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doveman

How can an already installed dual-rate meter incur any extra costs for the supplier compared to a single-rate one?

Premier_2

doveman wrote: »

How can an already installed dual-rate meter incur any extra costs for the supplier compared to a single-rate one?

Capital outlay - the more capital outlaid, the more it costs in depreciation.

Usually the meters are rented so the rental value is based on the cost/depreciation suffered by the actual owner.

harryhound

We are all supposed to be getting "smart" meters soon?
(You know the idea; it there is a surge in demandm rather than having expensive power station fired up and ticking over somehow the meter will turn off you fridge.
Alternatively when the internal price of electricity falls to nothing, because the atomic power stations are chucking the stuff away. somehow the system will instruct everyone's freezer to turn on for a bit and soak up the excess supply.

Premier_2

harryhound wrote: »

We are all supposed to be getting "smart" meters soon?
(You know the idea; it there is a surge in demandm rather than having expensive power station fired up and ticking over somehow the meter will turn off you fridge.
Alternatively when the internal price of electricity falls to nothing, because the atomic power stations are chucking the stuff away. somehow the system will instruct everyone's freezer to turn on for a bit and soak up the excess supply.

Where did you get those ideas from?

Smart metering is expected to start being rolled out from 2013 and be completed by 2020.
As I understand things, a smart meter is simply a meter that will allow suppliers to receive usage (meter readings) automatically rather than someone having to come round and read it. They will also include a stand alone display unit that will allow the consumer to easily see what they are using and when.

I've not heard of the idea that they'll be smart enough to automatically defrost the turkey on Christmas eve when all the Christmas lights come on!

harryhound

I'll check back with you in 2020:D
I think we are going to be surprised at how clever the power companies will be by then.
Picking the right tariff will be as difficult as getting the right mobile phone contract.

doveman

Premier wrote: »

Capital outlay - the more capital outlaid, the more it costs in depreciation.

Usually the meters are rented so the rental value is based on the cost/depreciation suffered by the actual owner.

But in that case surely it's going to cost the supplier more to replace the meter, as surely they'd have to compensate the owner for lost revenue.

Premier_2

doveman wrote: »

But in that case surely it's going to cost the supplier more to replace the meter, as surely they'd have to compensate the owner for lost revenue.

If it's rented, then the rental cost will be lower (reflecting the lower value of the single rate meter). No compensation is payable as far as I am aware. Where did you get that notion from?

Even if it was owned, it would depreciate less.

Yes there is a cost of replacement (labour, etc), and some suppliers will pass this cost (at least in part) to the consumer.
Some suppliers will absorb this cost themselves (but not usually on a continual basis of multiple replacements, just a one off request)

doveman

Premier wrote: »

If it's rented, then the rental cost will be lower (reflecting the lower value of the single rate meter). No compensation is payable as far as I am aware. Where did you get that notion from?

Just seems that if a company owns and rents out the meter, only they would have the right to replace it, and why would they want to replace it with a new one (incurring costs for the new meter and the labour), only to receive less rental income.

Surely they're better off just leaving the old one in place (which has probably already been paid for over the years) and accepting less rent for it if the consumer switches to a single-rate tariff (or even if they stay on dual-rate, I can't see how it makes any difference with an old meter).

ernie-money

I've just been on every single switching site I've ever heard of, trying to change electricity suppliers for our new house. Unfortunately there is a prepayment meter installed, and when I enter this information I get a few different suppliers come up, showing me the savings I could make with them, but none are available to switch to via the sites (and earn cashback). Why is that? Does anyone know...?

NonGeographicalMan

ernie-money wrote: »

I've just been on every single switching site I've ever heard of

Did you try https://www.energylinx.co.uk, https://www.saveonyourbills.co.uk, https://www.whichswitch.co.uk and https://www.energyhelpline.com

I'm sure you would have tried https://www.uswitch.com