Smart meters & switching

richt99

I have recently started looking into switching my energy supplier, I am currently with Eon, I've found I can save quite a lot by switching.
But I have just had an email from Eon asking me to contact them, to arrange for a smart meter to be installed.


I'm in bit of dilemma on whether to get Eon to install the smart meter prior to switching or just go ahead & switch suppliers.


Wondering what peoples thoughts are on this ? would the fact I've just had a new smart meter cause any problems in the switching process & would there be any advantages to me to have a smart meter installed ?

Peter333

Hmmmm, are you really sure you can save loads of money? I find them all to be much of a muchness. They may make it look as if you will be saving loads, but eventually, it will level out to roughly what you're paying now.

And I have seen many people on here, who swapped suppliers, and had nothing but trouble. Bills incorrect, bills not coming at all etc, and them owing multiple 100s.

And I have heard so many negatives about smart meters. Just check google. I would never swap unless I was forced.

[Deleted User]

No problems switching with a smart, it just becomes a non smart meter (dumb )with all the other suppliers. Smart switching is rumoured to begin next year. Eon will probably be doing half a job and installing the electric smart meter only anyway leaving the gas to be done god knows when and causing more problems having days off to accommodate the meter fitter. BG fitted mine on Saturday.

Bark01

Don't listen to the tin foil hat brigade.

The main problem with having a SMART meter now is that you will in all likelihood need to get another one in a few years as the meters being installed at the moment may not be compatible with the full roll out infrastructure.

If E.On install SMART meter for you, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to use the SMRT meter functionality at another supplier, so it not worth delaying a switch. Your next supplier will have to install one at somepoint anyone.

If you have a SMART meter installed and your next supplier can’t support it, it will still work as a ‘dumb’ meter so you’ll be no worse off. Except for the inconvenience of having to have a meter installed more than once.

victor2

richt99 wrote: »

I have recently started looking into switching my energy supplier, I am currently with Eon, I've found I can save quite a lot by switching.
But I have just had an email from Eon asking me to contact them, to arrange for a smart meter to be installed.


I'm in bit of dilemma on whether to get Eon to install the smart meter prior to switching or just go ahead & switch suppliers.


Wondering what peoples thoughts are on this ? would the fact I've just had a new smart meter cause any problems in the switching process & would there be any advantages to me to have a smart meter installed ?

If you're going to be leaving E.On then don't bother having it installed. As already said, it won't be "smart" after you've switched. Wait until the suppliers have sorted their act out and start fitting smart meters that can be switched and remain smart.
Don't get sucked into unrealistic "savings" by switching. You may never see them. You probably can save by going to another supplier, especially one of the newer ones or by splitting a dual fuel contract between two small suppliers, should you be prepared to go that way...

Peter333

Bark01 wrote: »

Don't listen to the tin foil hat brigade.

The main problem with having a SMART meter now is that you will in all likelihood need to get another one in a few years as the meters being installed at the moment may not be compatible with the full roll out infrastructure.

If E.On install SMART meter for you, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to use the SMART meter functionality at another supplier, so it not worth delaying a switch. Your next supplier will have to install one at somepoint anyone.

If you have a SMART meter installed and your next supplier can’t support it, it will still work as a ‘dumb’ meter so you’ll be no worse off. Except for the inconvenience of having to have a meter installed more than once.

Just because YOU think smart meters are the best thing since sliced bread, that doesn't make it true.

There's no tin foil hat brigade here, just people warning people not to have a smart meter, as they may well regret it.

You have been warned OP. Just google 'smart meter problems'

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=smart%20meters%20problems

Apart from all these problems, you have to have it changed every time you change supplier.

And no supplier will ever HAVE to install a smart meter. That is nonsense. Nobody HAS to have one.

Don't listen to the people desperate to promote smart meters 'richt.'

Do your homework. Many people have had problems with smart meters. Hell will freeze over before I have one. I am not that desperate to know how much electric it takes to boil my kettle!

Bark01

Who’d have thought googling something with the word ‘problem’ would bring back a lot of problems…

You’ll never have to have a meter exchanged when you swap suppliers. If you have a SMETS1 meter installed its unlikely the new supplier will be able to accept its reads, but it will work just fine as a dumb meter so your no worse off than today. At some point around the middle of next year all meters will installed will be SMETS2 complaint and will be capable of being swapped between suppliers and retain their SMART capability. All SMETS1 meters will be swapped out free of charge for SMETS2 during full roll out and it may just be a case of updating firmware rather than a physical meter swap.

I’m be fairly certain that people who hold onto dumb meters will face higher bills in a couple of years. It won’t be cost effective for suppliers to support them (like current legacy meters, E9 E10 etc.) and they will naturally face higher cost from meter readers and bad debt.

[Deleted User]

"Hell freezes over " !! thats a bit over the top. Thats OK , people like you will be billed eventually for refusing one. The suppliers think they are the best thing since sliced bread for many reasons, so why not help the suppliers seeing as its no difference to you if your meter enters the 21 st century or not. I m baffled why people seem to be seeing these meters sprouting the devils horns.They will bring the costs down especially for prepayment meters who are stuck on the highest tariffs with no chance of lowering their energy bills like credit meters can.
All suppliers are plagued by billing problems.Some suppliers like Npower and Scottish Power are nt very good at it. This leads to debts, force fitting of prepay meters, court warrants, locksmiths, non payers , bypassers, professional renters. You only have to look at the posters on here to see what a mess people end up with by just ignoring their energy usage. Credit and Prepay meters are easy to fiddle and more and more people are doing it .Smart meters really help with stopping all the debts and free energy.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

richt99 wrote: »

I have recently started looking into switching my energy supplier, I am currently with Eon, I've found I can save quite a lot by switching.
But I have just had an email from Eon asking me to contact them, to arrange for a smart meter to be installed.


I'm in bit of dilemma on whether to get Eon to install the smart meter prior to switching or just go ahead & switch suppliers.


Wondering what peoples thoughts are on this ? would the fact I've just had a new smart meter cause any problems in the switching process & would there be any advantages to me to have a smart meter installed ?

Morning richt99

Don't worry, you don't have to go ahead with a Smart Meter if you prefer not to. Just let us know it's not something you want.

To be honest, if you're switching away, it's probably best not to agree to a meter change. If our systems and the National Databases haven't been updated with the new meter details when the account is applied for, it could throw up a problem with the switch. Also, as others have said, our new meter would not be 'smart' once you've switched and would revert to a conventional type.

Hope this gives you a steer richt99.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

sacsquacco wrote: »

No problems switching with a smart, it just becomes a non smart meter (dumb )with all the other suppliers. Smart switching is rumoured to begin next year. Eon will probably be doing half a job and installing the electric smart meter only anyway leaving the gas to be done god knows when and causing more problems having days off to accommodate the meter fitter. BG fitted mine on Saturday.

Just a quick heads up sacsquacco. We've been rolling out Smart Meters for quite a time. At the moment, availability depends on the region and current metering set up at properties.

Also, where a customer has dual fuel with us, we'll change both the electricity and gas meters at the same time. The gas meter communicates with us through the electricity meter. You're right, though, about customers with only a gas meter supplied by us. At the moment, they're not included in our current programme.

There's more information about our Smart Meter programme on our website. Hope it's of interest.

Malc