Smart Meters.

WhiteHorse

Interestingly, the major concern in America about smart meters concerns health. Odd that there is no mention at all of any of it in the press over here ...

dilbertuk

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Change the reading on the gas bill to what it does say on the meter and send the correction back to them

Really??? Never occurred to me do that! :rotfl: Seriously, though, they appear to have mixed something up as the 'monitor' is recording the electric as gas and vice-versa. I thought it was funny that the meter reader was here for so long and looked baffled.

Deepfatfriar

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

The latest Government initiative to save us lots of money on our energy bills is to force the providers to fit SMART METERS .This will obviously cost and we can guess where the energy companies will recover their costs from.
Now, we do not burn energy unnecessarily, we turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and do not heat them, we do the washing machine at 30C we dry washing without using a dryer, we have low energy lighting, we run the cental heating at 18C only in the evenings and boost the lounge temperature with a wood stove .
Can someone please tell me how my having a SMART METER fitted is going to save me anything ?

I agree entirely. If other people are too lazy to read their meters and get big estimated bills thats tough.

I read my meters every week so know exactly what I am using and I have a very good idea what each appliance uses as well.

Smart meters are another stupid EU directive that our more stupid MP's have rubber stamped.

So the suppliers drop our bills by 5% then down the road we will get charged for these ridiculous meters.

doberryfirkin

I would implore people -regardless of the bribes - NOT to fit smart meters. They are, in effect, handing control of their power usage and access to the suppliers / authorities. These meters are nothing to do with saving consumers money; if you thought that governments had consumers rights in mind then you are a fool. These meters will effectively allow power usage to be monitored and when it comes to it, rationed. Through claims such as 'saving money' and incentives to adopt this technology a critical mass will be achieved whereby those without them will be penalized until they fit them. The same happens already with pay as you go supplies and those without water meters. One fitted there will be no option of going back - how many times have we seen that in how governments treat us? Sadly when it comes to these things we are but sheep and no doubt the inevitable will happen.

SailorSam

chanz4 wrote: »

They will also flag those that like to steal

If someone wants to steal they'll find a way, a smart meter is just a new challenge. As someone pointed out on here a few weeks ago on here you can even buy your own 'spare' meter on Ebay, or there'll be electricians in the pub who'll by-pass it for a pint.

Swipe

Article from thisismoney on smart meters:

Energy fiasco: Millions of smart maters don't work and are costing people MORE

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2093049/Costly-fiasco-smart-meters-dont-work-Millions-devices-replaced-warns-watchdog.html#ixzz1kqFNKnMj

SailorSam

Swipe wrote: »

Article from thisismoney on smart meters:

Energy fiasco: Millions of smart maters don't work and are costing people MORE

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2093049/Costly-fiasco-smart-meters-dont-work-Millions-devices-replaced-warns-watchdog.html#ixzz1kqFNKnMj

In that article it says some suppliers aren't ready ready for the new technology, i'm with BG and Manweb (are they called something different now). Whats going to happen if i tried to switch supplier.

billycasper_2

i find it interesting that the meters are marketed as helping us save money and not being inconvenienced by meter readers etc. but how many of us have put those little energy monitors we have in the drawer once the novelty has worn off.?
The utility companies have to read our meters by law once every 18 months (if i remember rightly) so even if you have a smart meter now you will still get a meter reader. That law would have to be changed or scrapped for them to stop coming.
I agree with doberry, giving complete control to the utility company who can alter your meter remotely is a big mistake.. I have seen some smart meters that have a slot for a key if needed. imagine your struggling to pay the bills and the utility company want you to change to a more expensive key meter.. in effect they could do that without entering your property and just send you the key..
nightmare

penrhyn

Smart meters incorporate a 'Kill' switch, an excellent way of bringing non payers to book.
Some civil liberty, 'uman rights folks may disagree of course.:D

StephenM_2

billycasper wrote: »

The utility companies have to read our meters by law once every 18 months (if i remember rightly) so even if you have a smart meter now you will still get a meter reader. That law would have to be changed or scrapped for them to stop coming

We've had smart meters for over 3 years now and during that time I've never seen a meter reader. Admittedly the meters are outside the front of the house so they may have come without us noticing, but why would they need to. The meters get read remotely once a month (they are "Smart" after all) so there's no need for a meter reader.