Company which will replace E7 meter with standard meter?

charlotte289

Hi, at the moment we're with Green who say they can only change us onto a normal tariff when a smart meter is installed, but we've been on the waiting list for that for ages and it's clearly not happening. I'm aware some companies (British Gas and Eon) can just add your readings together and bill you like that, but I was wondering if there were any companies that would replace the meter with a standard one. I'd rather not go with Scottish Power as I've had nothing but hassle from them in the past. Thanks.

greenguppie

Any supplier should be able to change your meter (as long as they are your current supplier).
It may be that the supplier only has smart meters, but they can be installed in dumb mode if that is what you require.
A charge may apply (but not if you accept a smart meter)
A waiting list may exist.

If you are not prepared to wait for Green, then I suggest you contact prospective suppliers of choice to enquire as to how long it would take to replace your meter, and as this is a moneysaving site, how much they would charge you.

... Or just switch to BG or Eon who will put you at the very bottom of their list if they can cater or single rate on a dual rate meter.

... Better still, contact NeonReef who are almost certainly cheaper than BG or Eon, and according to @Bacman very recently, says will also accept you on a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78591538/#Comment_78591538

... Or take your chances with Symbio who will offer single rate, loss leading, introductory tariffs (Best of luck if you choose that option)

Gerry1

greenguppie said:

... Better still, contact NeonReef who are almost certainly cheaper than BG or Eon, and according to @Bacman very recently, says will also accept you on a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78591538/#Comment_78591538

I can confirm that both Neon Reef and Symbio will bill a two rate meter at the same single rate.

Bacman

I know NR can offer a single tariff for an E7 meter if you ask them as my parents did that. They only use 20% electricity at night whereas we use about 40% so we prefer day/night rates as that works out cheaper.

greenguppie

Gerry1 said:

greenguppie said:

... Better still, contact NeonReef who are almost certainly cheaper than BG or Eon, and according to @Bacman very recently, says will also accept you on a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78591538/#Comment_78591538

I can confirm that both Neon Reef and Symbio will bill a two rate meter at the same single rate.

Can I ask how you know that, as I thought I read you left NR and switched to Symbio when they stopped your Aqua One tariff?
NR were not offering 2 rate tariffs to any E7 customer at that time; everyone was given a single rate.

That situation has since changed, since the introduction of Neptune 3 (fixed), and now with Marine 5 (variable)


With Symbio, you agree to the rates shown on screen. Many of their tariffs are single rate only, even if you have E7 meter.
(I really would't want to attempt to contact Symbio, let alone negotiate a single rate tariff when your meter is E7 and that particular tariff is dual rate. Surely they will tell you to take one of the multitude of single rate tariffs they quote you for your E7 meter)

Have you ever contacted Symbio to ask them specifically if they would, at your request, allow you to have the single rate version of a dual rate E7 tariff?
Or did you, as you seemed to abandon NR almost as soon as you were informed that they were closing Aqua One, simply sign up online and take the single rate tariff you were offered, despite having a 2 rate meter? As it was fixed, and a low single rate, I presume there has been no reason for you to request a different tariff since from Symbio?

greenguppie

Bacman said:

I know NR can offer a single tariff for an E7 meter if you ask them as my parents did that. They only use 20% electricity at night whereas we use about 40% so we prefer day/night rates as that works out cheaper.

Which tariff did your parents choose, and when did they apply?

I ask because Neptune v3 is actually cheaper for many on E7 than their single rate, even with a nighttime usage as low as 20% (i.e. before you try to shift your consumption to take advantage of the lower night time rate)

e.g. in Eastern Region:
single rate: 17.548 p per kWh
E7 rates: 18.335 p per kWh / 14.163 p per kWh

SC is common @ 17.23 p per day

Bacman

Not sure, it was back in January when NR had the same variable tariff as 1 year fixed, they went for the variable after Scottish/Yorkshire in-spite of me saying the variable can go up, etc; persuaded them to change as it happens about a fortnight before that 1 year fixed offer ended to go onto it. (under the wire).

I looked at our usage at the time and went for a 2 year Green Energy tariff, which even then was marginally cheaper for them on E7 however they stayed as were. In 1 year's time we'll still be on a better rate and theirs will be higher...  

Gerry1

greenguppie said:

Gerry1 said:

greenguppie said:

... Better still, contact NeonReef who are almost certainly cheaper than BG or Eon, and according to @Bacman very recently, says will also accept you on a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78591538/#Comment_78591538

I can confirm that both Neon Reef and Symbio will bill a two rate meter at the same single rate.

Can I ask how you know that, as I thought I read you left NR and switched to Symbio when they stopped your Aqua One tariff?
NR were not offering 2 rate tariffs to any E7 customer at that time; everyone was given a single rate.

That situation has since changed, since the introduction of Neptune 3 (fixed), and now with Marine 5 (variable)

Puzzled by both your question and that of the OP:  AIUI the OP has a two rate (E7) meter, wishes to be billed at single rate, knows that several suppliers will bill each register at the same single rate, but for some unknown reason also requires a meter change.  (I'm assuming that a 'standard' meter means one with a single register, not a switch from pre-payment to credit.)

Many companies will happily bill an E7 meter at single rate if that's what's wanted.  Bulb are awkward and will no longer do this, but Neon Reef and Symbio certainly will: I have an E7 teleswitched meter but NR (and now Symbio) have been billing at single rate.  AFAIK if NR are now also offering an E7 tariff it doesn't mean that they won't still bill an E7 meter at single rate if requested.

greenguppie

Bacman said:

Not sure, it was back in January when NR had the same variable tariff as 1 year fixed, they went for the variable after Scottish/Yorkshire in-spite of me saying the variable can go up, etc; persuaded them to change as it happens about a fortnight before that 1 year fixed offer ended to go onto it. (under the wire).

I looked at our usage at the time and went for a 2 year Green Energy tariff, which even then was marginally cheaper for them on E7 however they stayed as were. In 1 year's time we'll still be on a better rate and theirs will be higher...  

In January, NR only offered a single rate to everyone. Not sure why your parents contacted NR to arrange a single rate, it was the only one on offer from NR.
Makes me wonder what they were trying to compare it with???

That situation has now changed.

greenguppie

Gerry1 said:

greenguppie said:

Gerry1 said:

greenguppie said:

... Better still, contact NeonReef who are almost certainly cheaper than BG or Eon, and according to @Bacman very recently, says will also accept you on a single rate tariff with a dual rate meter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78591538/#Comment_78591538

I can confirm that both Neon Reef and Symbio will bill a two rate meter at the same single rate.

Can I ask how you know that, as I thought I read you left NR and switched to Symbio when they stopped your Aqua One tariff?
NR were not offering 2 rate tariffs to any E7 customer at that time; everyone was given a single rate.

That situation has since changed, since the introduction of Neptune 3 (fixed), and now with Marine 5 (variable)

Puzzled by both your question and that of the OP:  AIUI the OP has a two rate (E7) meter, wishes to be billed at single rate, knows that several suppliers will bill each register at the same single rate, but for some unknown reason also requires a meter change.  (I'm assuming that a 'standard' meter means one with a single register, not a switch from pre-payment to credit.)

Many companies will happily bill an E7 meter at single rate if that's what's wanted.  Bulb are awkward and will no longer do this, but Neon Reef and Symbio certainly will: I have an E7 teleswitched meter but NR (and now Symbio) have been billing at single rate.  AFAIK if NR are now also offering an E7 tariff it doesn't mean that they won't still bill an E7 meter at single rate if requested.

I'm not sure what is difficult or puzzling about the question I posed you?

i.e.
"Can I ask how you know that, as I thought I read you left NR and switched to Symbio when they stopped your Aqua One tariff?
NR were not offering 2 rate tariffs to any E7 customer at that time; everyone was given a single rate.

That situation has since changed, since the introduction of Neptune 3 (fixed), and now with Marine 5 (variable)"

Which part are you puzzled by?

Similarly, if you could explain more about your experience over Symbio, as I posted, that would be most enlightening.

It already seems the answer given by @Bacman over NR was misguided, or at least out of date.

Gerry1

I was puzzled because the the fact that NR didn't previously offer an E7 tariff didn't contradict anything had been said, it was true but just seemed a bit irrelevant.  Perhaps I was over thinking it.

Anyway, Symbio have been fine so far, although their billing is incomprehensible but I expected that.  I'm not too worried about when and how much the DD is and any other shenanigans, just as long as it all comes out in the wash.  Trouble is, washday may be coming quite soon judging by the way that several comparison sites won't mention them, perhaps they know something we don't?

To summarise, having an E7 meter is not a barrier to getting a single rate tariff, and changing a meter away from two rate might cause problems if there's a landlord.  However, the replacement would probably be a smart meter that can be operated in either mode, so perhaps it would not be so much of a problem.