Name and Shame your Smart Meter Supplier Share your experiences

poppellerant

I voted for I already have a smart meter and I see no benefit. This is because my previous provider installed the smart meter and since I have switched to another provider I have lost the "benefits" of the smart meter, apart from the IHD functionality.

Every month I now have to press the 9 button and quickly note down the reading before either the display's backlight goes out or the display (which has a very poor viewing angle) changes.

If I knew about the SMETS1 mock-up in these meters, I would have probably waited for SMETS2. But the fact that most small providers don't even support smart meters would have completely put me off the installation.

Raxiel

I have one, and it was fitted by my current supplier, but because I left and came back, their SMETS1 network cannot accept a returning customer so it's gone dumb.

So I don't get any real benefit from the 'automated meter reads' side of things, although I do find the IHD useful, not always in the way it was supposed to be.

For example, last week I noticed that doing a full weeks laundry - 7 loads in the washing machine AND tumble drier only used about 10kWh more than a typical day, or to put it another way, less than a couple of quid and only a part of that was the drier.

So now, even if it's sunny, the laundry goes in the machine instead of on the line. It's just not worth my time to go pegging it all out.

RandomQ

Raxiel wrote: »

I have one, and it was fitted by my current supplier, but because I left and came back, their SMETS1 network cannot accept a returning customer so it's gone dumb.

So I don't get any real benefit from the 'automated meter reads' side of things, although I do find the IHD useful, not always in the way it was supposed to be.

For example, last week I noticed that doing a full weeks laundry - 7 loads in the washing machine AND tumble drier only used about 10kWh more than a typical day, or to put it another way, less than a couple of quid and only a part of that was the drier.

So now, even if it's sunny, the laundry goes in the machine instead of on the line. It's just not worth my time to go pegging it all out.

It is ridiculous that they do not even accept a returning customer, I am almost speechless.

So it seems that for you at least the IHD has had the OPPOSITE effect of the hoped for benefit.

Furthermore, it could have been achieved without a smart meter and 13bn of our money but for sub £10 energy monitor from eBay.

Raxiel

RandomQ wrote: »

It is ridiculous that they do not even accept a returning customer, I am almost speechless.

I agree, and I did get some compensation from the complaint handler over it (they'd told me it would work before I switched back). Even if they fitted a brand new meter, it would refuse to connect apparently. I assume its a bug in the old system that they don't see the point in fixing, since it's supposed to be replaced with the SMETS2 system aaaaany day now
I was told as soon as that system goes live, my meter can be re-connected, that was 8 months ago, and I'm not expecting smooth sailing when the day comes either.

I could switch away to another provider and ask them to fit their own smart meters, which would probably work, but the current price isn't bad, there's a leaving fee, and the new meters would be SMETS1 anyway so I might as well wait it out at this point.

RandomQ wrote: »

So it seems that for you at least the IHD has had the OPPOSITE effect of the hoped for benefit.

Furthermore, it could have been achieved without a smart meter and 13bn of our money but for sub £10 energy monitor from eBay.

For that particular use, yeah, it's increased usage by a trivial amount (since I know it's trivial).
I find it useful though. I have it set to 'live electricity usage' and have gotten a feel of how much the house uses. I can glance at it as I'm leaving and usually spot if something has been left switched on that shouldn't be.
We've actually decreased our overall electricity usage by 1/3 over the last few years, and the IHD did identify some higher usage items but:
a) The biggest saving was dumping the electric shower, which was going to happen anyway as part of a remodel.
b) Most of the others were from making the energy rating or efficiency a priority when replacing old stuff like the 7 year old TV.
and
c) As you say, this could have been done with a simple monitor.

For my own part though, the meter swap was only a few years earlier than when it'd have to be done due to certification, and it meant I got rid of a radio time switch that was blocking a potential shelf location in the meter cupboard, so it was still worth it on a personal level.

Not to say I think the governments implementation of the roll-out is at all well managed or cost efficient. I do think a smart grid is going to be a necessity going forward though.

It's not so much about saving consumers money in the current regime that's just spin and weasel words to convince people there's a benefit in the here and now, since no politician dares plan beyond the next election. It's more about staving off the significant increases to generating capacity that this country desperately needs. The UK's energy security is tenuous at best, and even if we had a government with the will to do something about it (Hinkley C is a start) the lead times involved in that mean we need ways to manage demand to squeeze the most out of what we have.

robti

Had mine fitted by EDF over 18 months and the gas side has never worked, it seems that even though the gas meter is less than 3m away from the main electricity meter they can!!!8217;t talk to each other although my mother has Scottish gas and hers are over 10m apart and through 4 walls and work fine. So my monitor is unplugged and in a drawer

glocal

ebico reminded me that as part of the T&Cs for the Night Owl tariff, I must accept the installation of a smart meter. I'd rather not lose my current convenient Economy 7 times (23:30-1:30 and 3:30-8:30). Do all smart meters define Econ 7 as 00:00-07:00? If yes, I would rather move to another provider, but there is an exit fee. My mistake I didn't read the T&C properly of course.



A year ago Scottish Power wanted to install a smart meter, and then they realised they didn't do blocks of flats yet. I can hope the same will happen with ebico.

RandomQ

Thanks for all replies so far, Poll is still open, feel free to name and shame..

Poll results so far

I already have a smart meter and I am very happy with it

19.57% • 9 votes



I already have a smart meter and I see no benefit

13.04% • 6 votes



I do not have a smart meter but I do not mind having one

6.52% • 3 votes



I do not have a smart meter and I am waiting till October

19.57% • 9 votes



I will never want a smart meter

41.30% • 19 votes



My premises/install means I can't have a smart meter

0% • 0 votes

[Deleted User]

Mojisola wrote: »

Or threatened - one of my elderly relatives has been very upset recently after receiving a letter from SSE. The main part of the letter says things like "ageing meters can become unreliable, which means they can give inaccurate readings".

There is one sentence which says that you don't have to upgrade to a smart meter but then there is an outlined box and the threat "If we don't hear from you, we have the right to apply for a warrant to obtain access to your property to carry out this exchange".

My relative was imagining arriving home to find they had gone to court, come to her house and broken down the door to do the work so she quickly agreed to having the smart meter fitted out of fear.

Are you absolutely sure of that comment about taking a warrant out merely to fit a boring old smart meter ?.Sounds like absolute total rubbish to me and the sort of stuff that https://www.Stopsmartmeters.co. would lie about on their website..Can you name the supplier stupid enough to try that sort of tactic ?
Suppliers only get interested in obtaining warrants for people who refuse to accept a prepayment meter when they owe a few thousand pounds and make little effort repaying or the occupier is engaged in meter tampering.

Mojisola

Houbara wrote: »

Are you absolutely sure of that comment about taking a warrant out merely to fit a boring old smart meter ?.Sounds like absolute total rubbish to me and the sort of stuff that https://www.Stopsmartmeters.co. would lie about on their website..Can you name the supplier stupid enough to try that sort of tactic ?
Suppliers only get interested in obtaining warrants for people who refuse to accept a prepayment meter when they owe a few thousand pounds and make little effort repaying or the occupier is engaged in meter tampering.

I copied that directly from the letter.

[Deleted User]

Mojisola wrote: »

I copied that directly from the letter.

From which supplier please ?
It is possible that a prepayment meter which is a smart meter set in prepay mode, can be forcibly fitted to a property. These meters will have the occupiers debts set on the meter with a weekly debt to be paid
That is not the same thing as a smart meter in credit meter mode being forced onto an occupier. Smart meters are not mandatory.
Also if someone has an old credit meter and refuses point blank to allow the supplier to change it I suppose a supplier could force fit a new one, smart or dumb, with a warrant, rather then cut the person off