Smart Meter.....

Victorthe2nd

Hi all. We have a fixed deal with nPower expiring soon and they've offered me a new deal to fix prices until at least October 2021. But, they're also pretty much insisting that we have a smart meter installed. I've no real views either way, but have heard that having a smart meter then makes it tricky to switch providers. I wondered if that was still the case?
I don't like the fact that nPower are effectively forcing this on me and am inclined to switch anyway as there a few pounds to be saved by moving, probably to Octopus who come out consistently well in reviews. Is it likely that all suppliers will insist on smart meter installtion, do you think?
Thanks for any thoughts, be careful out there

MWT

Having a smart meter has never made it tricky to switch as even if the new provider doesn't support smart meters it just goes back to being 'dumb' and you submit meter readings manually.

There are still suppliers out there that do not currently use smart meters so do not put any pressure on to have one, but they will be getting fewer each year.

Gerry1

MWT said:

Having a smart meter has never made it tricky to switch

Oh, yes it has !  

• You seem to have forgotten this thread, where the first reply is yours !
  
  Shell Energy wouldn't accept customers who already had smart meters.
  
  "You'll need to get smart meters installed with this tariff and you can't get it if you already have them.  If you have them and switch to it (or refuse to get them), you can be moved onto Shell Energy's expensive standard tariff and be charged exit fees."

• You can't switch to Bulb if you have a smart pre-paid meter.

MWT

Gerry1 said:

MWT said:

Having a smart meter has never made it tricky to switch

Oh, yes it has !  

• You seem to have forgotten this thread, where the first reply is yours !
  
  Shell Energy wouldn't accept customers who already had smart meters.
  

Not accurate, Shell would happily accept people with smart meters, just not onto that particular tariff...

Your anti-smart meter bias is showing Gerry

... and your Bulb link is out of date:

https://bulb.co.uk/smart-pay-as-you-go

They happily accept switches with smart pre-pay meters now.

Gerry1

MWT said:

Gerry1 said:

MWT said:

Having a smart meter has never made it tricky to switch

Oh, yes it has !  

• You seem to have forgotten this thread, where the first reply is yours !
  
  Shell Energy wouldn't accept customers who already had smart meters.
  

Not accurate, Shell would happily accept people with smart meters, just not onto that particular tariff...

Your anti-smart meter bias is showing Gerry

... and your Bulb link is out of date:

https://bulb.co.uk/smart-pay-as-you-go

They happily accept switches with smart pre-pay meters now.

Nope.  No bias, I've just provided 100% factual info that you happen not to like ! 

• You said that "Having a smart meter has never made it tricky to switch".  But it did make it, not merely tricky, but totally impossible to switch to that particular Shell tariff.  You've just admitted it !   QED.

• You are also incorrect about saying that the Bulb link is out of date.  It's live on their site right now: you can navigate to it as follows.
  Bulb Home > Help > Enter 'Smart Meter', hit Search > Switching to Bulb with a Smart Meter > Quoted Result.  QED.
  

• Your Smart Pay As You Go link states that 'You need a compatible meter to switch to this plan'.  Presumably that means a smart meter installed by Bulb (i.e. which helps them avoid penalties for missing installation targets) and excludes existing smart meters installed by others.

So to answer the OP, yes it's 100% true that having a smart meter really can make it tricky to switch providers.  QED.

Tiexen

Victorthe2nd said:

Hi all. We have a fixed deal with nPower expiring soon and they've offered me a new deal to fix prices until at least October 2021. But, they're also pretty much insisting that we have a smart meter installed. I've no real views either way, but have heard that having a smart meter then makes it tricky to switch providers. I wondered if that was still the case?
I don't like the fact that nPower are effectively forcing this on me and am inclined to switch anyway as there a few pounds to be saved by moving, probably to Octopus who come out consistently well in reviews. Is it likely that all suppliers will insist on smart meter installtion, do you think?
Thanks for any thoughts, be careful out there

You may not be able to switch anytime soon from Npower:-

Npower have become part of the E.ON group.

Now we’ve started transferring your account to E.ON Next and we expect this to take two to three weeks.

What happens if I want to switch supplier now?

While we're moving your account over, which takes two to three weeks, it may not work. This is because the energy industry's systems can only handle one change at a time. If you want to switch supplier within 30 days of your account moving to us, we won’t charge any exit fees.

ibmtrev

Had a smart meter installed by edf around the middle of 2019. Have repeatedly requested monthly billing without luck. Have given up as edf can't resolve the problem. will be changing to new supplier soon, Blue Planet, who also don't appear to use the smart meter. Can you explain why I am not charged by my monthly usage? Have the feeling that smart meters were only there to help the employment figures. Thanks.

MWT

ibmtrev said:

Can you explain why I am not charged by my monthly usage? Have the feeling that smart meters were only there to help the employment figures. Thanks.

There is no link between those two, having or not having a smart meter doesn't affect the ability of a supplier to bill quarterly, monthly or daily for that matter...

ScepticAl

Why on earth does anyone want a smart meter, surely it's no great effort to submit readings once a month. The original advert for them was some guy liking a stir fry but didn't like the meter spinning.  The meter still spins with a Smart meter, so he no longer  has stir fries if he is that worried??

Ask yourself why the government and companies are so keen to force everyone into having one.  They can switch you off at will.

_Jem_

ScepticAl said:

Why on earth does anyone want a smart meter, surely it's no great effort to submit readings once a month. The original advert for them was some guy liking a stir fry but didn't like the meter spinning.  The meter still spins with a Smart meter, so he no longer  has stir fries if he is that worried??

Ask yourself why the government and companies are so keen to force everyone into having one.  They can switch you off at will.

Some meters are in awful places to read, not so bad if you are young great idea for the people who are not so young if its not in a good place to read. I have just moved into a new build 6 flats, its a great idea having the meters in a separate place but mine is at the top not easy to read. 

st999

ScepticAl said:

Why on earth does anyone want a smart meter, surely it's no great effort to submit readings once a month. The original advert for them was some guy liking a stir fry but didn't like the meter spinning.  The meter still spins with a Smart meter, so he no longer  has stir fries if he is that worried??

Ask yourself why the government and companies are so keen to force everyone into having one.  They can switch you off at will.

Because some people have to go outside to read the meter.