Should I get a smart meter?

applepad

Just had an email from First Utility asking if I want a smart meter.

Are these a good idea? Is there anything in it for me? If I get one from FU am I still ok to switch at the end of my term?

Thanks in advance

SailorSam

If you're out at work all day and have to make speciial arrangements for the reader then they seem a good idea.
I think if you switch providers you keep the meter but it just reverts back to an ordinary meter.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

The doom mongers on here will tell you they can be hacked so people will know when you're not at home - despite the fact most burglars can ascertain this using far simpler methods.

They also say that smart meters give you cancer, but then some newspapers claim sitting down gives you cancer.

The main advantage is no need to read your meter, and no more estimated bills. You can still switch away from FU, some suppliers don't support smart meters, but in this instance they would just treat your meter as a "dumb" meter, where readings still have to be taken.

Andy_WSM

I'd have one if I could. The energy monitoring is far more accurate than my own "Watson" meter. That's probably the only reason I can think to have one though.

SailorSam

This is a pros and cons from Which.

http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-advice/smart-meters

matelodave

I'm with FU and they haven't offered me one but I certainly go for it if they did.
As Birdman says, anyone can tell when I'm out (car not on the drive) or when I'm on holiday (the caravan disappears for several weeks) so I'm not worried that they'll be watching my leccy consumption to check up on me.

Likewise the naysayers who are worried about brain damage - I'd be more worried about holding a mobile phone up to my head for hours on end or being surrounded by Wi-Fi from both mine and all my neighbours than a half second burst of mobile phone data once or twice a day from my leccy meter.

The benefit of having up to date bills, no estimates no meter readers and not having to do it yourself either seems like a good idea to me - bring it on.
look here for a video on how it works http://www.which.co.uk/energy/creating-an-energy-saving-home/guides/smart-meters-and-energy-monitors-explained/getting-a-smart-meter-installed/

GingerBob_3

I can't understand all this meter reading stuff. I almost never read my meters - maybe once a year to check my payments are not going way off. I pay a fixed monthly amount and occasionally it gets adjusted.

It amazes me how many people (mostly posters here) are constantly worrying about their meters and feel obliged to read them every five minutes (not literally). Incredible!

As for getting a smart meter, in a word - don't. In my view the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

matelodave

What disadvantages are there then?
When you see how much trouble people get into because they don't keep a check on their consumption and bills I'd think they should be made compulsory

uberalles

Got the offer to have one, made all the arrangements for installation etc, then the supplier asked if I could get O2 mobile coverage where I lived as this was apparently imperative.

It should have been one of the first things they asked.

GingerBob_3

matelodave wrote: »

What disadvantages are there then?
When you see how much trouble people get into because they don't keep a check on their consumption and bills I'd think they should be made compulsory

See the Which report, referenced earlier.

If people get into trouble because the suppliers don't read meters on a regular basis any more then I blame the suppliers. The only thing that should be made compulsory is for suppliers to read meters every quarter like they used to. And if you want a smart meter you go ahead and get one, but I reserve the right not to have one.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

GingerBob wrote: »

See the Which report, referenced earlier.

If people get into trouble because the suppliers don't read meters on a regular basis any more then I blame the suppliers. The only thing that should be made compulsory is for suppliers to read meters every quarter like they used to. And if you want a smart meter you go ahead and get one, but I reserve the right not to have one.

The luddite is out!

Having a bevvy of meter readers out writing down numbers is expensive, and massively outdated. You can resist as long as you like, but at some point it'll be forced on you anyway.