Bulb Smart Tariff

fifthofwhisky

I've been with Bulb for a couple of years. I don't have a smart meter and noticed they are starting a beta program for their Smart Tariff which requires a smart meter. The tariffs are indicated as follows:
Overnight 7.9p kWh 11pm-7am
Off-peak 11.27p kWh 7am-11pm
Peak 41.44 kWh 4pm-7pm
At first glance wonder if I'd actually save much vs the Vari-Fair tariff at 13.26p kWh. We use gas for cooking and hot water (we have one electric shower in a second bathroom that gets light use). TV's, computers, etc. get used in the evening. Washing machines and dishwashers usually on in the morning. During peak hours some use of kettles, computers, and lighting.
There is no mention of a standing charge on the smart tariff (currently 20.44p a day).
The overnight tariff seems high for e.g. charging an electric car.
Then there is VAT on the above too.
Thoughts?

Gerry1

If you choose to have a smart meter, before very long Time of Use tariffs will end up being all that's available.  Get used to cold evening meals !

matelodave

If you cook with gas then it might be advantageous. You need to do very careful sums and be aware of what you use and when rather than just switching stuff on & off when it's convenient, especially during the peak period.

Swipe

I'd never choose that tariff on principle. Why encourage them? 

staggered

Unless things have dramatically improved, I wouldn't let Bulb install a Smart Meter.  They installed one for me last year - I only found out later that they were fully aware of problems with their meters but were going ahead and installing them anyway.  I then had all sorts of problems with my account - the meters weren't sending readings to Bulb but, because I had Smart meters, I wasn't able to input readings manually, which meant I couldn't get accurate bills for months and my switch away from Bulb was a mess.  Bulb CS made absolutely no attempt to help - repeatedly breaking promises to fix the problem

fifthofwhisky

Bulb, and before them other providers, have been sending notices about smart meter installation. I have ignored them all. Based on my experience with a water meter - which saved a lot initially - in the longer (or not so longer term) a smart electricity meter will increase bills.   

staggered

In general, I think that, without having smart meters installed, it'd be quite difficult to work out exactly how much you use when, and how much you'd save or lose with that tariff.  However, a unit used during the 3-hour peak time would cost 28p more than the current tariff.  That's 14 times more than the 2p you'd save on the current tariff during the 12-hour off-peak period.  And about 5 times more than what you'd save during the 8 hour night-time period.

Unless you were out of the house between 4pm and 7pm, or used a lot of electricity overnight, my gut feeling is that you'd be very hard pushed to make a saving switching to that tariff.  If you did use a lot of electricity overnight, an Economy 7 tariff might give you bigger savings?

staggered

fifthofwhisky said:

Bulb, and before them other providers, have been sending notices about smart meter installation. I have ignored them all. Based on my experience with a water meter - which saved a lot initially - in the longer (or not so longer term) a smart electricity meter will increase bills.   

Why are you comparing switching to a smart meter with switching to a water meter? 

If you have a water meter fitted, you start paying for the amount of water that you use instead of paying a fixed amount.

Switching to a smart meter shouldn't involve much change to what you pay - you're still paying for how much energy you use, it's just that you don't have to enter meter readings as they're sent automatically.

My issue wasn't with smart meters per se, it was that the ones Bulb fitted didn't work properly.

Talldave

fifthofwhisky said:

Based on my experience with a water meter - which saved a lot initially - in the longer (or not so longer term) a smart electricity meter will increase bills.   

I struggle to see how a smart meter increases bills. The level of consumption and the associated supplier/tariff/unit rate are what will increase or decrease the bill.

fifthofwhisky

My point about smart meters is that once you are using one it's not possible to go back to being without. Tariffs rise as do bills.

fifthofwhisky

Talldave said:

fifthofwhisky said:

Based on my experience with a water meter - which saved a lot initially - in the longer (or not so longer term) a smart electricity meter will increase bills.   

I struggle to see how a smart meter increases bills. The level of consumption and the associated supplier/tariff/unit rate are what will increase or decrease the bill.

That is true, though smart meters require more careful management around the banded hours.