british gas smart meters installed/can i still switch suppliers?

imran_

hello everyone!

for once, trying to take martin's advice about switching gas and leccy suppliers before the price rises, i had a look at some of the comparison sites, to see where i could make a saving.

it's only then that i realised that british gas (my current dual fuel supplier) had been around earlier in the year and installed smart meters in the house.

now i can't quite figure out what will happen if i want to change supplier. will these smart meters work with other companies, or will they want the old style meters back in, will british gas come and take their meters back, and who's liable to pay for potential meter changes?

at the moment it's putting a stop to me switching to a cheaper tariff and supplier, so anyone with help, advice, or experience of this situation, it'll be greatly appreciated

pothole50

I am with british gas and just had a new meter fitted for eco 7 as old one broke, as far as i can make out the meter is owned by a seperate company and not installed by british gas. Any problems with the meter and i have to call the meter company and not british gas. As its easy to switch suppliers now it perhaps why a supplier no longer owns the meter.

spiro

The 'smart' meters that are cuirrently being installed are as part of a trial. In 99.9% of cases it will not be able to remain smart (send readings etc) once you have changed suppliers but will revert to smart in the future if you move back to BG. The new supplier will just treat it as a credit meter so no need for a meter exchange.

utility_csa

pothole50 wrote: »

I am with british gas and just had a new meter fitted for eco 7 as old one broke, as far as i can make out the meter is owned by a seperate company and not installed by british gas. Any problems with the meter and i have to call the meter company and not british gas. As its easy to switch suppliers now it perhaps why a supplier no longer owns the meter.

No that is incorrect any faults you report directly to the supplier. never the meter operator.

and on topic, if you change supplier you loose all the "smart" capabilities.