energy meter

consumers_revenge
consumers_revenge Posts: 3,545 Forumite
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in Energy
Hi,


BG are offering me a new smart meter. Is there any real benefit to having this fitted or downsides please?


CR

Comments

  • Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays
    Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays Posts: 2,859 Forumite
    If you are capable of reading your own meter, there's little benefit. There are nutcases on here that say they'll fry your brain, send all your data to the feds - you'll have to make your own mind up on that.
  • consumers_revenge
    consumers_revenge Posts: 3,545 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
    To be honest whether theres a meter that tells me how much I'm spending probably makes little difference.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    edited 15 October 2016 at 1:37AM
    consumers_revenge wrote: »
    To be honest whether theres a meter that tells me how much I'm spending probably makes little difference.

    So it looks like you will be going down the usual "refusal " route that all posters who post the same query as yours end up doing.
    The suppliers would like you to have one to make their job easier and cheaper, but if you do as I expect you to do, that is, refuse one, watch out for a possible annual metering charge in future which they have the right to levy. California and Florida do it and we usually copy what the Yanks do.
    The meter your supplier intends to fit would need to be upgraded anyway and by the time they start installing smart switching (SMETS2 meters ) OFGEM may well have changed the rules and smart meters will become mandatory as they are in nearly all of Europe apart from Germany and Sweden.
  • Terry98
    Terry98 Posts: 1,155 Forumite
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    sacsquacco wrote: »
    The meter your supplier intends to fit would need to be upgraded anyway and by the time they start installing smart switching (SMETS2 meters ) OFGEM may well have changed the rules and smart meters will become mandatory as they are in nearly all of Europe apart from Germany and Sweden.

    I fail to understand why they are still fitting the old meters.

    Surely that's a total waste of money.

    Why aren't they waiting for the SMETS2 meters before they fit any more?
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
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    Probably because they've got a ton of the old ones that they need to get rid of before the new ones are available.

    Dunno if the older ones are upgradeable to SMETS2 - if so it then what's the problem with getting an older one.
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • spiro
    spiro Posts: 6,403 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Terry98 wrote: »
    I fail to understand why they are still fitting the old meters.

    Surely that's a total waste of money.

    Why aren't they waiting for the SMETS2 meters before they fit any more?
    Once a meter reaches the end of it's certified life it must be replaced. The problem is SMETS2 are not available yet so they only have the option to fir SMETS1 which DCC will adopt at some time in the future.
    IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market.

    4 Credit Card and 1 Loan PPI claims settled for £26k, 1 rejected (Opus).
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