Economy 7 Non Smart Meter Installation - Do Any Suppliers Still Use These?

claneverett

My property currently has a single tariff old school meter. You know the type, the one with the lovely spinning disc. It works just fine but is only a single tariff meter. The property is a single fuel type i.e. electricity only, no gas or oil. All very straightforward.

Like everybody, I am looking at ways of reducing our energy costs and to this end I would like to have a dual rate meter installed, something like Economy 7 or Economy 10. This will the allow me to install something like storage heaters so we can use lower cost electricity overnight. All sounds very simple so far.

I have now spoken to a number of suppliers and they are all telling me that because a smart meter will not work at our location we are unable to have a dual tariff meter. So, this feels like we are being punished because the smart meter technology isn't good enough to work in our location. Apparently nobody is allowed to install the old style dual tariff meters anymore.

Yes, I'm aware that the UK government has said that in a couple of years time they want every household to have a smart meter but at the moment we seem to be a long way off this goal.

So my question is, has anyone got any ideas how I can get a dual tariff meter in a location that doesn't support smart meters please?

Chris

pochase

Welcome to the forum. 

Almost no supplier is currently accepting new customers. So you are limited to Octopus and EDF who might accept you if you call them, and your current supplier.

Who is your supplier?

claneverett

Hi and thank you.

Our current supplier is Scottish Power.

I have spoken with Octopus who were really helpful but gave me exactly the same answer - any new meter has to be a smart meter.

Swipe

Are they refusing to install the smart meter? You can have a smart meter and send the readings in manually. I'd be inclined not to mention about there being no signal just make sure that they are aware it's for a 2 rate meter i.e Economy 7

claneverett

Swipe said:

Are they refusing to install the smart meter? You can have a smart meter and send the readings in manually. I'd be inclined not to mention about there being no signal just make sure that they are aware it's for a 2 rate meter i.e Economy 7

I would be happy with this but they are currently refusing to install due to the lack of signal. I've escalated it with the supplier as a complaint and am waiting on their feedback.

[Deleted User]

vienna28 said:

 Economy 10 for me is way better because you can put it on in the afternoon and the early evening.   

Three extra cheap hours is way better?  You don't say.

claneverett

I've just remembered a further comment from the support team - apparently smart meters have to be installed as a single rate meter and are then updated to dual rate remotely after 24 hours, which isn't going to work as there is no signal.

MWT

Swipe said:

Are they refusing to install the smart meter? You can have a smart meter and send the readings in manually. I'd be inclined not to mention about there being no signal just make sure that they are aware it's for a 2 rate meter i.e Economy 7

I'm not sure that would work, as they need to be able to remotely connect to the meter to properly configure it for E7, so if it is a comms black-spot it will not be possible to correctly commission the meter...

Given that multiple suppliers have already said no the odds are it is a know problem area, perhaps one of those in close proximity to Fylingdales?

claneverett

Our property is mid west wales so the problem is valleys and hills.

If it has to be a smart meter the solution would be a technology that could work over the internet as we have fibre to the premises but no mobile signal. I thought SMETS2 was going to provide this but apparently not.

QrizB

Non-smart E7 meters are definitely available to buy (see example here). It's a matter of finding someone willing to fit one.

Have you tried a complaint to Scottish Power?

claneverett

QrizB said:

Non-smart E7 meters are definitely available to buy. It's a matter of finding someone willing to fit one.

Have you tried a complaint to Scottish Power?

That's really helpful, thank you and yes, complaint logged. I'm happy to pay for install and I'm prepared to compromise up to a point. Let's see what they offer.