British Gas rates from April 2022 are higher than price cap

Fidden

Can they do that?



We are not on a pre-payment meter, just a normal meter (non-smart).  We are not currently on direct debit, but both of these price elements are higher than the unit/standing charge cap amounts.

Phlik

I think it depends on your area, there's price variations across the country.

Fidden

Phlik said:

I think it depends on your area, there's price variations across the country.

Interesting, not seen that mentioned elsewhere in the news...

They also emailed us to say that we're required to have a smart meter on our current chosen tariff (which we didn't choose as we were moved to them).  We have to call them to discuss an alternative price plan if we don't want a smart meter.  Can we be penalised for not having a smart meter?

QrizB

Fidden said:

Phlik said:

I think it depends on your area, there's price variations across the country.

Interesting, not seen that mentioned elsewhere in the news...

There's a table showing the regional variations for DD payment dual-fuel accounts at the link in my signature.

If you're not paying by DD, the cap is higher than shown in the table.

Fidden said:

They also emailed us to say that we're required to have a smart meter on our current chosen tariff (which we didn't choose as we were moved to them).  We have to call them to discuss an alternative price plan if we don't want a smart meter.  Can we be penalised for not having a smart meter?

That's an error, and other prople have also reported receiving the email in error. If you're on a standard variable tariff there's currently no need to have a smart meter.
If you had chosen a fixed rate they could have insisted on one as part of the T&C.

Ultrasonic

Is there a reason you don't pay by DD? As your picture shows it would obviously save you money if you did.

Going by @QrizB's helpful table, your DD rates match those for the South East region, which is presumably where you live? 

(I'd suggest smart meters are nothing to be frightened of too.)

Fidden

Ultrasonic said:

Is there a reason you don't pay by DD? As your picture shows it would obviously save you money if you did.

Going by @QrizB's helpful table, your DD rates match those for the South East region, which is presumably where you live? 

(I'd suggest smart meters are nothing to be frightened of too.)

I paid by DD for every other company, but I never wanted (or would choose) to be with British Gas and would have chosen another supplier if there were better deals out there.  I would prefer not to have anything from them linked to my bank account from previous experience of their terrible customer service.

It is not an element of being frightened of smart meters, there is virtually no mobile phone signal in the area and I won't put devices that I have no control over their security controls onto the home broadband so it won't function as a smart meter anyhow.  In addition, last time an energy company changed our meter, they left us with a huge bill to fix the problems they created.

[Deleted User]

Fidden said:

Can we be penalised for not having a smart meter?

I cannot speak for your personal circumstances but it is perfectly legal for suppliers to offer tariffs that require consumers to have/or agree to have a smart meter. Smart meter tariffs are usually cheaper than non smart meter tariffs.

Fidden

Dolor said:

I cannot speak for your personal circumstances but it is perfectly legal for suppliers to offer tariffs that require consumers to have/or agree to have a smart meter. Smart meter tariffs are usually cheaper than non smart meter tariffs.

I have seen these tariffs offered and avoided them.  If I had chosen to sign up to this tariff then I would have read the T&Cs and rejected it accordingly, but we had no choice due to the collapse of our other provider and therefore I don't see how we can be required to move to a smart meter.  As @QrizB has pointed out, this looks like a mistake on British Gas' part.

With regards to smart meters generally, the 2/3G network they rely upon is going to be switched off in the coming years to make more room for 4/5G signals, so a lot of current smart meters will become dumb once more unless the providers upgrade once again...

Verdigris

I won't put devices that I have no control over their security controls onto the home broadband

Smart meters don't access your home broadband.

Ultrasonic

Fidden said:

It is not an element of being frightened of smart meters, there is virtually no mobile phone signal in the area and I won't put devices that I have no control over their security controls onto the home broadband so it won't function as a smart meter anyhow. 

There is never any connection between a smart meter and home broadband (that I've come across anyway). It would be up to the energy supplier to decide if there was suitable phone network signal for a smart meter to work. You certainly don't need one to be on the SVR though.

If you hate BG so much, have you looked into switching to an alternative company, potentially that you would be prepared to set up a DD with?

QrizB

Fidden said:

With regards to smart meters generally, the 2/3G network they rely upon is going to be switched off in the coming years to make more room for 4/5G signals, so a lot of current smart meters will become dumb once more unless the providers upgrade once again...

By 2033 according to https://www.smartme.co.uk/technical.html and comms hubs with 4G modems are planned to be rolled out from 2023.

By the time of the 2G/3G switch-off, all currently installed meters will have reached their 10 year life and most will have been replaced anyway.