Can I be forced to have a smart meter?

Spoonie_Turtle

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

MP1995

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

If they refuse to put it in dumb mode, that was the discussion that was being had. 

GingerTim

MP1995 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

If they refuse to put it in dumb mode, that was the discussion that was being had. 

All 'dumb mode' means is that smart meter readings aren't used for billing, the meter still communicates.

MP1995

GingerTim said:

MP1995 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

If they refuse to put it in dumb mode, that was the discussion that was being had. 

All 'dumb mode' means is that smart meter readings aren't used for billing, the meter still communicates.

I know what it means thanks just given the poster their options.

I'm happy with my smets2 fully communicating cheap energy

GingerTim

MP1995 said:

GingerTim said:

MP1995 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

If they refuse to put it in dumb mode, that was the discussion that was being had. 

All 'dumb mode' means is that smart meter readings aren't used for billing, the meter still communicates.

I know what it means thanks just given the poster their options.

I'm happy with my smets2 fully communicating cheap energy

No worries - but I do think all this talk (not by you, but how it's reported elsewhere) makes people think that the smart meter functionality is switched off when they talk about 'dumb mode'. 

(And same!)

MP1995

GingerTim said:

MP1995 said:

GingerTim said:

MP1995 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

If they refuse to put it in dumb mode, that was the discussion that was being had. 

All 'dumb mode' means is that smart meter readings aren't used for billing, the meter still communicates.

I know what it means thanks just given the poster their options.

I'm happy with my smets2 fully communicating cheap energy

No worries - but I do think all this talk (not by you, but how it's reported elsewhere) makes people think that the smart meter functionality is switched off when they talk about 'dumb mode'. 

(And same!)

I think they aptly named it "dumb" mode lol

BarelySentientAI

MP1995 said:

GingerTim said:

MP1995 said:

GingerTim said:

MP1995 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MP1995 said:

Grrrlracer said:

I am on Economy 7 at the moment but want to change to a single rate as I no longer have storage heating. I was with British Gas. They said they would only change the meter for a smart meter and refused to do a dumb down. I changed to UW as the sales guy said they would be willing to instal a dumbed down meter. They have subsequentially said that they can only supply a fully functioning smart meter as the "regulations" don't allow them to do otherwise
Has anyone been able to RECENTLY get an energy company to do anything other than a replacement smart meter?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/

If they refuse then just raise a complaint then after 8 weeks or a deadlock letter escalate it to the ombudsman.

Let us know how you get on.

The refusal only applies to them offering a smart meter, them initiating the contact.  Not to requesting to have a meter changed.

If they refuse to put it in dumb mode, that was the discussion that was being had. 

All 'dumb mode' means is that smart meter readings aren't used for billing, the meter still communicates.

I know what it means thanks just given the poster their options.

I'm happy with my smets2 fully communicating cheap energy

No worries - but I do think all this talk (not by you, but how it's reported elsewhere) makes people think that the smart meter functionality is switched off when they talk about 'dumb mode'. 

(And same!)

I think they aptly named it "dumb" mode lol

And when the comms don't work because of a network problem, they call it "traditional mode".

dealhunter2025

An engineer came to fit one he found that there is not enough space where the current meter is to install - part of the wall would need removing. This would incur additional costs to me, which I would prefer to avoid - therefore I ignore requests to install smart meters. Does anyone know if there are any schemes to have such costs covered to enable smart meter installation, or does this purely need to be covered by the house owner?

MattMattMattUK

dealhunter2025 said:

An engineer came to fit one he found that there is not enough space where the current meter is to install - part of the wall would need removing. This would incur additional costs to me, which I would prefer to avoid - therefore I ignore requests to install smart meters. Does anyone know if there are any schemes to have such costs covered to enable smart meter installation, or does this purely need to be covered by the house owner?

It normally falls on the home owner, though it depends if a minor relocation could be done instead. For electricity sometimes the DNO will increase the cable length free of charge to allow that do be done, other times they may charge.

EssexHebridean

It might be worth asking your supplier to investigate mounting the comms hub alongside the meter rather than above - do you think there might be enough space for that to happen? As a rule the actual SMETS2 meter itself won't be any larger than what was there before.