Compulsory Smart Meters.

gettingtheresometime

On behalf of mum!

She came home to a letter, from Eon, saying she had to have a smart meter fitted.

Des she have to?

Also how big are they as this seems to be her biggest concern.

Thanks

CashStrapped

No, it is not compulsory.

Furthermore, the smart meters they are currently asking people to install are already out of date. They are not compatible with all suppliers. They seem to be trying to install them regardless.

So, I would avoid them until the new version is rolled out.

Size-wise -The gas ones look to be similar if not smaller. Electric ones are larger than the standard modern digital meters. Probably more similar to the old analogue ones with the disk

Either way, I would avoid them for now.

leaphtc

They unit is very small. Suppliers are responsible for providing and fitting smart meters for everyone in Britain by 2020
I am not allowed to post link, but google Smart meters: a guide - GOV.UK for all the info you need

gettingtheresometime

CashStrapped wrote: »

No, it is not compulsory.

Furthermore, the smart meters they are currently asking people to install are already out of date. They are not compatible with all suppliers. They seem to be trying to install them regardless.

So, I would avoid them until the new version is rolled out.

Size-wise -The gas ones look to be similar if not smaller. Electric ones are larger than the standard modern digital meters. Probably more similar to the old analogue ones with the disk

Either way, I would avoid them for now.

Thanks for confirming what I'd read but wondered if I had missed something.

I'm a little annoyed as the blurb that mum has received states that eon is phasing out our customer's old meters and putting in theses smart meters....giving mum the impression that she HAD to have one.

Obviously these smart meters are only useful as long as you stay with the relevant supplier....so it's a good idea but as usual poorly thought out.

CashStrapped

Indeed,

The one that should be worth considering is called an SMET2 meter.

They do say that there is the possibility of SMET1 meters being upgradeable at some point in the future to make them fully compatible but.....do not count on it.

But as I said, there is no mandatory requirement at the moment. Just marketing pressure.

Ken68

Just had smart meters fitted by SSE. You can read the meters from the gadget they supply plus other info like daily cost monthly use etc.
The customer is free to move to another supplier...... it just means that the meter will have to be read direct by you or the meter man,
It's progress. Until it goes wrong.

System

Personally I would nt be waiting the possibly ten years it will take before you end up with a SMETS2 meter . If you like EON, and they are one of the better run foreign outfits, get the smart meter and be done with messing about with readings , estimates and meter readers with their muddy boots knocking you up at 8 am !,I work for British Gas , they have been installing smart meters for over 9 years and they are nowhere near complete. They WILL be made compulsory eventually so why bother waiting, get the things fitted now and be done with the hassle. You get a nice new toy to play with in the shape of an in house monitor which will give you endless fun showing you how much you have paid that day in energy.It will force you into going round switching lights off, PC monitors or phone chargers or TVs on standby etc

molerat

Yeah, such a pain popping outside once a month to read the electric and into attached the garage to read the gas, no muddy boots here. Go ahead and get your dysfunctional smart meter - you're paying for it anyway through inflated bills. :mad:

Norman_Castle

I live in a flat on the second floor in one of two semi detached houses. My electric meter is indoors on the ground floor. My gas meter is outside on the ground floor on the opposite side of the two houses. I have no problem reading them once a month. Highly unlikely smart meters will work properly for me so despite zero benefit I will still be forced to pay for them.

System

molerat wrote: »

Yeah, such a pain popping outside once a month to read the electric and into attached the garage to read the gas, no muddy boots here. Go ahead and get your dysfunctional smart meter - you're paying for it anyway through inflated bills. :mad:

OK you submit your readings like a good boy but millions don `t ! and YOU end up paying a lot more every year , through inflated bills, as much as £120 a year per customer, picking up the tab for all the debtors, energy thieves who either thieve energy or submit stupidly low reads whilst they are renting then move on to another landlord sucker. Your misguided advice is only aimed at decent people who pay their way. There are people out there who think its their god given right to have free energy( and rent ) and some of the posters on here are helping their cause .In 2017 I hope you people will look at smart meters in a different sensible light and stop advising people to refuse one to wait ten years for a Smets2. Even if the smart meter becomes dumb they still present a far better defence against energy theft especially in prepayment meter mode.

TheShape

My electric meter still has dials. I think I'm due an upgrade.