Smart meters

Liberal

Excuse my total ignorance regarding smart meters. Never had one. Just moved and new house has smart meters. Now I thought smart meters came with a modern all singing and dancing unit that I could just put in the kitchen and it would tell me how much gas and electricity I was using at that moment and I could see the effects of different appliances. 
What I have is a gas smart meter in a high cupboard that I have to access via step ladder and electric smart meter, again very high up, and numbers very very small. 
Am I missing something in regard to smart?
I am with eon next and they say I can't be upgraded. Sorry for the moan! 

Verdigris

The gadget you are talking about is the in-home display (IHD). Sometimes the customer isn't given one, or it may have been chucked away by the previous owner.

Do you particularly need the IHD? The meters, if working properly, will be sending reading every half hour and you should always have accurate bills. If you want to know what individual appliances are using it will tell you on a label on the device. The basic rule of thumb is that anything that involves heating uses a lot of energy, other stuff doesn't.

Robin9

Have you had a look at the website to see that info is available ?

Swipe

If you don't have an IHD you can download the Bright App for your phone. I'm pretty sure the GUID you need to pair it is available somewhere in the smart meter menus. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

jossdickie

The previous residents of the house may have accidentally packed it before moving.

According to the Citizens Advice Bureaux your energy suppliers should be able to provide you with a replacement one for your gas and electricity meters.

[Deleted User]

jossdickie said:

The previous residents of the house may have accidentally packed it before moving.

According to the Citizens Advice Bureaux your energy suppliers should be able to provide you with a replacement one for your gas and electricity meters.

The supplier is only on the hook for a new IHD for up to 12 months after the meters were installed. If the meters are SMETS2 or DCC-adopted SMETS1 a replacement IHD can be obtained from Hildebrand or Chameleon (IVIE) for £50 to £70.

Scot_39

The Smart Meter In Home Display IHD itself is only a consumer bolt on - and despite all the hype - only normally covered by 1 year warranty from the original supplier by some suppliers.

And should not be confused in any conversation with likes of EOn customer service - with the meter itself.  I suspect there isn't a single UK supplier would upgrade a functioning meter - just to provide a non vulnerable customer with a working IHD.

Although some might be more helpful - like providing necessary information - or actually offer to send you a new IHD for free or at least offer to sell you one - if they can.

A quick  google came up with this article (in The Sun - so beware ... )

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/22583890/energy-suppliers-charge-replace-smart-meters-in-home-displays/

that says EOnNext do provide free IHD's but only to vulnerable customers.

(As you comment re meter heights and text sizes - could that be you ? do you qualify to be on their vulnerable list - the so called  Priority Servcies Register - see

https://www.eonnext.com/policies/extra-help

AND to see if may qualify see general list at e.g.

https://blog.eonnext.com/entries/88-What-is-the-Priority-Services-Register

Common replacement generic models are available in UK - EOnNext appear to recommend the ivie bud - which is one of 2 I have seen regular links for here on MSE in past - but please check it's compatible with your meter (electric) - see

https://www.eonnext.com/help/ihd

which provides a link to their preferred supplier

https://ivie.co.uk/eonnext/?utm_source=eon&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=eon_replacement_service

There's a link to a meter compatibility checker about half way down that page - please use it - especially if you have an old smart meter - they might not support it. (It's offline right now - for this evening only)

I checked two listed here a while back - one of the two - and it might have been the ivie - wasn't compatible with my EOn smets1 meter.  But as my IHD still functions - it was more a search born out of curiosity than need.

Some people find IHDs useful - I do - but mainly as a reminder to my peak / off-peak rate switching - which happens 3 times a day for me - but others put their's in a drawer and never use - and many flats were never issued with one - e.g. if meters remote.

And I've not read the physical meters for a couple of years (I did immediately after install - to prove to myself - peak / off peak and billing rates OK.)

So having an IHD may save you reaching up to the meters - if want or asked for a reading if EOn cannot get one automatically etc - but many people wouldn't spend the £50-60 iirc price for the two most linked in posts here on MSE.

According to citizens advice - there is even something called an accessible IHD for those with disability - available free from some suppliers.

But if your comfortable with smartphone apps - there are free apps like Bright, Loop, Hugo etc

EOn Next have their own app too - and online account pages - but never used it the app - and not sure how comprehensive it is  - but other suppliers provide detailed usage history on line.

My monthly email statement - and my IHD provides me enough information. So haven't investigated. 

Spoonie_Turtle

^ thread was started in November 2021, for context.  (Though the OP is still active in the forum, which often isn't the case for necrothreads.)