Who really does own a domestic smart meter after installation?

Sterlingtimes

My Smart Meters are marked "property of SMA1".

Installed by Siemens on behalf of Ovo.

But who is the legal owner?

footyguy

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

My Smart Meters are marked "property of SMA1".

Installed by Siemens on behalf of Ovo.

But who is the legal owner?

May I ask why you are interested?

Probably SMA who work in partnership with Siemens.
Not you. Not Ovo.

Sterlingtimes

footyguy wrote: »

May I ask why you are interested?

Probably SMA who work in partnership with Siemens.
Not you. Not Ovo.

Fundamentally, I am interested in how the Smart Meter model works.

The meters are clearly indirectly funded by the electricity and gas consumers.

Ovo must have a financial interest in promoting Smart Metering.

Siemens is the installer. Ovo is the Supplier. Western Power is the electricity distributor. National Grid is presumably my Gas distributor (with an independent distributor for the last leg of distribution - previously AGAS).

OFGEM regulates and DECC seems to be primarily responsible for implementation. Other private sector parties may be licensed by DECC to provide the meters and manage various aspects of data collection.

So who owns the meters?

footyguy

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

Fundamentally, I am interested in how the Smart Meter model works.

The meters are clearly indirectly funded by the electricity and gas consumers.

Ovo must have a financial interest in promoting Smart Metering.

Siemens is the installer. Ovo is the Supplier. Western Power is the electricity distributor. National Grid is presumably my Gas distributor (with an independent distributor for the last leg of distribution - previously AGAS).

OFGEM regulates and DECC seems to be primarily responsible for implementation. Other private sector parties may be licensed by DECC to provide the meters and manage various aspects of data collection.

So who owns the meters?

I don't think the model of who owns the meter is any different whether it is smart or dumb.

Energy suppliers rent meters.

In this case, as I said, it appears the meter is actually owned by SMA, who are a partner to Siemens.
Siemens is a meter operator.

I don't know why you think Ovo have a financial interest in promoting smart metering - Ofgem/government is saying everyone should have one in a few years.

The benefit in smart metering to the supplier is that they don;t have to then pay a meter man to read the meter, but still be sure they are getting accurate readings to bill against.

In future, it is believed with smart meters suppliers will be able to offer various time of use tariffs.

undaunted

Surely Ovo - and indeed all suppliers - do have a financial interest in smart meters, whether to their benefit or not is hard to know - remote disconnection, adjustments for ppm etc = no need for warrants, courts etc.

Now if they currently make money out of charging for those visits it could be a financial disadvantage of course but on the other hand if it protects more revenue than it's costing they will find them financially beneficial.


I think who owns the meter is interesting too. If they don't own it what entitles suppliers to stop you using it / switching elsewhere, regardless of any debt? Surely the transfer objection is then legally questionable?

C_Mababejive

footyguy wrote: »

>>snippety snip<<
In future, it is believed with smart meters suppliers will be able to offer various time of use tariffs.

Indeed that is the end game and when it happens, all those with combis will pay more. They will not be able to set a storage system to heat up when the gas is available at cheaper rate.

smileycon

Whilst it is probably pie in the sky thinking i think all homes built in the last 10 years should be fitted with smart meters and gradually roll it out to the rest of the country. people need to know how much they're spending but energy companies don;t make it easy... why, because they're raking it in of people who don't know what they're using most the time! (cynic in me)

Bark01

Benefits of Smart meters to suppliers:

Large reduction in bad debt risk - No more estimated bills and meters can be swapped from credit to in home ppm 'virtually'. If the cost of bad debt is reduced, bills will also reduce

In home PPM can be offered as a viable alternative to DD and should be priced around the same level, as negligible debt risk and the cost of the current PPM infrastructure will be removed. Also the removal of the current infrastructure will enable more PPM tariffs to be offered.

Yes, in theory TOU tariffs would be more cost effective and reduce overall bills but there is no desire from the UK public to engage with TOU, so I don't see it taking off.

Hazzanet

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

But who is the legal owner?

Macquarie Bank.

http://www.macquarie.com/mgl/com/mell