New meter installation

Gnatsv

How do I go about getting a new gas and electric meter installation. It’s for e new property. We have had both the gas and electric connections put in and now need the meters. Apparently only the big six companies do this. We don’t want smart meters installed just the standard ones.  

Zellah

Have you actually got in touch with any of the major providers yet? If they say they can only fit smart meters as standard on new connections then I suppose you don't really have much choice do you? In which case make sure you're getting the latest gen smets2 meters and throw away the IHD
https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/gas-and-electricity/new-connections.html

Gnatsv

I got hold of British Gas who informed me that they only fit smart meters . I’m hoping that someone out there has recently gone through the same process and can  offer advice on any company that will fit a standard meter as trying to get through to the correct department is very time consuming and at the moment the wait times on calls are much longer than usual . I’ve spent the morning trying to contact company’s and have only managed to get through to BG.

Gerry1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1233153/buying-and-installing-gas-electricity-meters

Zellah

Gnatsv said:

I got hold of British Gas who informed me that they only fit smart meters . I’m hoping that someone out there has recently gone through the same process and can  offer advice on any company that will fit a standard meter as trying to get through to the correct department is very time consuming and at the moment the wait times on calls are much longer than usual . I’ve spent the morning trying to contact company’s and have only managed to get through to BG.

In that case, why not simply accept smart meters? I've had smets2 meters fitted by E.ON since 2019 and they work just fine. My bills haven't gone up, no-one in the household has been given cancer yet and I have access to the lowest smart-meter only tariffs from the big 6 providers. I'm currently paying 2.05p/kWh for gas with EDF, but of course prices vary across different regions.

 However it makes you feel better, burn the smart meter IHD (mine is sat collecting dust somewhere) and manually read and submit the readings every month - just imagine you still have a standard meter

[Deleted User]

Why don't you want smart meters? 

Gerry1

The IHD does not belong to the customer and must remain with the property.

victor2

Gnatsv said:

.... We don’t want smart meters installed just the standard ones.  

Why not? They save you reading your meters and who knows, they might even remain smart if you switch suppliers now.

The In House Display can be used if you like to see what you've been using or want to read your meters remotely. Otherwise, you can just unplug it and chuck it in a drawer, like many people do. It is not necessary to be switched on to keep the meters "smart".

There are more tariffs available to you if you have a smart meter and despite what you may read, they are not used to ration your supply in any way. "Time of use" tariffs are probably inevitable one day, and would require smart meters, but thats quite a long way off. The government/ OFGEM can't even manage the roll out of smart meters and keep moving the goalposts as they miss targets.

Gerry1

victor2 said:

Gnatsv said:

.... We don’t want smart meters installed just the standard ones.  

despite what you may read, they are not used to ration your supply in any way.

Not yet.

But why would the load limiting and load shedding abilities have been included if neither would never, ever, be used?

Softly, softly, catchee monkey.

dogshome

Don't quote me, but I'm certain I read somewhere that Smart meters were now mandatory for new connections

victor2

Gerry1 said:

victor2 said:

Gnatsv said:

.... We don’t want smart meters installed just the standard ones.  

despite what you may read, they are not used to ration your supply in any way.

Not yet.

But why would the load limiting and load shedding abilities have been included if neither would never, ever, be used?

Softly, softly, catchee monkey.

The manufacturers might as well include all facilities they can think of (don't forget remote disconnect), as they are looking at the global market. Eventually, when they figure out how to make smart meters work in tower blocks and areas where radio communications is hard/impossible, those people without smart meters will probably find themselves restricted to tariffs which are not competitive (e.g. the standard variable tariff).

If the government wants to restrict electricity usage because their insistence on all new cars being electric, for example, has overloaded the national grid, they'll do it at sub-stations. No need for smart meters to flip a switch there.