First Utility - Forced smart meter

Shiggaddi

I recently signed up to a deal with First Utility Smart April 2019. Nowhere in the sign up process did it say that I have to have a smart meter to benefit from this tariff.

The switch went as planned, but I have now received an e-mail with the following wording.

"Want to take the control of your energy even further? Once your smart meter is installed you’ll gain enhanced access to the ‘My Energy’ feature in your online account. Set your readings to half hourly and gain access to ‘My Week’, which provides detailed hour by hour information about your energy usage.
Please remember that as part of your new tariff you agreed to have a smart meter installed. If you don’t book an appointment you may lose the discounted rates of your new energy plan."

I switched via a switching provider (via topcashback) and cannot remember seeing in the T&Cs that I have to get a smart meter installed.

I am waiting for the next generation of smart meters to be rolled out, so I'm not wasting my time getting everything installed, only to find that the smart meter is locked into First Utility and then acts as a normal meter once I switch suppliers. I've heard that the next generation would not have that problem and would be compatible with switching suppliers.

So my question is, can they actually put me on a worse tariff than I signed up to, and still lock me in to April 2019 on a higher price than agreed. Or maybe they can put me on a different tariff but allow me to leave penalty free.

CashStrapped

Britsh Gas have a similar tariff, their online March 2019. It is highlited in small print when you switch and again in the T&C.

The best thing to do is to search on google for your tariff with first utility and look at the T&C. It will probably be in there somewhere.

I switched a family member to the latest cheap British Gas tariff (they won't switch to a supplier other than British Gas, so I have to flit between them and Sainsbury's).

In the T&C it says you have till june/july to book smart meter fitting otherwise you get put on their standard tariff.


This is one way some suppliers will enforce a switch.

I have to check if British Gas will be installing a SMETS2. Otherwise I may have to switch them back to sainsbury's by July. Hopefully Sainsbury's have a cheap tariff by then

Shiggaddi

I guess the way to handle the situation is, if I'm forced onto their standard tariff, surely I won't be penalised if I then want to switch. Hopefully I will have had the Topcashback payment for switching, and I can just do another search for the cheapest deal for my usage. If however they are installing a SMETS2 meter, then I'd be happy to get the meter installed. Are there any downfalls for getting the new meter?

CashStrapped

Apart from the total waste of money the whole project has been, and the fact that once you make something "smart" you invariably build into it a shorter lifespan or some form of obsolescence, there should not be an issue with them.

Yes, there are the tin foil hat concerns, your energy being monitored etc. But, it will end up with enforced replacement at one point or another.

They should, in theory help to cut down on meter bypassing and/or help prevent incorrect bills being produced and no more estimated readings!

My only issue was with the smets1 and the fact they were not cross compatible with all suppliers. Ludicrous.... But if smets2 sorts that, there should not be any problems.

House_Martin

Your post would benefit by changing the wording slightly. No one is "forcing " you to do anything. The clue to the tariff is in the tariff name with the word "smart ".prominent
"nowhere " does it say you have to have a smart meter except in the name of the tariff .
You cannot have looked very hard to see the T and Cs,. It will be in every comp sites headline t and cs and not buried away in clause 107. You have no excuse at all in not realising what you were getting into.
e.g from Uswitch .https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/interim?comparison_id=81975fb0-3a08-40ef-8cb7-f82ac3cd90fb&comparison_item_id=a86985ac-45f5-413c-9921-d7356343b5c0&fuel_type=dual-fuel&payment_method=Monthly+Direct+Debit&plan_name_key=copy-of-smart-first-march-2019-online-1517925745&position=29&supplier_name_key=first-utility

D_M_E

As the name implies, that tariff is associated with a smart meter and I believe you get a discount of about £6 per month for having the things, so effectively they are paying you to have them.

Alan_Bowen

Yes, I signed up a relative to the same account and part of the deal is that within 6 months of starting you agree to the installation of smart meters. In our case they contacted me within 4 weeks of the changeover and the meters were installed on February 12, less than 8 weeks after the transfer. The problem is that since the change, arranged by FU but actually carried out by their subcontractors Siemans, the water has been boiling 24 hours a day and FU don't want to have anything to do with the problem. I can also say getting through to a human being is very difficult, including being on hold, my last call this afternoon lasted 42 minutes with no resolution. I have been a customer in my own right for 5 years, I won't be much longer

ploddo

My Daughter in Law had one of First Utility smart meters installed a few months ago. She did not get an 'in house' monitor. When she queried this she was told that you only get one if you use gas as well! What is the point of that?

Zjd50

In First Utility's T&pc's they state that they will move you from this tariff to an equivalent standard or a cheaper tariff.
If they can't you can change provider "without penalty", so I assume no payment of the £30-60 For leaving early.

This tarrif should be advertised as "Smart Meter" not Smart.
I wonder how many people they have sucker in?

Contacting Customer Service today to inform the were to put their smart meters

Robin9

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

Y The problem is that since the change, arranged by FU but actually carried out by their subcontractors Siemans, the water has been boiling 24 hour

I assume you are talking about an Immerion Heater. Is this an E7 meter ? If not and it has been a single rate meter change there is no way the meter can be at fault.