Smart Meter - shall I take them, can I do that?

Andy_WSM

sacsquacco wrote: »

so people should accept them willingly and stop spreading daft rumours about costs and wifi thro the brain and disconnections,hacking etc

I will accept them willingly (not that they've ever been offered to me and refused) once the utility companies have got their act together and made the software on the meters interchangable between themselves. Until this time the tech they are fitting will need physically upgrading or new firmware at best once theyve got their act together. WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY!

It's a bit like equipping half the country with Betamax video recorders, then changing the preferred format to VHS.

[Deleted User]

Mine was a first generation Mk 1 smart by Landys and Gyr about 3 years ago..still working spot on, no probs as a dumb meter. I can still use it as as an energy monitor and for my reading if i dont fancy battling the cobwebs in the cellar. So far no mention of upgrading or firmware has been sent to me.
I ve just failed to stop a couple milking the free electric with a blank screen cheap Ampy meter they ve had for 14 months since they ve moved in. They point blank refuse to phone EDF, my handheld data reports dont go thro to EDF and to make it worse, head office at G4S now refuse to pass on the info to EDF as its not considered as a bypass and have been told to phone EDF cust services myself personally if I want to stop it..unbelievable..roll on smarts

Buzby

Who you have as your electricity supplier has no relevance when it comes to a meter change. This is owned by the ROC who is tasked to provide all infrastructure from the grid to the consumer. Any meter change is automatically reported to the contracted supplier (stop/start and new meter code). It neither affects your tariff, minimum term or operation of your account. Even if the ROC and retail supplier are the same it is still a different business so nothing really changes.

My original analogue meter was replaced in 1988 with a digital. It transpired in 1998 they wanted to change it for another because it was only certified for 10 years use. I kicked up, and was told only analogue meters were certified longer, so I got a new analogue meter installed and there it will stay until 2018 - and I have no doubt I'll get a Smart Meter then.

C_Mababejive

Yes i agree with sasq that smart meters may go some way to addressing energy theft but then if people are going to nick it,they will nick it no matter what meter is fitted unless you actively cut the service off and that costs money via the DNO.

The end game for smart metering is benefit for the energy suppliers and distributors. They give end users a sweetener in the form of a nice toy for their mantelpiece. The data isnt currently very portable and we are still in the first phase of smart meter issuance.

Many of the energy suppliers are incredibly lax and even dumb when it comes to active pursuance of debt and fiddlers. There are fortunes being lost.

[Deleted User]

The biggest returns will be stopping very large losses, not on bypassing and wiring tampers but stopping the intentional non payers in rental properties.They will only pick rentals with credit meters and can last maybe 3 years free energy before suppliers force fit prepays. The beauty of smarts is that when a debit of say , £400 or so is reached, they can be remotely switched to prepay mode. Also all suppliers need to be doing credit history checks on all new occupier, both credit and prepay meters before they are even accepted for supply. At the moment its too easy to thieve energy

Joyful

If you get your meter changed by another company you may find it will not get updated to your account. Your supplier would continue to estimate on your previous meter so no correct bills. You would then have the stress of getting it all updated so I would suggest not to take them up on their offer.