We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
British Gas Meter end of life and Smart Meters
Comments
-
I believe a "dumb" smart meter may and most likely will still have an active comms module even if it isn't sending readings, so your statement that it's the same as a legacy meter is incorrect.Legacy meters will run out of stock next year, what do you think will happen when current meters need to be replaced?
Suppliers can get warrants to replace unsafe meters and most suppliers threaten to do this already when customers don’t respond to repeated recertification exchange requests. I don’t think many if any actually follow up on that threat as most people respond. Suppliers are allowed to have 10% of their metering portfolio out of recertification, so the small number that don’t respond fall into that pot and are left.
If lots of people start to refuse, then there will need to be some form of industry intervention. Without change suppliers will be forced to go down the warrant route and nobody wants that on their hands.
As I said above the smart meter can be installed in dumb, but I’d imagine this would be opt-out. And the vast majority of people won’t be bothered to opt out.
A dumb smart meter is essentially the same as an electronic legacy meter. So what’s the problem?0 -
It will be the "end of certification period", not an "end of life". Depending on the type of meter, the certification period could be 10 years or as much as 20. There should be a label attached to your meter giving a date when it was fitted, and possibly when the certification period expires.
"End of life" gives the impression that the meter will stop working once the date passes. This is not so, it will keep on clocking up consumption.
"End of certification period" just means that the meter can not be guaranteed to be within calibration specification. It will still keep working, but BG can not legally bill you for consumption based on the meter readings.
More information here - http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/42360/5876-meterapprovalverification-pdf
The only obvious date on my gas meter is "1992" in the bottom right hand corner of the face plate.
The only dates on my electricity meter are "(1994") behind the glass and a round white sticker saying "Certified 1994" on the glass.
Is it possible to find out if they have been certified more recently than those dates?0 -
I believe a "dumb" smart meter may and most likely will still have an active comms module even if it isn't sending readings, so your statement that it's the same as a legacy meter is incorrect.If a smart meter is installed without the hardware for any communications facility in either direction then it's not a smart meter.
Therefore there is still no evidence that genuine smart meters will become compulsory, it's mere supposition.
Semantics rather than supposition, it will be a genuine smart capable meter. Any regulatory reports will class it as a smart meter at a high level and sub divide it into a non communicating smart meter at a lower level. This is a worthless argument Going back to the OP there’s no point refusing a smart capable meter and demanding a legacy meter.
A smart meter can be installed in dumb without an active comms hub, if the comms hub isn’t commissioned at install an engineer will need to visit the property to activate it on the future. For S2 meters the comms hubs are separate devices to the meter, so you can if you want ask the engineer to remove the comms hub if you are that worried.
If you want to be ppm or TOU you will need an active comms hub for the initial set up.0 -
Hi Ive just had a call form British Gas who have said my electric meter is end of life, and they they need to arrange an appointment to come and chage to a smart meter, they will also do my gas free of charge.
I asked if I could not have a smart metre and have a normal one they have said yes but it would not be free and that it would cost between 120 to 180 per meter.
Im just wondering if this is part of a drive to get people on smart meters and if anyone else has had this type of call.
That said i asked if they could email me the details so I can think about it, and they said they will call me in a few days, sureley a letter or an email would be ok, unless they arent actually supposed to be doing this?
either way although a bit skepitkal about smart meters im usually pretty happy to have another gadget, but obviusly concerned around the real TCO
I can't see any logical reason to not get a smart meter in these circumstances. You need to get a new meter anyway, the fitter needs to come and change it no matter what happens so they might as well fit a smart one.0 -
I can't see any logical reason to not get a smart meter in these circumstances. You need to get a new meter anyway, the fitter needs to come and change it no matter what happens so they might as well fit a smart one.
PS not true, just change supplier, process stops dead, the industry is so fragmented you wont hear again for ages, when you do, just swap again......0 -
PS not true, just change supplier, process stops dead, the industry is so fragmented you wont hear again for ages, when you do, just swap again......
So let's say your on the cheapest tariff already, your saying you should switch to a more expensive tariff and possibly pay exit fees just to not get a smart meter.
Effectively paying not to get a smart meter is a complete waste of money and is certainly in no way money saving. But it's funny how paranoid people will find ways to waste money...0 -
PS not true, just change supplier, process stops dead, the industry is so fragmented you wont hear again for ages, when you do, just swap again......
As the poster above said....
But also the recertification date forms part of each suppliers health and safety obligations. The reason suppliers can apply for warrants is that the meter is no longer consider safe.
What is the actual point of trying to keep a legacy meter when you can get a smart meter installed as dumb and get on with your life. It will also stop your supplier contacting you to have a smart meter installed.
Cutting your nose off to spite your face comes to mind.0 -
So let's say your on the cheapest tariff already, your saying you should switch to a more expensive tariff and possibly pay exit fees just to not get a smart meter.
Effectively paying not to get a smart meter is a complete waste of money and is certainly in no way money saving. But it's funny how paranoid people will find ways to waste money...
It depends how you go about it, if in the true spirit of MSE were money saving is more important than time/hassle, the following procedure would end up in a net gain...
1) Move to bulb and use there early termination redemption guarantee so that bulb pays your early terminsation fee
2) Use a bulb referal link to make an extra £50
3) If still cheapest move back to BG after a month, using MSE's cheap energy club to get the moving credit
4) Wait a few months until BG contact you about your old meter and go back to step1
If you're an organized person and look at the monies earned over time inputed, I think you'll def be earning more than the minimum wage
0 -
As the poster above said....
But also the recertification date forms part of each suppliers health and safety obligations. The reason suppliers can apply for warrants is that the meter is no longer consider safe.
What is the actual point of trying to keep a legacy meter when you can get a smart meter installed as dumb and get on with your life. It will also stop your supplier contacting you to have a smart meter installed.
Cutting your nose off to spite your face comes to mind.
Not Spite... pure rational money saving ethic .... old mechanical meters start reading under as they age, it's in the interest of suppliers to change them (hence the certification process on old meters)0 -
Hi Ive just had a call form British Gas who have said my electric meter is end of life, and they they need to arrange an appointment to come and chage to a smart meter, they will also do my gas free of charge.
I asked if I could not have a smart metre and have a normal one they have said yes but it would not be free and that it would cost between 120 to 180 per meter.
Im just wondering if this is part of a drive to get people on smart meters and if anyone else has had this type of call.
That said i asked if they could email me the details so I can think about it, and they said they will call me in a few days, sureley a letter or an email would be ok, unless they arent actually supposed to be doing this?
either way although a bit skepitkal about smart meters im usually pretty happy to have another gadget, but obviusly concerned around the real TCO
It's a scam by them to get you to have a smart meter. Unless they can prove there is a fault with the meters you have installed they cannot just come and install them. If you are in rented accommodation then the Landlord might arrange the installation if all bills are included in the rent, if it's council or your own property then tell then NO! Unless you are happy to have the meters changed for smart meters.Someone please tell me what money is0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.2K Spending & Discounts
- 245.1K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.4K Life & Family
- 258.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards