OVO Ts & Cs - blanket permission to fit a Smart Meter?

Gerry1

[Deleted User] said:

dbks said:

QrizB said:

dbks said:

[Deleted User] said:

ronnie_macleod said:

My current OVO deal is comming to an end, I've looked at the available deals from them but the new Ts & Cs (20 Apr 2021) have this at para 8.10: "You agree that we can make arrangements on your behalf to fit your property with a meter, plus the equipment that goes with it." If this was in connection with a new build or a replacement for a broken meter then fair enough I suppose but my concern is that it actually means they could come and replace my existing meters with Smart Meters (I don't want them) whether they are broken or not? Anyone have any insight into this or know of other suppliers that don't have similar Ts & Cs?

Suppliers are allowed (indeed, encouraged by Ofgem)  to offer tariffs just for smart metered homes. If you accept the tariff offer then you agree to the terms and conditions that go with that tariff. In such situations, the supplier will contact you to arrange an appointment to fit smart meters. If you decline the invitation, then the supplier will have the right to switch you to a non smart meter tariff.

If the supplier deems your meters to be end-of-life, it has a legal right to fit smart meters irrespective of your views. If they still have analogue meters and are prepared to fit them, they are entitled to raise a charge for fitting them.

Before I suggest you agree to disagree on all this stuff, I'll give you the opportunity to post a link from an authoritative soiurce that might possibly support anything you have posted here. I suspect you will struggle, though.

OK, how about https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/getting-smart-meter

• Promoting smart tariffs? Check.
• Giving circumstances when suppliers must fit smart meters, including when existing meters are EOL? Check.
  

Thanks for the link

As it clearly states:
"You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted. ..."

As I posted, I suspected @[Deleted User] would struggle

Can we expect to see you glued to your analogue meters when the Government finally mandates the rollout of smart meters? Take up is high enough at the moment to leave the choice to the consumer but suppliers continually push BEIS to make the change.

I was not aware that all meters that are not smart are analogue !

MWT

dbks said:

As it clearly states:
"You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted. ..."

Absolutely correct.

However if you accept the T&C of a tariff that includes the right to fit smart meters, then you have already accepted the smart meter.

You can have one or the other, but not both... 

Verdigris

I don't know about charging more, per se, but dumb meterists will miss out on the benefits TOU tariffs. I await the whining about them being hard done by, with a degree of pre-schadenfreude.

MartinGreenwood

The source is quoted on this the smartme.co.uk technical page.

New and Replacement Obligation

This related obligation requires energy suppliers to use smart meters for all new metering points and all meters requiring replacement. Although it is subject to all reasonable steps, Ofgem have said it is reasonable for a supplier to charge for the installation of a conventional meter if a smart meter is refused.

• 30 June 2019 - New and Replacement Obligation (NRO) established.

wild666

I've always wondered what the extra charges are they put on not having a smart meter? Is it just 0.1 or 0.2p dearer per kWh or something like 2p or 3p per kWh. As many SMETS 1 meters cannot be read by anyone but the original supplier would changing suppliers, no now but earlier last year, mean that a new supplier counted them as old analogue meters if they couldn't read the meters and charge people more?

When Avro went under I was dreading being moved to BG my original supplier who fitted my smart meters. 

peter_the_piper

Been waiting for OVO to add smart meters but when they found we had 2 gas and one electric meter they gave up. pity, I still have to climb on a ladder to read the leccy.