smart meter billing

richpluk

Hi guys.
I’ve been reading this forum for a long time but finally decided to register and ask a few questions.
I read a lot about smart meters not just on this forum but elsewhere too. Whenever there is a discussion about smart meters there are hundreds of hysterical people claiming that their newly installed smart meter increased their bills by thousands of pounds. Nothing but horror stories, papers don’t help either.
So I’d like to ask those who actually have smart meters, very often horror stories come from people who actually don’t have one (my neighbour’s sister’s cousin received £1 trillion bill).
Why would anyone have their bills increased as a result of having a smart meter? Is it because they never gave (or very rarely) meter readings in the past or may be smart meters record usage incorrectly (like in case of LED bulbs some people claim) or may be its the opposite and they record usage correctly unlike the old meters?
So has any of you experienced an unexplained increase in their monthly usage/bills after you had a smart meter installed?

AndyCF

The bills stayed about the same, as you use about the same.

I think some of the hysteria (perhaps?) was maybe due to meter faults rather than anything else but a regular digital/analogue one could potentially do that too.

Main advantage really is your bill should be accurate aka no estimated readings (if you do not submit them yourself) as they can either grab a reading at a suitable point or it might send them a reading at specific time periods, not 100% on which.

The only other concern I think some may have is the possibility of remote disconnection although the steps and hoops needed as I understand it for a utility company to do this in the UK at least, mean you'd be a few months at least before it got to that stage (if it *ever* did!) and its 100 times more likely it would be switched to prepay mode, yes most smarts can operate in credit or prepay mode.

I'd not be concerned about that in the slightest. Besides if the meter is in your own cupboard it could accidentally end up surrounded by a faraday cage (this paragraph is a joke by the way)

Back to sensible mode again: They can be quite annoying to read though it has to be said, some of them very little thought indeed was given to user friendlynesss at all. Not all of them by any means though.

PennineAcute

What normally happens is that people do not give readings as often as they should. Once the smart meter is installed, people are now paying what they should, instead of an under or over estimate. If their energy company has been under estimating, people can be in for a shock, as they are now playing catch up.

[Deleted User]

PennineAcute wrote: »

What normally happens is that people do not give readings as often as they should. Once the smart meter is installed, people are now paying what they should, instead of an under or over estimate. If their energy company has been under estimating, people can be in for a shock, as they are now playing catch up.

That is how smart meters should work but the suppliers along with the DCC who are supposed to transfer the automatic readings, are of course messing it all up. The whole Utilities industry is second rate , always looking for ways to save money or make more money and lessen their costs.
Suppliers are now busy sending out multiple estimates covering many months for customers on working smart meters.

I was always a big fan of smart meters especially their role in cutting down meter bypassing by installing smart meters but I can see now that the suppliers will not be stopping this activity much at all because there will be no one watching for when meter covers on smart meters are breached when they attempt to bypass the electric meter or remove the smart gas meter.
.No ones watching, or taking notice. They are similar to a cctv camera with no one ever looking at the criminal activity taking place. Typical of the UK Utilities..its broke and is in a mess

richpluk

Hi guys.

Thank you for your replies.

It’s surprising how many people don’t bother sending meter readings and pay estimate bills for years.
One thing I didn’t realise is that because my meters are in the basement the home monitor is unlikely to get connected to them. I can be wrong but the distance is pretty big so I might not be able to enjoy the advantage of being able to monitor my usage 24/7.

Having read everything I think smart meters are an excellent idea as long as they work properly.

Talldave

Houbara wrote: »

That is how smart meters should work but the suppliers along with the DCC who are supposed to transfer the automatic readings, are of course messing it all up. The whole Utilities industry is second rate , always looking for ways to save money or make more money and lessen their costs.
Suppliers are now busy sending out multiple estimates covering many months for customers on working smart meters.

I was always a big fan of smart meters especially their role in cutting down meter bypassing by installing smart meters but I can see now that the suppliers will not be stopping this activity much at all because there will be no one watching for when meter covers on smart meters are breached when they attempt to bypass the electric meter or remove the smart gas meter.
.No ones watching, or taking notice. They are similar to a cctv camera with no one ever looking at the criminal activity taking place. Typical of the UK Utilities..its broke and is in a mess

Very true. The shambles of missed deadlines seems to be due to the archaic energy companies not really knowing what they were doing. I look forward to new players entering the market and offering interesting dynamic tariffs, but it's going to be some time yet.

[Deleted User]

richpluk wrote: »

One thing I didn’t realise is that because my meters are in the basement the home monitor is unlikely to get connected to them. I can be wrong but the distance is pretty big so I might not be able to enjoy the advantage of being able to monitor my usage 24/7.

Unfortunately this is true, the transmission strength of the meter to the IHD isn't all that great and IHD's are not suitable in modern apartment blocks. In addition, the meters themselves frequently cannot transmit their data to the DCC so many companies do not install smart meters in such environments.
This is IMHO all down to the massive mismanagement of this smart meter project from day one where nobody looked at the real world requirements and then made the project work to them. The whole need for the massive infrastructure behind the DCC is ridiculous and the technology used, past and present , isn't up to scratch.
We, the customers, are paying for all this and will do forever.

AndyCF

gsmlnx wrote: »

This is IMHO all down to the massive mismanagement of this smart meter project from day one where nobody looked at the real world requirements and then made the project work to them.

I can only 100% concur with you on this.

My thoughts are simply I think it was a case of "well in theory..." vs "the real world" , seen this in other industries too, unfortunately. Not just limited to "I.T." type erm 'projects' too.

Gerry1

AndyCF wrote: »

Main advantage really is your bill should be accurate aka no estimated readings

Theoretically true, but worthless. In reality you still won't be paying for the exact amount you use because almost all suppliers insist on Fixed Direct Debits, so it makes very little difference. In any case, an estimated reading would be sorted out the next time the meter reader visited.

AndyCF wrote: »

The only other concern I think some may have is the possibility of remote disconnection although the steps and hoops needed as I understand it for a utility company to do this in the UK at least, mean you'd be a few months at least before it got to that stage

True, but only for disconnection for non-payment. Remote disconnection ('load shedding' is the euphemism) is one of the main reasons for smart meters: it's to enforce electricity rationing when expensive Time of Day tariffs haven't persuaded you to go cold and dark when there's not enough juice to meet the peak demand. :eek:

[Deleted User]

Gerry1 wrote: »

Theoretically true, but worthless. In reality you still won't be paying for the exact amount you use because almost all suppliers insist on Fixed Direct Debits, so it makes very little difference. In any case, an estimated reading would be sorted out the next time the meter reader visited.

True, but only for disconnection for non-payment. Remote disconnection ('load shedding' is the euphemism) is one of the main reasons for smart meters: it's to enforce electricity rationing when expensive Time of Day tariffs haven't persuaded you to go cold and dark when there's not enough juice to meet the peak demand. :eek:

A "fixed " direct debit is rare. All suppliers offering monthly direct debits are at pains to inform customers that a direct debit can go up or down dependent on usage.
Disconnection of any customers in the UK, sadly, is very rare.. I work for BG reading meters along with many other suppliers and anyone in large debt are either offered or forced to switch meters to prepayment meters..
Even if someone bypasses prepayment meters and are caught it is still rare to disconnect. I have been informed via BG Revenue Protection Unit officers that action like disconnection would only happen after 3 instances of known or suspect meter tampering.

Gerry1

Houbara wrote: »

A "fixed" direct debit is rare. All suppliers offering monthly direct debits are at pains to inform customers that a direct debit can go up or down dependent on usage.

Our wires are obviously crossed here ! By Fixed Direct Debit I am referring to the industry standard term whereby the same amount is collected every month. Obviously this amount will change from time to time if usage is not as expected or if the tariff changes. FDDs are very common: almost every energy company insists on this, very few offer Variable Direct Debit where you simply pay for the exact amount used in the previous month.

So there's very little advantage in having a smart meter: if you have a Fixed Direct Debit, at any given moment you'll still have paid too little or (much more likely !) far too much, and your credit balance will be a nice little earner for the energy company. The only people who would benefit are the minute number of people who have a Variable Direct Debit AND never bothered to read their traditional meters.

Houbara wrote: »

Disconnection of any customers in the UK, sadly, is very rare...

Again, I thought I'd made this clear: I am referring to temporary disconnection (load shedding) which will become increasingly common as existing life-expired power stations are decommissioned and are not replaced by new ones. That's the real reason why smart meters are being so heavily promoted.

You are referring to disconnection for non payment, which is a totally different issue.