Smart Meters

Nick_C

cmotd wrote: »

... suggest you read the Telegraph article HERE about the effect they have on smart meters.

Martin Lewis himself has described the roll out of smart meters as "cockup and chaos" so why is MSE actively promoting tariffs where they are compulsory?

To quote from the Telegraph:-

"Update: Since the publication of this article BEAMA, the trade association which represents manufacturers of smart meters, has been in touch to say that none the smart meters tested in the study are part of the UK's official smart meter roll out."

I agree that the implementation has been chaotic and wasteful, and we are all going to pay for it whether we have a smart meter or not.

But this site is about saving money. If the cheapest tariff involves getting a smart meter fitted, many people will want that tariff.

I also have LEDs throughout the house, and some of them are on dimmer switches. I also have a smart meter.

In my previous home I had an electronic meter that wasn't smart. That was fitted in 2010 as part of a scheduled replacement of old meters. I would expect a new electronic meter to be more accurate than an old analogue one. This may or may not be in your favour, but you probably won't notice any difference.

Meters have a limited life. Your clunky old analogue meter will be swapped for an electronic one anyway as part of normal maintenance of equipment. You will have no control over that. You will probably be given a smart meter that doesn't have the smart functionally enabled.

buglawton

Nick_C wrote: »

To quote from the Telegraph:-

"Update: Since the publication of this article BEAMA, the trade association which represents manufacturers of smart meters, has been in touch to say that none the smart meters tested in the study are part of the UK's official smart meter roll out."

I agree that the implementation has been chaotic and wasteful, and we are all going to pay for it whether we have a smart meter or not.

But this site is about saving money. If the cheapest tariff involves getting a smart meter fitted, many people will want that tariff.

I also have LEDs throughout the house, and some of them are on dimmer switches. I also have a smart meter.

In my previous home I had an electronic meter that wasn't smart. That was fitted in 2010 as part of a scheduled replacement of old meters. I would expect a new electronic meter to be more accurate than an old analogue one. This may or may not be in your favour, but you probably won't notice any difference.

Meters have a limited life. Your clunky old analogue meter will be swapped for an electronic one anyway as part of normal maintenance of equipment. You will have no control over that. You will probably be given a smart meter that doesn't have the smart functionally enabled.

If water meters are anything to go by:
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2823780/1-4-million-households-water-meters-say-add-extra-100-year-bills.html
Metered households pay more for water

Nick_C

buglawton wrote: »

If water meters are anything to go by:
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2823780/1-4-million-households-water-meters-say-add-extra-100-year-bills.html
Metered households pay more for water

Undoubtedly. It obviously costs more to install meters, read them, and send bills calculated on actual usage instead of a fixed amount based on the value of the property.

nic_c

Nick_C wrote: »

Meters have a limited life. Your clunky old analogue meter will be swapped for an electronic one anyway as part of normal maintenance of equipment. You will have no control over that. You will probably be given a smart meter that doesn't have the smart functionally enabled.

My gas meter was fitted into the house in 1960's an still going strong, not sure I call that limited.:rotfl:

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

cmotd wrote: »

Eon is getting desperate. Had an email from them saying 'they needed to change my meter' to a smart one and to ring them if I didn't want one. Ignored it so they phoned me two days later and tried to 'encourage' me to have one. I told them I would have one when the smets2 version was available and that they could prove that led lights wouldn't give false readings up to six times too high (see Daily Telegraph article from last March).
Today I had another email about my fixed tariff which ends soon and offering their best tariff which - Surprise! Surprise! - is only available if you agree to have a smart meter. Compulsion by the back door? Is this legal?

Hello cmotd.

Smart meters are optional and you can reject our offers to have them at any time. As this technology is continually advancing, we've an obligation to keep checking with customers to see if they've changed their mind. This is particularly the case with significant developments like SMETS2 meters and SMETS1 upgrades. We need to make customers aware of these changes so they can make an informed decision.

The tariff we've offered will be one of our Smart Saver range. With these tariffs, customers agree to talk to us about having smart meters. As above, they remain optional and the offer can be turned down. At this point, our advisor will talk about the options available at that specific time.

Hope this explains cmotd.

Malc

Greenfingers37

I switched to 1st Utility in June without realising that I had to have a smart meter. (My fault for not reading the small print in one of eleven e-mails that I received from them during the switching process!) If I refuse to have one they will transfer me to a variable tariff and also charge me £30. I don't want a meter but I don't want to be switched to a much more expensive tariff either. I think I might switch to another supplier and pay the usual £30 excess fee to get rid of 1st Utility.

PanJan

I'm guessing you're not on 'dual fuel' with those rouges...FIRST UTILITY?! I joined them in March this year, 'foolishly', under the impression that 'Smart Meters' we're NOT compulsory & I had the right to refuse them. All went well, until last week, after submitting my readings, they informed me that since I've not taken measures to have a Smart meter fitted..they're applying EXIT FEES of £60 for dual fuel & changing my tariff, increasing my Electric Standing Charge from 10.94 per unit to 24.61 ...Gas S.C. from 8.88 p.unit..to 21.24! I called them & 'eventually' got through to a young woman, who simply continued to repeat my new tariff at me, as I tried to explain that I didn't know SM's were legally compulsory, as yet ..still she continued to repeat herself & consequently I'd no choice but to hang up! I've since used 'resolver' to file a complaint against their actions, through Martin's money. Apparently this will take some time. I'm 73yrs, live on my own & my sole income is my state pension. My next call will be to Citizens Advice, failing that the Ombudsman. There's far too much rhetoric & confusion regarding S M's both from energy websites & the Government:A:A ...lies & deceit abound..sign of the times we live in, sadly. ❄️

Quentin

It looks like you agreed to a smart meter when taking out the contract??


The tariffs are cheaper but you must get a smart meter fitted within 6 months


How did they give you the impression it was optional?

The_Big_Bamboo

PanJan wrote: »

I'm guessing you're not on 'dual fuel' with those rouges...FIRST UTILITY?! I joined them in March this year, 'foolishly', under the impression that 'Smart Meters' we're NOT compulsory & I had the right to refuse them. All went well, until last week, after submitting my readings, they informed me that since I've not taken measures to have a Smart meter fitted..they're applying EXIT FEES of £60 for dual fuel & changing my tariff, increasing my Electric Standing Charge from 10.94 per unit to 24.61 ...Gas S.C. from 8.88 p.unit..to 21.24! I called them & 'eventually' got through to a young woman, who simply continued to repeat my new tariff at me, as I tried to explain that I didn't know SM's were legally compulsory, as yet ..still she continued to repeat herself & consequently I'd no choice but to hang up! I've since used 'resolver' to file a complaint against their actions, through Martin's money. Apparently this will take some time. I'm 73yrs, live on my own & my sole income is my state pension. My next call will be to Citizens Advice, failing that the Ombudsman. There's far too much rhetoric & confusion regarding S M's both from energy websites & the Government:A:A ...lies & deceit abound..sign of the times we live in, sadly. ❄️

Notwithstanding the fact that you weren’t aware of the conditions you’ve nonetheless accepted a tariff that has a pricing structure commensurate with you agreeing to have smart meters fitted.

Your refusal have Smart meters fitted has resulted in the energy company withdrawing that particular tariff;...you really can’t expect to remain on a preferential smart-meter tariff whilst steadfastly refusing to have smart meters fitted.

Perhaps it might be financially prudent to have a re-think about having the smart-meters fitted. It only takes about 2hrs or so to change both meters and there is absolutely minimal upheaval.

You won’t need to submit meter readings,...the smart meters can be setup to do that for you. No more meter readers knocking on your door or clattering around outside.

There are no intrinsic downsides to having smart meters fitted,...only positives; IMHO of course.

Your choice obviously, but you are not legally obliged to have smart meters fitted. As it stands no energy company can force anyone to have smart meters fitted,...but they can withdraw smart-meter tariffs if the conditions of that tariff are not complied with.

Alternatively, you could use this opportunity to find an alternative cheaper energy supplier;...good luck with whatever you decide to do.:)

[Deleted User]

The_Big_Bamboo wrote: »

Notwithstanding the fact that you weren’t aware of the conditions you’ve nonetheless accepted a tariff that has a pricing structure commensurate with you agreeing to have smart meters fitted.

Your refusal have Smart meters fitted has resulted in the energy company withdrawing that particular tariff;...you really can’t expect to remain on a preferential smart-meter tariff whilst steadfastly refusing to have smart meters fitted.

Perhaps it might be financially prudent to have a re-think about having the smart-meters fitted. It only takes about 2hrs or so to change both meters and there is absolutely minimal upheaval.

You won’t need to submit meter readings,...the smart meters can be setup to do that for you. No more meter readers knocking on your door or clattering around outside.

There are no intrinsic downsides to having smart meters fitted,...only positives; IMHO of course.

Your choice obviously, but you are not legally obliged to have smart meters fitted. As it stands no energy company can force anyone to have smart meters fitted,...but they can withdraw smart-meter tariffs if the conditions of that tariff are not complied with.

Alternatively, you could use this opportunity to find an alternative cheaper energy supplier;...good luck with whatever you decide to do.:)

Some good points but the meter readers will keep on coming but hopefully not too often.. There are T and Cs about meter inspections which most suppliers will/should adhere to, so even if the meters are sending readings back every day the meter itself will need an inspection on occasions
OFGEMS latest rule change on this has changed from a mandatory once every 2 years and reverted back to what is in each suppliers T and C s . That would be along the lines of "if and when they see fit to inspect the meters ".That could mean a visit once every 5 years or if unusual meter readings are noticed then they can call and check at any time between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm