Smart Meters

carl.waring

I'm confused. Unless they're estimates, readings always reflect actual usage. The main main problem for most people, as well as estimated reads, is the being on the SVT. The only thing the Smart Meter did is make you aware of the issue.

I am absolutely agreeing that Smart Meters are a good thing. Just wanting to avoid anyone thinking that a smart meter will solve all of their problems on it's own. They won't.

I am also quite surprised that no-one has posted this here yet as another "cautionary tale" on why we should not have smart meters

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-8706033/Smart-meters-used-switch-electricity-without-warning-compensation.html

Anything can happen. Doesn't mean it will; whether exactly like this or something similar.

brewerdave

AquaCaro said:

AquaCaro said:

Good afternoon.  
I had a smart meter fitted by EON last year. I was told that these were being installed in the area and that all households would have these provided.  I was not told it was mandatory.  
Since the meter was installed. I have noticed a steady increase in bills(charges) 
Due to Covid 19 i have worked from home so would expect some increase in charge. EON have contacted me recently to say that I need to double my direct debit.
I have now reviewed my bills prior to SMART meter being installed and post.  My direct debit more that met the cost of my quarterly bills. I am taking daily readings now on my SMART meeting to review.  However checking my usage on the smart meter I an unable to make comparisons as the units used are different.  It looks so complicated. I am contacing the citizens advice bureau to discuss.as I do not think the usage reflected in my bills is actually what I am using.  
I have read some of the comments on here and see that some of gone onto special rates. I did not go onto a plan I am on a standard plan.  However I was not advised to go onto a plan by the company.  
Anyone have a similar experience? or can offer any advice.  On my experience I would advise people not to get them put in. 

Just want to update on this.  I switched to Octupus from Eon.  My recent monthly bills are now half what they were with EOn. I would encourage anyone to switch.  I think being at home during lockdown made me realise how little I used and the bills that came in (I was on a standard tariff just kept going up) did not reflect the usage.  If anyone would like to discuss please let me know. it was all automated by Octopus and was relatively straightforward. EON was impossilbe to get hold of on the phone and charged me double for the final bill and reading which I only got back last week.  I switched in July! 

thanks everyone for their replies here.  

Is your meter still working as "smart" after your transfer ?? If not then your monthly savings MAY be illusory if based on estimates .

AquaCaro

@Carl w - yes usage the same but the price per unit will vary. So if that is cheaper then you get a cheaper bill. as I understand the compaines graduallly increase the standard tariff.  This is what happened to me over the last year.  If I had fixed a tariff with Eon this would have been higher than my DD they never offered anything lower! 
@ Brew D - I have sent in actual readings but yes there is concern that when you switch that some of the companies do not use smart meters.  my only regret is that I did not switch earlier in the summer as obviously bills lower so i could build up credit for the winter months.  

carl.waring

Yes, on the SVT the price can change, in line with OFGEM regulations, twice a year; April and October. No, the SVT cannot simply be "gradually increased". In fact, it can be lowered just as easily. Depends what OFGEM set it at. And no, fixed-price tariffs are (usually) lower cost than SVT. Which is why Martin recommends not being on it!

It is also not up to any energy company to just randomly "offer" you a new, lower tariff. They don't have enough staff to do this all the time for every customer. You have to call and ask them to look at it for you; or use their website or whatever. 

No company can use a SMETS1 smart meter as smart except the supplier that fitted it. This is set to change at some point as they will be firmware-upgraded to do so. No specific time-frame for this though, at this time. 

Finally, if you're paying by monthly DD (and if not, why not?!) then time of year doesn't matter when switching.

hozza94

AquaCaro said:

@Carl w - yes usage the same but the price per unit will vary. So if that is cheaper then you get a cheaper bill. as I understand the compaines graduallly increase the standard tariff.  This is what happened to me over the last year.  If I had fixed a tariff with Eon this would have been higher than my DD they never offered anything lower! 
@ Brew D - I have sent in actual readings but yes there is concern that when you switch that some of the companies do not use smart meters.  my only regret is that I did not switch earlier in the summer as obviously bills lower so i could build up credit for the winter months.  

I wonder whether you have opted into any Octopus' beta tariff? 
I am using agile myself and I am getting a very cheap bill as most of my usage is during the early hours. 

AquaCaro

Hozza 94 thanks for the tip I will look into that. I could also do washing in early hours!  

Bagnall

I'm saving lots of money with my new #smartmeters from #avroaenergy. The display says "Not commissioned" or "Connecting" but never does connect. So I'm saving money/energy by switching the display off. Anyone else with Avro Energy actually have working smart meters? My installer quickly brushed off the fact my display wasn't working saying it would connect in a couple of hours. An email to Avro got the response that they are working on it, but I wonder if it works at all as not long ago they were prevented from taking on new customers unless they started providing smart meters. I'm wondering if the rest of their infrastructure is in place? I'll know for sure next time a meter reading is due I suppose.

brewerdave

Bagnall said:

I'm saving lots of money with my new #smartmeters from #avroaenergy. The display says "Not commissioned" or "Connecting" but never does connect. So I'm saving money/energy by switching the display off. Anyone else with Avro Energy actually have working smart meters? My installer quickly brushed off the fact my display wasn't working saying it would connect in a couple of hours. An email to Avro got the response that they are working on it, but I wonder if it works at all as not long ago they were prevented from taking on new customers unless they started providing smart meters. I'm wondering if the rest of their infrastructure is in place? I'll know for sure next time a meter reading is due I suppose.

To meet their requirements ,they just have to install a "smart" meter - nobody said it had to be a working "smart" meter!!

victor2

Bagnall said:

I'm saving lots of money with my new #smartmeters from #avroaenergy. The display says "Not commissioned" or "Connecting" but never does connect. So I'm saving money/energy by switching the display off. Anyone else with Avro Energy actually have working smart meters? My installer quickly brushed off the fact my display wasn't working saying it would connect in a couple of hours. An email to Avro got the response that they are working on it, but I wonder if it works at all as not long ago they were prevented from taking on new customers unless they started providing smart meters. I'm wondering if the rest of their infrastructure is in place? I'll know for sure next time a meter reading is due I suppose.

If the "display" you are referring to is just the In-House Display, then the meters themselves will be recording your usage. So you'll be saving nothing, other than the pretty insignificant cost of powering the IHD itself.

Even if the meters are not reporting usage to Avro, they will estimate it unless you provide them with an actual reading.

Of course, if the meters are not actually recording your usage, Avro will have no idea what you are using, but I can't believe an installer would leave them in that state.

Raggel

Has anyone has smart meters installed on behalf of Bulb? Mine went in beginning of August & the electricity meter wasn't "commissioned" on the first phone call they said they would sort it, suprise it didn't happen, call again & again the issue hasn't been resolved. I try to update the readings manually & they won't accept them because the numbers are lower than the last ones that were input. When I called Bulb they basically admitted to knowingly having faulty meters installed. Does anyone know how I can resolve this just so I can clear the bill & leave?