Smart Meter

torbrex

I have had a smart meter installed for both utilities and it has proven that my supplier has over estimated my electricity use by about double in spite of me giving regular readings and allowing access to their meter reader.
I reduced my monthly DD some years ago in spite of all of their protests to what I knew it should be and I am still in credit at the end of each full year.

System

No one is saying that the suppliers get their calculations right. I have challenged a number of suppliers in the past over this - including taking one to The Energy Ombudsman. The Energy Ombudsman's judgement was that energy suppliers now have a licence obligation to ensure that consumers do not go into debt and this over-rides over considerations. They point out that a customer has the right to ask for the credit back.

FWiW, in countries where smart meters have been rolled out, billing complaints have risen exponentially.** The main objective of smart metering is to introduce time-of- day tariffs to manage peak demand. For example, my daughter lives in Toronto. She pays:

Time-of-Use Pricing

17.5 ¢/kWh Highest Price (On-peak) 7am to 11am 5pm to 7pm
12.8 ¢/kWh Mid Price (Mid-peak) 11am to 5pm
8.3 ¢/kWh Lowest Price (Off-peak) 7pm to 7am, weekends and statutory holidays

If people thought that switching energy suppliers is difficult today, then watch this space.

** Why? Because consumers have seen massive increases in their bills by failing to take action to make use of the low charge periods.

Robin9

Petra_70 wrote: »

I agree with the OP. I have heard nothing but negative reports from everyone I know who has had a smart meter, with many reports about bills doubling., And apparently, it's always the customer's fault if they were being undercharged - and NEVER the energy provider's fault! You should have been monitoring your usage, don't blame the energy provider yada yada yada. LOL!

I think the poster in post 2 must be the inventor of smart meters though, with the way he constantly and passionately defends them.

Hell would freeze over before I would have one.

Sorry to hear of your issues 'neverindebt.' I would switch suppliers, and get a normal meter put back in.

Petra - I can only talk about my own experience with Smart meters. I have them (gas and electric) in two domestic properties and (electric) in two commercial properties. I have never had any billing issues - now an OAP I was always brought up never to pay on an estimated bill and rang through actual readings if the bill was estimated so that I got a re-issued bill.

They have two distinct benefits for me - no need to read (as often anyway but I do an occasional check) and they are physically safer. One of the domestics is my mother-in-law and now I don't have to ask her to crawl under the stairs to read the meter. One of the commercials is equally inaccessible.

I agree the industry has got it into a mess with the lack of transferability and I am just testing this with a transfer from Gasprom to Total Energy - I am expecting to have to get back into the habit of manual reads.

I also think the remote indicators are rubbish and do not help anyone reduce their consumption. I refused one for my 95 year old M-I-L because she would be frightened if she knew her monthly costs and probably turn everything off and then her health would suffer

slinkydonkey

Why can't energy provides work a bit like Mobile phone companies I.e you agree to use set a mount of Gas/ Electric a month for a set fee and if you go over it you know what you expected to pay a month. And if you go over that limit they should email you.

[Deleted User]

Skinky donkey you have obviously got it in for smart meters. You may not have time to read the meter but you ve taken a lot of trouble reseaching b/s on smarts and posting not one but FOUR links.Maybe you re a Stop Smart Meter UK devotee .
Look, the problem you are having , if there is actually a problem, is a supplier issue.The meter is working fine but the supplier is nt interpreting the readings it is sending daily. Your issue is therefore a supplier problem not the meter.
We have millions out there who will not communicate any readings at all and smarts are the answer to big debts, force fitting of very expensive prepay meters by court warrant , theft of energy, damage of meters. Smart prepayment meters will also lower the energy prices of the poorest in the UK, ( as is happening now in Northern Ireland )You should not be coming on here with an anti smart rant but getting on the blower to BG to sort out your minor quibble.
Your last comment is actually very sensible and that is the future for smart prepayment meters..Northern Ireland now are using smart prepays fitted by Secure Liberty and that sort of thing is very likely to happen, and they are enjoying lower prices to reflect the lower operating costs of normal prepayment meters

[Deleted User]

Hi,

slinkydonkey wrote: »

Why can't energy provides work a bit like Mobile phone companies I.e you agree to use set a mount of Gas/ Electric a month for a set fee and if you go over it you know what you expected to pay a month. And if you go over that limit they should email you.

you could do that with a prepay/key meter.

You put in a £10, when it's used up you put in another £10.

slinkydonkey

sacsquacco wrote: »

Skinky donkey you have obviously got it in for smart meters. You may not have time to read the meter but you ve taken a lot of trouble reseaching b/s on smarts and posting not one but FOUR links.Maybe you re a Stop Smart Meter UK devotee and intent on spreading lies.
Look, the problem you are having , if there is actually a problem, is a supplier issue.The meter is working fine but the supplier is nt interpreting the readings it is sending daily. Your issue is therefore a supplier problem not the meter.
We have millions out there who will not communicate any readings at all and smarts are the answer to big debts, force fitting of very expensive prepay meters by court warrant , theft of energy, damage of meters. Smart prepayment meters will also lower the energy prices of the poorest in the UK, ( as is happening now in Northern Ireland )You should not be coming on here with a stupid anti smart rant but getting on the blower to BG to sort out your minor quibble.

LOL so you do work for an Engery company don't hide it mate!

lstar337

slinkydonkey wrote: »

So go ahead and get a Smart Meter Installed. :T

I don't need one. I read my meter weekly and send my readings once a month so I know my bills are always up to date.

If they want to fit one I wont object though.

tdw197

slinkydonkey wrote: »

Why can't energy provides work a bit like Mobile phone companies I.e you agree to use set a mount of Gas/ Electric a month for a set fee and if you go over it you know what you expected to pay a month. And if you go over that limit they should email you.

Thats exactly one of the features smart meters will enable - pay as you go usage, or fixed limit usage. All managed via a smart phone app or on a website.

Co-op energy are already trialling this now.

MeterMan

' Oh no, I've been charged the exact amount of money for the amount of energy I used over the last month, rather than paying a fixed amount throughout the year and letting itself balance out'