Octopus Smart Meters

2010

[Deleted User] said:

facade said:

The point is they are using calibration certification expiry as a reason to force smart meters onto people, as they can't argue unless they get their meters recalibrated themselves somehow.

They're trying to replace end-of-life and uncalibrated meters as they risk being at breach of their licence if they don't.  See the regulations that Dolor linked to.

The question of whether there should be an option to replace with a "dumb" meter, or a smart meter but in "dumb mode", is perhaps worth arguing to some people.  The effort to replace meters with expired certification to comply with the law, however, is not.

If they don`t want to breach their licence, they wouldn`t ask, they would just do.
As I said above it`s yet another "con" to try to meet their targets.
Octopus is not the only company to bend the truth to get customers to agree to new smart meters.

[Deleted User]

A friend has had the end of life email about 3 or 4 times over the last 3 years he just tells them his meters readings are the same, roughly, as they were 40 years ago, they might be a bit less due to advances in technology but that's about all

Would you be happy to go into a supermarket to buy 1Kg of meat to find that the scales hand't been checked/calibrated for 40 years, or your local petrol station hasn't had its pumps checked/calibrated?

The Law is clear: suppliers are legally obliged to replace meters that have reached their certification end-of-life date.

If posters genuinely believe that their supplier is using certification as a ploy to get consumers to agree to smart meters then I am sure that the Ofgem Intelligence Unit would interested to know.

consumer.affairs@ofgem.gov.uk

[Deleted User]

2010 said:

Dolor said:

I am happy with the meters I have and take weekly readings so I think I would notice any problems in usage.

You might be - but the supplier shouldn’t be billing if a meter is past its certified life. This is covered in The Gas and Electricity Acts. Suppliers are permitted to apply to a Court for a Warrant if Entry if a end-of-life meter request is refused.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/gas-and-electricity-meter-regulations

This is exactly my thought, that if they were really out of certification, they would just go ahead without my permission and fit new smart meters.

They wouldn't.  Could you imagine the headlines if they started breaking into people's houses to fit a smart meter, even with a court order?  Why would they bother with the hassle of getting a warrant to change your meter if they could just ask you (and hope you say yes)?

Eventually this might start to happen, particularly if there are warnings about licence conditions, but at the moment showing that they use "best efforts" or similar is enough.

2010 said:

I expect it`s yet another gimmick to "con" customers into something they don`t want.
They need to fit a certain amount of smart meters per year to meet government targets, otherwise they get fined.

Complying with legislation and the supply licence is pretty much the opposite of a "gimmick" or "con".  And the penalties for breach of licence condition is much more severe than the minor tutting for missing a SM target (which several suppliers do every year).

2010 said:

How can I tell how old the meters are?

.Now that's actually a sensible question.  There are two parts to this. 

Firstly, how long is the certification for your model of meter - which (for electricity) can be found here (I don't know if it has been updated since January): 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1056244/Schedule_4_-_31st_January_2022.pdf  

Newer meters (post 2016 I think) use the MID EU approval process and don't have the same sort of certification expiry - these will have a code on them, near the CE mark, which starts with M and then has the year of manufacture.

And then secondly your meter age.  Apart from looking for a manufacturer's date on the meter itself, I've never actually tried to look up the age of a meter.  Your supplier should be able to inform you of the precise date of certification expiry - which you could back calculate the age from (I suppose).

Keep_pedalling

Oh, great another smart meter paranoia thread:(

How much have you earned through the Octopus savings sessions so far this month? Silly question as the answer is obviously £0. 

[Deleted User]

Worth a read for those who genuinely believe that they know more about certification periods and meters than their supplier:

https://octopus.energy/blog/meter-certification-date/

EssexHebridean

Hey OP - what are your reasons for not wanting a smart meter? 

2010

EssexHebridean said:

Hey OP - what are your reasons for not wanting a smart meter? 

No need, I put my readings in once a month and receive a bill.
In fact every time I put readings in Octopus produces a bill.

My meters are outside, so if Octopus really needs to change the for reason stated, they can get on with it.

Alnat1

They should come in the house if the gas meter is changed, as they are supposed to check every gas appliance is purged and working correctly before they leave.

2010

Alnat1 said:

They should come in the house if the gas meter is changed, as they are supposed to check every gas appliance is purged and working correctly before they leave.

No one`s stopping them coming in the house if they really have to change the meters for the reason they say in the email from the "smart metering team".

If they legally had to change them, all they had to do was write to me and tell me and a date could be arranged.

End of story.

[Deleted User]

2010 said:

Alnat1 said:

They should come in the house if the gas meter is changed, as they are supposed to check every gas appliance is purged and working correctly before they leave.

No one`s stopping them coming in the house if they really have to change the meters for the reason they say in the email from the "smart metering team".

If they legally had to change them, all they had to do was write to me and tell me and a date could be arranged.

End of story.

Isn’t that what they have done?