2) No. In which case you have a clear choice.

The next question is what are the arrangements to get a smart meter fitted if you are a Powershop customer.

SS_178 · 22 April 2017 at 8:36PM

Does anyone know whether bith Telefonica and Arqiva use a single band 2.4 GHz HAN frequency now?

Or does Telefonica uses GPRS while Arqiva are using their own proprietary system, running at a lower frequency of 422 and 424 MHz?

Thanks,

SS

fewkeste · 22 April 2017 at 9:13PM

EachPenny wrote: »

With that level of data, unless you are planning on changing your usage pattern significantly then wouldn't you already have whatever you need to predict accurately what you'll use on a week-by-week basis?

The next question is what are the arrangements to get a smart meter fitted if you are a Powershop customer.

I know my typical month by month consumption (and I guess by dividing by 4 I could estimate my weekly consumption to some degree.) Regarding getting a smart meter fitted I don't know what I have to do yet. I'm on the cusp of starting with Powershop so when I'm properly up and running I'll make further enquiries.

lstar337 · 24 April 2017 at 9:03AM

fewkeste wrote: »

I would like to thank all contributors for increasing my knowledge and particularly Istar337 for alerting people to the potential situation of suppliers attempting to 'dump' SMETS1 meters on unsuspecting consumers as a way of filling their installation quotas.

You're welcome. Stand strong and don't let them think they know more than you.

fewkeste wrote: »

If I've understood correctly, when/if those consumers with SMETS1 meters installed switch provider, their meters (for the foreseeable future) become dumb meters. Is that right?

Correct.

fewkeste wrote: »

Is it a reasonable strategy/position to refuse to have a smart meter fitted unless it's a SMETS2 compliant model?

Perfectly reasonable, and exactly what I did.

The only exception would be if you are signing up to a new supplier and they insist on the installation as part of their terms for using their energy. In this case, you would need to decide if it is worth using that supplier, or moving on.

RobMeggs · 24 April 2017 at 1:07PM

On 27th March I stupidly booked in to have smart meters fitted by British Gas and their Smart Metering department. When then engineer attended he replaced some flexible pipework that wasn't up to regulation and in doing so created a gas leak by disturbing the existing pipework in the concrete floor. When another engineer from their homecare team came a few days later to cap the old pipework and run new pipework he raised concern that a panel the pipework would have to run through was asbestos. It was tested and confirmed as asbestos. British Gas are saying that I have to pay a company to remove the asbestos as provide a clean air certificate before they'll carry out the necessary work. A local trusted company have estimated £1,250. My complaint to British Gas is that the asbestos would not have to be removed/disturbed if the engineer did not create a gas leak requiring new pipework (and therefore remain undisturbed and safe!). Their stance from the get go has been that the asbestos is part of my house and therefore my responsibility. Although I am not denying that it is part of my house, I don't see why I should be out of pocket for a problem they have caused. I pursued my complaint until 20th April, the whole time having no use of my combi boiler, meaning no heating or hot water. After around half a dozen visits and two dozen or more phonecalls, numerous errors and diabolical customer service they have now send me a deadlock letter. I have sent this on to the Ombudsman who upon their initial summary of my case have said that they believe my complaint is with the homecare team which they do not cover. Although I have emailed back to confirm that my complaint is with the Smart Metering department, I am not very hopeful of the outcome. My wedding is in less than four months and even if I wanted to I simply cannot afford £1,250! The alternative is to carry out the asbestos removal myself and get a clean air survey for £330. I know there is a lot of detail I have not included in this initial post but please tell me I am not being unreasonable in my complaint?

EachPenny · 24 April 2017 at 1:40PM

On the face of it it does sound unfair, but no doubt there will be something in the T&C's that say they are not liable for damage done to your pipework or property - you need to go through these very carefully and see what you can find.

Is there really no way of running the pipework to avoid the asbestos panel?

RobMeggs wrote: »

The alternative is to carry out the asbestos removal myself...

Personally I'd not do this. I played with asbestos as a child. Every time I read a coroners report about a mesothelioma death I wonder if that will be me one day. Your older self may one day ask why you didn't leave the job to someone who had the equipment and expertise.

fewkeste · 24 April 2017 at 11:01PM

I'm so sorry to hear of your situation - it reminds me of the song 'The Gasman cometh' by Flanders and Swann - look it up on youtube if you're curious. One thought occurs to me - do you have house insurance (contents or buildings) with legal expenses cover? If you do that might be a way forward but as previously posted I guess you need to check the T&Cs to see if you are responsible for fixing damage they cause:mad:

AnalogueDan · 25 April 2017 at 9:45AM

I have I very complex heating and hot water system, based around a Thermal Store which is supplied heat energy from a gas boiler, log burner or solar thermal tubes. my ground floor heating is under floor beneath a stone surface, creating considerable thermal inertia, would this make a smart meter pointless.

Dan

Smart Meters - Ask me anything!

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