Smart meters - which suppliers support?

GingerBob_3

mullen8627 wrote: »

Why would they reference on a CRA when my parents are using PAYG. Going to have to look over the paperwork they signed up to on this. They havent installed smart meters yet, is refusing them an option?

Sorry, misunderstood. In your case, with PAYG, they shouldn't report you to the CRAs. Refusing smart meters is an option. You're not obliged to accept them, so unless you're an energy analysis train-spotter I would strongly advise you not to accept smart meters.

energyworker

GingerBob wrote: »

Think "NPower", then think "NPower and Smart Meters". This is just an example of how things WILL go wrong when the likes of Npower have total control over your energy consumption. They will be able to switch you on to pre-pay without warning, or switch you off altogether. When you move to a new property with a smart meter you'll be on PAYG by default.

In an ideal world smart meters would be a benefit, but in a world of unregulated energy providers who now report you to the CRAs and generally make your life a misery, smart meters are a menace about to be visited on anyone stupid enough to accept one.

I don't understand why you seem to think smart meters will have this effect on consumer rights. It is no easier to exchange a smart meter for a pre-payment than it is to exchange an ordinary meter. They also make it no easier to turn off a supply.

[Deleted User]

Woofwoof wrote: »

I don't particularly want a smart meter, other than the info they display may be useful, but I don't think it will give me a great saving on my bill. I understand most households will have them by 2020, and they seem designed to benefit the utility companies rather than the consumer.

I have to have a new meter because my solar panels are making the current electric one go backwards ....! It is a free of charge installation.

I have made a few calls and in addition to Sainsburys, neither OVO or EDF will support the British Gas supplied smart meter. So, I suppose I am no worse off than I am at present if I switch utility supplier, I just won't get the smart meter additional info which may help with how I am using my electric.

Thanks for your replies.

Incorrect again, EDF will also support BGs Landys and Gyr smart meters, both gas and electric , in dumb mode of course, and so will OVO, I know that for sure. I see many of BGs ex smart meters in use with other suppliers, ( Scot Power, EDF , Eon ) . There should be no reason why any smart meters from BG, First Utilty and Eon etc which cant be supported as it just reverts to be standard meter when it loses the smart servers. It sounds to me you re hanging on for dear life with your illegal backward running electric meter which is basically theft of electric. You will owe your current supplier every unit that it has gone backwards. The suppliers have 6 years to collect all the kwhrs that the meter has deducted. Rogue solar panel fitters install their panels knowing that as well as advancing the feed in tariff , (which they may collect if its a free install ) it will also deduct kwhrs on old analogue meters. They can t be bothered to let the supplier know, and neither can the occupiers, after all, its something for nothing. So long as they get their feed in tariff they wont be bothered about the missing kwhrs which you are nt paying for.
If you dont fancy a smart meter , for whatever reason you can invent, then a new meter is needed, which will be a digital meter which will not run backwards
Ovo have a smart prepay meter, Liberty Secure, which can t be supported by other suppliers. Its not a good idea to get this meter, its very complex to credit manually when it go s wrong and Ovo do make a charge if you leave, I m told its quite a big charge, approx £100..

GingerBob_3

sacsquacco - on a technical point, is a "standard" smart meter capable of being a pre-payment meter? Or more to the point, can the supplier remotely switch you from credit to PP?

energyworker

GingerBob wrote: »

sacsquacco - on a technical point, is a "standard" smart meter capable of being a pre-payment meter? Or more to the point, can the supplier remotely switch you from credit to PP?

No. They work in entirely different ways.

[Deleted User]

GingerBob wrote: »

sacsquacco - on a technical point, is a "standard" smart meter capable of being a pre-payment meter? Or more to the point, can the supplier remotely switch you from credit to PP?

The Landys and Gyr e470 electric meter( as used by BG ) can be used in credit or prepay mode. I havent seen it used in prepay mode so far but I believe BG are trialing it at the moment. Maybe Joyful has a better idea when thats going to happen. It will be great if the suppliers can just say "enough " you ve had £500 and not paid a penny so we re switching you to prepay mode. At the moment the "professional " renter could easily rack up 2k before the warrant and locksmith swing into action.
It can work both ways with prepay customers being able to take advantage of direct debit one year fixes to get much cheaper rates from the standard tariffs that prepays are fixed on. Once suppliers get confidence in the new meters there should be no reason why this should nt happen. The outdated cards and keys with all their faults and built in extra expenses will be simplified with smart prepays.

MeterMan

British Gas currently installs, nationwide, 2 types of smart meter. They are fundamentally the same meter, but the electronics suite is different.

The electric meter, communications hub and IHD are all identical and our way of using the correct item for prepay/credit is via the use of a sticker!

The gas meters are differently looking, the credit smart meter is the same as a modern dumb prepay meter but without the card slot. The prepay smart gas meter is thinner in profile and the difference in looks is very easy to spot.

We are lead to believe that the meters currently can not switch between prepay and credit, nor does British Gas have the power to disconnect your supplies remotely. The prepay meter will shut off during 'disconnet periods' when you run out of money, The non-disconnect period for both gas and electric is 7pm until 7am and your energy will remain connected during these times even if you have ran out of credit.

I did hear of one supplier being capable to communicating with our credit electric meter, but the software was different which prevented complete smart communications.

Credit smart meter and changing supplier - You can change supplier, and the meter will revert to dumb mode. The IHD, in most cases will continue to work and display the useage and carbon emission data, but due to the lack of intra-supplier smart functionality, the tarrif infomation wouldn't be displayed.

Prepay smart meters and changing suppliers - Unfortunately due to the lack of intra-supplier smart functionality, you would need to have your meters exchanged. This has been happening to customers who have smart prepay ovo meters moving back to BG, we have to go out and replace the meters for dumb smarts.

As for payment of the smart meters, THEY ARE PAID FOR BY THE GOVERNMENT, and for only one reason that I can think of, which is to reduce carbon emissions, to which the UK is billed by the EU for not meeting emissions targets. (yes anyone that pays taxes, pays for the meters. Yes there is a standing charge which pays for rental of the meters from the manufacturer and for the gas and elecric transporters)