New Smart Meter are dangerous - Budget Exceeded

TheGardener

badmemory said:

How many of these comments has said that people should go on line & .......  Not everyone has internet access.  The main problem I believe is the dodgy advertising that has been used to persuade people to have a smart meter which lets face it is not really that smart at all.  At least only for the supplier & they don't seem to care if it isn't working properly, just so long as they can claim that they have fitted it.

I know the energy supply companies get it wrong sometimes - but given the size of these businesses, it's hardly surprising that some people have problems. There is no such thing as the perfect company that meets or exceeds every one of its customer's expectations. 
'Not everyone has internet access' is getting to be a tiring line these days - I believe between 3 and 6% of homes have zero connectivity - and probably for half of them it's a personal choice. People resisted railways because they thought going that fast would kill them - today it's suspicion about telephone masts and smart meters. It won't change the fact that we all have to update our skills and knowledge now and again. The budget function on IHDU's isn't about scaring people - it's about the fact everyone's usage and available budget is different, how can an energy company set individual budgets for heaven's sake - Tesco doesn't tell you how much you should spend! People need to take a bit of personal responsibility now and again. My mother is nearly 90 and can manage to look up information on the internet. She doesn't use digital banking, shopping or services or anything like that but if she can't find what she wants she asks someone (usually my youngest!). She is 'fiercely independent' too. 

deano2099

dunstonh said:

PennyForThem_2 said:

My IHD initially showed me spending about £50 per day.  It was worrying initially but after googling and getting 'sorry we have a s/w problem'  I turned it off and consigned it to a draw.  It is pretty useless, tbh.  Occasionally used it to read the meters but it has even ceased to do that - mainly because it is never on to receive s/w updates.

They are not useless.   They are an important tool to help you see your use.  Providing you have them set to display kWh rather than money cost.   

This comes up regularly on here and I'm curious why? Is it just because of the standing charge getting added on to the money cost? I find if I'm aware of that, the monetary figure is more useful as that's ultimately what I care about. 
I suppose when prices change it'd be more useful to know previous usage?

deano2099

I mean, energy companies work out your fixed price direct debit based on estimating your usage. So I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest that suppliers suggest a budget for consumers. In a way they already do that. Indeed, if the budget feature could be configured remotely it would be a useful function to actually show if you were using more or less than you were paying for. (And yes, it'd mean different summer/winter budgets),

Certainly, if the budget function was set to anything when installed (rather than turned off) I might reasonably expect it to have some relation to the figure I'm paying.

RobM99

This comes up regularly on here and I'm curious why? Is it just because of the standing charge getting added on to the money cost? I find if I'm aware of that, the monetary figure is more useful as that's ultimately what I care about. 

I suppose when prices change it'd be more useful to know previous usage?

Agree, I'm not bothered about 44 hyperthingies per cubic doodah. All  I want to know - what will it cost?!

EssexHebridean

deano2099 said:

dunstonh said:

PennyForThem_2 said:

My IHD initially showed me spending about £50 per day.  It was worrying initially but after googling and getting 'sorry we have a s/w problem'  I turned it off and consigned it to a draw.  It is pretty useless, tbh.  Occasionally used it to read the meters but it has even ceased to do that - mainly because it is never on to receive s/w updates.

They are not useless.   They are an important tool to help you see your use.  Providing you have them set to display kWh rather than money cost.   

This comes up regularly on here and I'm curious why? Is it just because of the standing charge getting added on to the money cost? I find if I'm aware of that, the monetary figure is more useful as that's ultimately what I care about. 
I suppose when prices change it'd be more useful to know previous usage?

Exactly this. Look at it this way - I might know that last year I spent around £X00 on my heating for the winter months. That could lead me to believe that I might spend around £X00 on my heating for the winter months this year, too. Knowing that last year I used 2000kWh of electricity for my heating is more useful though - firstly it means that I can work out how much that is going to cost me, and budget accordingly. Second, it means if I instigate some energy saving measures this winter, I can know if they have worked, because I have a meaningful direct figure to compare them to. 

deano2099

EssexHebridean said:

deano2099 said:

dunstonh said:

PennyForThem_2 said:

My IHD initially showed me spending about £50 per day.  It was worrying initially but after googling and getting 'sorry we have a s/w problem'  I turned it off and consigned it to a draw.  It is pretty useless, tbh.  Occasionally used it to read the meters but it has even ceased to do that - mainly because it is never on to receive s/w updates.

They are not useless.   They are an important tool to help you see your use.  Providing you have them set to display kWh rather than money cost.   

This comes up regularly on here and I'm curious why? Is it just because of the standing charge getting added on to the money cost? I find if I'm aware of that, the monetary figure is more useful as that's ultimately what I care about. 
I suppose when prices change it'd be more useful to know previous usage?

Exactly this. Look at it this way - I might know that last year I spent around £X00 on my heating for the winter months. That could lead me to believe that I might spend around £X00 on my heating for the winter months this year, too. Knowing that last year I used 2000kWh of electricity for my heating is more useful though - firstly it means that I can work out how much that is going to cost me, and budget accordingly. Second, it means if I instigate some energy saving measures this winter, I can know if they have worked, because I have a meaningful direct figure to compare them to. 

That's reasonable - I've only had a smart meter for six months and always at the same tariff. Although I still have the kWh usage data elsewhere - I get the impression not everyone does it but British Gas list my usage daily in various graphs and stuff on their site. I agree long term the kWh number is the more useful one, but for me, the one I want to be able to check multiple times a day is probably the £ figure.

EssexHebridean

I've got one of those little monitors that clips onto the cable from the meter and tells you haw much you're using. I was sceptical when I got it, but honestly, it's pretty good in the absence of a smart meter. I always used to have that switched to the money display, but in the past 6 months I've switched it to the kWh display and oh my goodness I am SO much better informed about how we use our energy now, as a result! I'm a definite convert as it just provides a whole different (and IMO - better) level of information. 

ariarnia

noitsnotme said:

ariarnia said:

jennifernil said:

I would just be glad if our (very recently fitted) smart gas meter would supply data to our IHD.

It does supply readings to our provider.

The IHD only shows the electricity information.  Both meters are in outside boxes right next to each other.

 and there planing soon you can add your tarrif details so it will also tell you cost. 

I just signed up to Bright this week and it automatically showed my tariff and there is already an option to see cost as well as energy usage.

yes. ours to. but not for everyone right from the start or if your tarrif changes or you switch sometimes it doesn't update so there adding the function so you can do it yourself and not have to wait (sometimes months) 

jacko220

I have a spreadsheet that tells me what my bill is at any day, it is only three lines long for each fuel, I am on pay when you receive the bill, it is always correct, I can predict my fuel usage and hence predict what my consumption will be. Fed up arguing with OFGEM about how my property is producing less carbon, unfortunately my Energy Company seems to Greenwash at every circumstance. I am in control it may cost me about £280 per year but it is certainly satisfying. By the way I saw the first Smart Meter at the Building Research Establishment in the Integer House at Watford, it seemed to work well, I was also able to control the heating system, blinds and lights, this was at a conference for Building Science Lecturers in 1992, it seems the current Smart Meters are dictated by Economists and not Scientists.

[Deleted User]

Out-of-interest, how many IHDs show the correct EPG-abated tariff information given that many supplier bills show charges based on the full tariff? The EPG is then shown as a billing adjustment.