Smart Meters

MWT

brijanhub said:

I object most strongly to companies agreeing a yearly tariff and then when they find the customer owes them money during the winter period, put up the monthly DD. We budget every year and if we, and the Utility Company, get their consumption estimate right it will balance out at the end of the year. I therefor object to a variable DD which is mis used by the Utility Companies to boost their capital and is not to the benefit of the customer.

I do understand what you are saying, but I don't think the energy companies are wrong to want you to build up the money needed to carry you through the winter before you get there so your account balance remains positive throughout the year.

They are working on tight margins and they should not be 'lending' money to their customers over winter.

If you don't believe that you should be lending money to your energy supplier either then opt for variable DD and just pay for what you use each period.

Some energy providers do seem to be playing games with the DD amounts to help their cash flow, but as long as it is just aimed at creating a positive balance by the end of summer I do see a problem with that.

carl.waring

Gerry1 said:

brijanhub said:

I object most strongly to companies agreeing a yearly tariff and then when they find the customer owes them money during the winter period, put up the monthly DD. We budget every year and if we, and the Utility Company, get their consumption estimate right it will balance out at the end of the year. I therefor object to a variable DD which is mis used by the Utility Companies to boost their capital and is not to the benefit of the customer.

You've completely misunderstood what a Variable Direct Debit is.  It simply means you are billed each month according to what you have used; provided you submit monthly meter readings, you never build up a credit or debit balance.

It works just like a petrol pump, except that the payment is collected automatically rather than you having to go into the kiosk or pay at the pump.

Much easier to understand, and much earlier warning if you're using energy more than expected.

Certainly none of the "big six" (soon to be "big five", of course!) offer this kind of option. I suppose smaller companies might but I don't know for sure.

carl.waring

^ For which there is absolutely ZERO proof of anything. It is a non-issue. (But then we've already been over this earlier in the thread. Repeating a lie does not make it any more true.)

sparrowhawk123

Lets leave any possible surveillance, security or hacking issues to one side (you obviously feel there will never be any issues with smart meters on those topics).

The world health organisation have classed RF-EMF as a Group 2B possible carcinogen (there are other health concerns from exposure to RF-EMF,) is it your opinion that smart meters do not emit any RF-EMF or that you consider RF-EMF to not be harmful to anyone or anything.

sparrowhawk123

You are correct sir, anyway, I was talking about increasing unnecessary RF-EMF from exposure to smart meters.

(not sure if I am replying in the correct places on this forum, this is for the comment on 6 July at 6.42pm, 

carl.waring

sparrowhawk123 said:

Lets leave any possible surveillance, security or hacking issues to one side (you obviously feel there will never be any issues with smart meters on those topics).

The world health organisation have classed RF-EMF as a Group 2B possible carcinogen (there are other health concerns from exposure to RF-EMF,) is it your opinion that smart meters do not emit any RF-EMF or that you consider RF-EMF to not be harmful to anyone or anything.

I have actually never said that "will never be any issues" around those topics, but you don't seem too worried about facts so I'll leave it there.

Given that radio has been around since at least 1922 (mass market, I meant. Radio itself was invented years before, of course) then if those RF frequencies were at all harmful I think we'd know by now, don't you?

AquaCaro

carl.waring said:

AquaCaro said:

Thanks Victor.  
you mentioned about the reading prior to getting meter removed and unfortunately I did not get this!.(that is a regret!)

When you had the meter exchange done you should have had a "tag" fitted to your new meter giving various info including the final read of your meter and exchange date. Again, call your supplier as they should have this information anyway.

Thanks I am just getting all the information together before I call them/EON. I spoke to CABx and they said that it is common for peoples bills to go up after having a smart meter fitted. I am waiting for CABX to call me back with further advice.  I know some of you wil say this is more accurate readings. But I took regular readings from meters. I think that in itself is strange in my case the house is onlly 10 years old.  My direct debit has been increased already.  but to suggest that my direct debit needs to go up by £30 a month is in my opinion(with no significant increase in appliances etc apart from Covid19 stay home) a bit to much. 
@ Gerry - I have taken actual readings. The smart meter readings online make no sense at all . I have also  worked out that I can probably reduce by biills when I switch. Im looking at Yorkshire Energy which is one of the cheaper companies and doesnt require a smart meter....
I have read all thee comments about smart meters posted recently and it is very interesting. My opinion it is a waste of time and money. An opportunity to hike up prices by making the bill process even more complicated.  

as an aside at one point the said that the banks would never treat their customers badly er hello - PPI??. 

Interesting debate. thanks everyone.  

joannelmajor

Why can't I switch to bulb, when I already have a smart meter? Bulb is the best deal for prepay 

Talldave

Unless the replaced meter was faulty, a newly fitted smart meter cannot cause bills to go up. That's just rubbish and people who spout it, particularly in any official capacity,  should be called to account. 

What causes bills to go up is an increase in prices or an increase in consumption, or both - neither of which are anything to do with the smart meter.

I'm not a great fan of smart meters and the lashings of incompetence that surrounds the whole "project", but do get annoyed by the amount of irrelevant rubbish that's spouted about them.

oldandwizend

Having read and commented on a number of issues on this forum perhaps there is a simple answer.
One tariff for all, quarterly bills paid on demand and calculated by actual independent meter readings (with the 'Covid effect' there will be plenty of unemployed available to do the job).
Hang on a minute, would not that just equate to nationalisation??? We've already tried until some kind(!!!) sole put an end to it.
At least we would then own our own energy suppliers rather than a fair number (particularly Big 5/6) being foreign owned.
If only life were that simple!