Getting caught out with smart meter T&Cs

JustAnotherSaver

Looks like i've been had, by myself i suppose. Anyone else fallen foul of this?


My deal was up with Tonik so i searched for the cheapest tariff. I whittled out those who threw up a red flag as far as you may not want to go with these kind of thing (all the more cautious after my mother's incident with eCONomy Energy) and in the end went with British Gas.



I couldn't tell you the tariff i'm on as i can't find that information in my BG account. I was contacted by them to be told that as part of the tariff i NEED to have a Smart Meter installed.

I didn't see that anywhere. There was no star next to it when i signed up to indicate i should check a reference on this which says 'must have smart meter within x-days' for example. There was nothing. I suppose it'll be in the 1001 page T&Cs that 99.9% of people don't read. Suppose it's a bit like buying a burger in town - you wouldn't think to pull it apart to check if it's got a stanley blade inside it, but who knows, maybe that's on their T&Cs. Yes i'm being silly & extreme but why would anyone think - hey if i sign up for this then i'll possibly need a smart meter (unless there was clear mention of it at the start).


So now i have 3 options:


1) get a smart meter installed - not an option
2) Go on to one of BGs dearer tariffs
3) Pay a £30 per fuel charge and go elsewhere .... and hopefully not get stung by the same thing again.


I've been switching for years and never been hit with this. When did all this start? Anyone else here been caught out? I'm guessing not but i thought i'd ask.

matelodave

Most of the better deals are contingent on having a smart meter. Energy companies are being fined or sanctioned for not putting enough effort into installing them or persuading customers to have them.

Ultimately though, it will start costing them more to process their billing as they'll have to have a separate system to run alongside the smart meter process so I guess that if you decide to opt out then it's going to cost you more.

In the end does it really matter what sort of meter you've got - you need a meter anyway, so it might as well be a smart one.

In the end it's up to you but don't whinge if you find that you are having to pay extra

Gerry1

4) Do nothing. Decline any smart meter offers. If they persist, ask for its compulsory nature to be put in writing and ask where this was mentioned in the Ts & Cs and in your Welcome Pack. If they shift you to a less advantageous tariff submit a formal complaint and if rejected, go to the Energy Ombudsman.

[Deleted User]

The wording about obligatory smart meter installation for the BG tariff does NOT just appear in the long and tedious T/c s which few but lawyers ever read, it appears big and loud in "plan info and features " and anyone half intelligent could not fail to miss it .Absolutely no excuse whatsoever for missing the sentence about the tariff feature needing smart meter installation.

It is getting a bit tedious to see people coming on here full of indignation and hatred for smart meters having a good old whinge, especially about smart meter tariffs linked to installation of a smart meter. The Tory Government have foisted this action by the suppliers to give occupiers a little sweetener to accept a smart meter. If they had their own way they would just install one whether you wanted one or not.
Just remember that Soft Liberal UK is about the only country in the world to give Joe Public the choice in what flavour of meter the suppliers choose to fit in their properties. The rest of the world just say " if you don`t want a smart meter, try living off grid " and cut you off if you refuse.
Hopefully Boris will soon end this stupidity which the last Tory Energy Minister allowed after taking over from Labours Energy Minister Ed Miliband, who made smart meter installation mandatory .

Norman_Castle

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I couldn't tell you the tariff i'm on as i can't find that information in my BG account. I was contacted by them to be told that as part of the tariff i NEED to have a Smart Meter installed.

I didn't see that anywhere. There was no star next to it when i signed up to indicate i should check a reference on this which says 'must have smart meter within x-days' for example. There was nothing.

No star on a comparison site? If so its the comparison sites fault for not giving the correct information. Did you check exactly what you were signing up for with BG? Comparison sites normally have a further information button which gives more detail.

Highland76

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

1) get a smart meter installed - not an option

Out of interest would it still be "not an option" if they offered to install a SMETS2 meter? AFAIK BG are mostly installing SMETS2 meters are now.

RelievedSheff

Norman_Castle wrote: »

No star on a comparison site? If so its the comparison sites fault for not giving the correct information. Did you check exactly what you were signing up for with BG? Comparison sites normally have a further information button which gives more detail.

I wouldn't say it is the fault of the comparison site or the energy company.

It is the fault of the customer for not reading what they are signing up for.

People really do need to start taking some responsibility for their own actions rather then trying to blame other people for everything!

maroth

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

...
So now i have 3 options:
.
.
3) Pay a £30 per fuel charge and go elsewhere .... and hopefully not get stung by the same thing again..

Switch to Bulb Energy.

They will refund your exit fees, and no they don't have any exit fees themselves.

Remember to use a referral from the referrers board for an additional bill credit just for joining. :money:

JustAnotherSaver

Houbara wrote: »

The wording about obligatory smart meter installation for the BG tariff does NOT just appear in the long and tedious T/c s which few but lawyers ever read, it appears big and loud in "plan info and features " and anyone half intelligent could not fail to miss it .Absolutely no excuse whatsoever for missing the sentence about the tariff feature needing smart meter installation.

Wind your neck in. Nobody here has killed your mother have they? Jesus!



Now since i can't go back in time then MAYBE it did say something however i'm fairly sure it didn't. When signing up to something, anything involving money, i always look to see if there is some sort of catch...'the small print'. I look for anything like an asterix or a banner or something that stands out, either in big writing at the front door or a reference to further reading.

And i didn't see any of that when i signed up - which is why i went ahead and signed up.


It may or may not have been in the T&Cs. Since i doubt they'll be calling anyones bluff then it probably is. I've messaged them for more info so we'll see.

But since i never saw it on the front sign up page, i wouldn't stop to think it may be in the small print. Similarly when opening a bank account, i don't read through the 100s of T&C pages to check whether i'm also signing over all my worldly possessions to the bank too. It wouldn't enter my head that that may be a possibility because i've never had that before. Never even heard of it. Sure i'd heard of smart meters but i'd never heard of them being compulsory for energy tariff's.

Norman_Castle wrote: »

No star on a comparison site? If so its the comparison sites fault for not giving the correct information. Did you check exactly what you were signing up for with BG? Comparison sites normally have a further information button which gives more detail.

Nope i never saw anything that suggested i should read further.


Like i just said, i doubt BG will be making this up so it must be there somewhere. I've already admitted i didn't search the T&Cs for it but also when i take out car insurance in a few months i wont be searching the T&Cs of that to check if i need to paint my car pink. It wouldn't enter my head that that may be required.

Highland76 wrote: »

Out of interest would it still be "not an option" if they offered to install a SMETS2 meter? AFAIK BG are mostly installing SMETS2 meters are now.

Not sure what they are but i'm not interested in a smart meter.



What will a smart meter give me?


Tells me what i'm using? I know what i'm using. My PC is on so i'm using juice for that. I need to make a brew so that costs also. I want to watch TV - i have to pay there too. I need the lights on when it's dark - that costs. Not hard to know what is costing me stuff.
It's also not the end of the world to read a meter and submit the figures. Auto-sending is like the auto-wipers on the car ... not really needed. I'm not bothered about who says auto-wipers is the best invention ever ... it's not difficult for me to turn my wipers on when i see it raining, i don't need the car to do it.


Oh and i guess it'll take up a socket too. That's helpful!

RelievedSheff wrote: »

People really do need to start taking some responsibility for their own actions rather then trying to blame other people for everything!

Aside from where i said that MAYBE i did miss it, even though i don't think i did, where do i say that others are to blame for EVERYTHING? I'd be interested to see where in my posts you saw me say that. I'll PayPal you cash if you can show me.

JustAnotherSaver

Well i had word back from British Gas.


From the sounds of it there was nothing at sign up. Instead it'd have been in a booklet they sent out as part of my signing up. No doubt i'll have received this during the cooling off period so i would've had the option to cancel without charge.


I never read the booklet so that's my own fault there (oops, i can't say that, it doesn't fit well with some people on here - the conclusion jumpers).
The reason i wont have read it is because i wont have felt need to, on account of nothing at sign up standing out to me in a negative sense (i know the requirement of a smart meter would be in some peoples big positive box, but it'd be a negative to me). That's why i wont have read any booklet.



And that's me simply saying that's why i wont have read the booklet. I don't need anyone adding in their own words to make it juicy such as "that's why i didn't read the booklet, so i am totally blameless and i'll go on a rant about taking responsibility".


I do think these things should be clearer but what can you do. Nothing. They're wanting to push the smart meter so if being slick and slippery isn't against the rules then they'll be slick and slippery.

markin

I had a quick skim of the T*C on uswitch Nothing about needing a SM that i can see.


Eon and Bulb both had this "E.ON will contact you to offer a free smart meter installation if eligible."




https://assets0.uswitch.com/s3/uswitch-assets-eu/terms-and-conditions/british-gas-copy-of-homeenergy-secure-green-oct-2021-1562859847-HomeEnergy%20Secure%20Green%20Dec%202021%20T&C.pdf