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New Smart Meter are dangerous - Budget Exceeded
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You could have taken an extra 10 minutes and googled the device you had been given and found out how to use it and adjust the settings
Sorry, but I think you are trying to blame others for your lack of effort.Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter installed Mar 22 and 9.6kw Pylontech battery
Daikin 8kW ASHP installed Jan 25
Octopus Cosy/Fixed Outgoing8 -
Sea_Shell said:I set mine to our "annual" budget equivalent.
This doesn't even help really, as all summer we were way under budget, and now we regularly exceed budget.
But then I know my costs and usage and keep my own records.
So unless you're going to set a "winter" specific budget, based on what you feel is comfortable and affordable, then the IHD is of limited use.
It will flash red at you until spring!!
IMO, the budget feature has much more potential for harm than good, apart from for those that can manage and update it when required (who are probably already budgeting through other means).
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Alnat1 said:You could have taken an extra 10 minutes and googled the device you had been given and found out how to use it and adjust the settings
Sorry, but I think you are trying to blame others for your lack of effort.
The issue is not with my lack of effort, I am not asking for a handout, I am asking that the energy providers put more effort in to informing the public when fitting these about the budget features and helping people to set them up correctly.
A simple question with every fitting; would you like us to go through the budget feature with you and get it right for your house?
That is all I am asking for, I don't want to see my family or anyone's freezing this winter, when 10 minutes of effort they could fix this.1 -
There is a limit to how much spoon-feeding of every last aspect of managing life should be handed out, IMO. It is entirely reasonable for an energy company to expect that people are capable of doing SOME thinking for themselves. When we start to default towards assuming that people either can't, or won't apply some common sense then we're really in trouble.
As a point of interest, I wonder how long this IDH had been sitting ion its box before it was handed to the OP here? If it had rolled out of the factory even 9 months ago, that budget would have been ludicrously over the top for many people!🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her8 -
justAnotherBadger said:Alnat1 said:You could have taken an extra 10 minutes and googled the device you had been given and found out how to use it and adjust the settings
Sorry, but I think you are trying to blame others for your lack of effort.
The issue is not with my lack of effort, I am not asking for a handout, I am asking that the energy providers put more effort in to informing the public when fitting these about the budget features and helping people to set them up correctly.
A simple question with every fitting; would you like us to go through the budget feature with you and get it right for your house?
That is all I am asking for, I don't want to see my family or anyone's freezing this winter, when 10 minutes of effort they could fix this.
I'd expect the majority of people to reply to "what budget should we set for your house?" with something along the lines of "I don't know, they keep putting my bill up". Not tremendously useful.
If you think the installer has (or risks) breaching the installation code of practice - OFGEM monitor that (but only by random sampling) - and they would be interested in your views. The sections you might be interested in are:
3.3. In the case of Domestic Consumers, each Energy Supplier shall ensure that an IHD is offered at the Installation Visit and if accepted, installed in an appropriate location, taking into account Consumers with specific needs e.g. mobility issues, and set up as far as practicable to meet the needs of the household e.g. tariff and payment type.3.8. The Energy Supplier shall ensure that:(a) use of the Smart Metering System is demonstrated to the Consumer in a clear and accurate manner, which is easy to understand, including what information is available from the Smart Metering System, how this can be accessed, and use of the IHD (where provided);
4.1. Each Energy Supplier shall ensure that:(a) the Consumer has the means available for providing feedback on their experience of the Installation Visit (for example, in the form of an addressed and franked feedback card, via a website, or verbally to a representative of the Energy Supplier);0 -
@justAnotherBadger
Your posts are becoming something of a rant against energy suppliers. The installer is just a trained person that installs smart meters. In many cases, they do not work for your energy supplier. They are not there to chat to consumers about their energy use or set budgets. Are you really suggesting that they should sit down with every consumer discuss the tariff that they are on: the day/night split for E7; the property EPC and your preferred heating times and temperatures just to set a budget? Did you have a daily energy budget before your smart meters were installed?In a number of cases, the installers will have moved on to their next job leaving a non-commissioned gas meter. They are paid for each installation they do.
You seem unduly focussed on budgets. Smart meters and IHDs are NOT energy savings devices. The energy savings come from the information that they provide which, in turn, encourages people to turn things down or off. In your case, the IHD seems to have worked as designed! Everyday is a school day, and you are now much more knowledgable about smart meters and IHDs than you were when you made your original post.
Finally, I wouldn’t worry too much about the elderly. We have been through the University of Life and managing spending is something that was taught to us by our parents well before the age of computers and iPhones. Some of us even know how to turn a computer on.11 -
You'll never get a fitter to spend extra time commissioning meters AND setting up an IHD, the cost of adding 10 minutes to an appointment would never be agreed
I believe some IHDs, whilst they can connect to the HAN immediately take some time to get the required settings and tariff information sent to them by the main network, nobody is going to hang around in hope of that happening instantly.
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The_Fat_Controller said:You'll never get a fitter to spend extra time commissioning meters AND setting up an IHD, the cost of adding 10 minutes to an appointment would never be agreed0
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I find in general that older members of society have a better grip on their finance and can budget better than younger ones. They don't need gadgets and gizmos to work out their energy spend, they use this old-fashioned thing called maths.Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter installed Mar 22 and 9.6kw Pylontech battery
Daikin 8kW ASHP installed Jan 25
Octopus Cosy/Fixed Outgoing6 -
Deleted_User said:justAnotherBadger said:Alnat1 said:You could have taken an extra 10 minutes and googled the device you had been given and found out how to use it and adjust the settings
Sorry, but I think you are trying to blame others for your lack of effort.
The issue is not with my lack of effort, I am not asking for a handout, I am asking that the energy providers put more effort in to informing the public when fitting these about the budget features and helping people to set them up correctly.
A simple question with every fitting; would you like us to go through the budget feature with you and get it right for your house?
That is all I am asking for, I don't want to see my family or anyone's freezing this winter, when 10 minutes of effort they could fix this.
I'd expect the majority of people to reply to "what budget should we set for your house?" with something along the lines of "I don't know, they keep putting my bill up". Not tremendously useful.
If you think the installer has (or risks) breaching the installation code of practice - OFGEM monitor that (but only by random sampling) - and they would be interested in your views. The sections you might be interested in are:
3.3. In the case of Domestic Consumers, each Energy Supplier shall ensure that an IHD is offered at the Installation Visit and if accepted, installed in an appropriate location, taking into account Consumers with specific needs e.g. mobility issues, and set up as far as practicable to meet the needs of the household e.g. tariff and payment type.3.8. The Energy Supplier shall ensure that:(a) use of the Smart Metering System is demonstrated to the Consumer in a clear and accurate manner, which is easy to understand, including what information is available from the Smart Metering System, how this can be accessed, and use of the IHD (where provided);
4.1. Each Energy Supplier shall ensure that:(a) the Consumer has the means available for providing feedback on their experience of the Installation Visit (for example, in the form of an addressed and franked feedback card, via a website, or verbally to a representative of the Energy Supplier);
I was only told about the daily, weekly and monthly usage screens. I didn't expect it to have a budget, I thought I had been told everything I needed.
Perhaps it is something for OFGEM, they should remind the energy supplies to inform customers about the budgeting features on the devices they supply.
They send out emails about bills going up, they could include information about updating/setting smart meter budgets. It's a small change which will help people stay warm. They will have to craft the email correctly so as not to create alarm.1
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