Downsides to Smart Meters in 2021?

europeanclarky

itisgeorge said:

Hi all,


Secondly are there really any downsides to having smart meters now? Sounds like I'm going to need reasons if I need to argue my case. From my limited research I know there were issues with the first gen ones but they seem to have been ironed out now.

Appreciate your time reading this.

Cheers,
George

Yes there certainly are downsides.
I had  SMETS2 meters (2nd Gen???) fitted back in 2019. SInce then, changing provider has been a right royal pain. Seems the energy companies still can't process changes with the data provided from these meters in a timely manner. In 2020, I changed providers from SSE to Eon on 03/01/20 it took just over 6 months for Eon to finalise my account as they couldn't automatically process the SMETS 2 data required between them and SSE, so 6 months after paying my *final* bill to SSE I received another bill for £80. This was following several complaints to SSE over timescales, unprofessionalism, downright rudeness etc. This year have swapped from Eon to British GAs, and again the internal meter reader has once again stopped working, British Gas seem unable to take the meter reading from the meter, but also will not accept a manual reading from me.

Over the last 2 and a bit years, I estimate I have spent over 200 hours trying to get energy providers to meet their legal obligations and fighting with them to get a serviceable smart meter - which I still haven't achieved.

One final note on this matter, you also cannot seemingly complain to OFGEM as they only allow complaints about a single named entity rather than about a system that doesn't work as it should or is envisioned, or about the difficulties some/many/all energy providers have with transferring and finalising accounts using SMETS2 data.

[Deleted User]

All suppliers have to be registered DCC Users; however, this doesn’t mean that they all have developed the software needed to capture data from the DCC and to transfer it to their billing system. This software - known as an Adaptor - has to be sophisticated and security compliant. Smart meter security is based on GCHQ-level layered security to ensure, for example, that someone hacking a supplier’s Adaptor would only impact a small number of smart meters.

Ofgem doesn’t deal with consumer complaints. These are escalated to a commercial organisation known as The Energy Ombudsman once the supplier’s complaints procedure has been followed, or Deadlock reached. If you look at the N3rgy.com website you can use your MPAN and IHD GUID to check that there is no technical issue with your smart meters. Readings will show that data is being received by the DCC. If this is the case, then the problem sits solely with your supplier and could form the basis of a complaint against them. Suppliers are also under direction from Ofgem to resolve smart meter issues even if the customer has transferred in. Don’t be fobbed by excuses from the CS staff. 

sevenhills

itisgeorge said:

First of all surely this isn't accurate? I was of the understanding that I could have an old meter if I wanted.

Maybe you could buy a used one fron Ebay?

Its rather like wanting a car without the technology, you have got to move with the times, its difficult trying to keep living life as it was 50 years ago.

[Deleted User]

sevenhills said:

itisgeorge said:

First of all surely this isn't accurate? I was of the understanding that I could have an old meter if I wanted.

Maybe you could buy a used one fron Ebay?

A nice idea but the meter would have to be registered by a supplier so that the correct meter serial number shows on the National Database. Equally, what confidence could a supplier have that the secondhand meter was not end of life or hacked? Personally, I doubt that this one will fly.

Chino

[Deleted User] said:

Smart meter security is based on GCHQ-level layered security

In other words, riddled with back door vulnerabilities.

[Deleted User]

Chino said:

Dolor said:

Smart meter security is based on GCHQ-level layered security

In other words, riddled with back door vulnerabilities.

You might think that:

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/the-smart-security-behind-the-gb-smart-metering-system

Phones4Chris

[Deleted User] said:

Chino said:

[Deleted User] said:

Smart meter security is based on GCHQ-level layered security

In other words, riddled with back door vulnerabilities.

You might think that:

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/the-smart-security-behind-the-gb-smart-metering-system

Ah, so now we know who the idiots are that completely ignored the fact that ordinary people (non-geeks) have to try and manually read the things from time to time

Phones4Chris

As this was a recent thread, this which cropped up elsewhere could be of interest

45002 said:
Read more at: https://www.smartme.co.uk/customer-rights.html

Now there is an interesting bit in that document -

A Customer's rights:

1. To refuse to have a Smart Meter (in later years this will probably mean you have a SMETS2 Smart Meter without a communications module, which will be the closest thing to a traditional meter).

That seems to support what I said about not having the comms module fitted!