Can a smart meter be forced?

nigel_erricker

I have been told by Octopus that my meter needs changing. Yes, it is old and I'm quite happy to have it changed even if I have to pay for it but I do not want a smart meter.

I understand that there is no legal requirement to have one but it is a catch 22 type situation because Octopus will only install non smart meters if there is a technical reason why a smart meter would not be suitable.

I am quite happy to change suppliers even if my tarrif costs more as long as I get a non smart meter.

If no one will fit one then they are compulsory by default regardless of what Ofgem and the law say.

Has anyone here had a non smart meter fitted recently?

MattMattMattUK

nigel_erricker said:

I have been told by Octopus that my meter needs changing. Yes, it is old and I'm quite happy to have it changed even if I have to pay for it but I do not want a smart meter.

I understand that there is no legal requirement to have one but it is a catch 22 type situation because Octopus will only install non smart meters if there is a technical reason why a smart meter would not be suitable.

You do not have a choice, if the meter has reached the end of it's certified life then they are required to replace it and replace it with a smart meter.

nigel_erricker said:

I am quite happy to change suppliers even if my tarrif costs more as long as I get a non smart meter.

No supplier will fit a dumb meter anymore.

nigel_erricker said:

If no one will fit one then they are compulsory by default regardless of what Ofgem and the law say.

The law does not say that they are optional in perpetuity, it says that they are optional during the certified life of the existing meter, but once the certification date has passed the meter must be replaced and the supplier should fit a smart meter.

nigel_erricker said:

Has anyone here had a non smart meter fitted recently?

Very unlikely.

What specific reasons have you decided that you do not want a smart meter? 

diystarter7

nigel_erricker said:

I have been told by Octopus that my meter needs changing. Yes, it is old and I'm quite happy to have it changed even if I have to pay for it but I do not want a smart meter.

I understand that there is no legal requirement to have one but it is a catch 22 type situation because Octopus will only install non smart meters if there is a technical reason why a smart meter would not be suitable.

I am quite happy to change suppliers even if my tarrif costs more as long as I get a non smart meter.

If no one will fit one then they are compulsory by default regardless of what Ofgem and the law say.

Has anyone here had a non smart meter fitted recently?

Hi

This is a slighter older thread, dating from December but if you read the posts, all is answered.

Look up whick Magazin on Google re smart meters and article published about 2 weeks ago may help you decide

If your meters certification date is up, then you have little choice other to get one fitted.

Smart meters are not for me and many others but equally some want them.

I hope it al goes smoothly and if it does not, as I said read Which re smart meters that has tips, etc

Good luck

Thnaks

_Sam_

Love our smart meters. They allow us access to gas tariff 6p kwh, and electricity 10p kwh off-peak times as well as peak times when the car is scheduled to charge. 

[Deleted User]

nigel_erricker said:

I have been told by Octopus that my meter needs changing. Yes, it is old and I'm quite happy to have it changed even if I have to pay for it but I do not want a smart meter.

I understand that there is no legal requirement to have one but it is a catch 22 type situation because Octopus will only install non smart meters if there is a technical reason why a smart meter would not be suitable.

I am quite happy to change suppliers even if my tarrif costs more as long as I get a non smart meter.

If no one will fit one then they are compulsory by default regardless of what Ofgem and the law say.

Has anyone here had a non smart meter fitted recently?

If you are happy to find and to pay for a Government-approved/certified analogue meter and you can find a registered meter installer who would fit it for you, you can seek your supplier’s approval to fit your own meter. The supplier will no doubt insist that the meter is checked periodically in line with its own meter inspection policy. Should you move, the meter remains with the property and reverts to the supplier.

Is all the hassle worth it? Only you can decide. FWiW, I believe that the Government will make smart meters mandatory as we approach the end of the rollout period. 

luvchocolate

Shell fitted a non smart meter at my request..no problem at all

EssexHebridean

luvchocolate said:

Shell fitted a non smart meter at my request..no problem at all

You were presumably fortunate that they had one available though - that will certainly not be the case for most people, and will become even less likely as time goes on of course.

nigel_erricker said:

I have been told by Octopus that my meter needs changing. Yes, it is old and I'm quite happy to have it changed even if I have to pay for it but I do not want a smart meter.

I understand that there is no legal requirement to have one but it is a catch 22 type situation because Octopus will only install non smart meters if there is a technical reason why a smart meter would not be suitable.

I am quite happy to change suppliers even if my tarrif costs more as long as I get a non smart meter.

If no one will fit one then they are compulsory by default regardless of what Ofgem and the law say.

Has anyone here had a non smart meter fitted recently?

Have you checked whether your meter IS actually at end of life? That' probably a good starting point - as if it still has time on its certification period then you can simply ignore the contact for now. 

If you simply "want" a meter change then you are correct that there is no legal requirement to have a smart meter - but equally it's unlikely that too many suppliers will exchange a dumb meter for another dumb meter at request like that, so largely a moot point. If the meter requires changing though - for example because it is no longer accurate or because it has passed end of certification, then a change has to be made, and the supplier is then at liberty to fit the meter they have that is suitable for you as already alluded to by Matt3 - in most cases now, that will be a smart meter. So in that specific instance it could reasonably be said that there is a requirement for you to have a smart meter fitted. 
I'm guessing it would be highly unlikely that Octopus would have stocks of "dumb" meters lying about. 

I'd echo Matt's question about what your reservations are - there is another current thread running at the moment * where some of the reasons why some people feel very strongly anti-smart meter were presented and it was explained why the things they were concerned about were largely fallacies. Be cautious with the Which article referred to by the way - some of it's figures are a little "fluid with the truth" let's say! That was also addressed in a recent thread. 

* edit to add link to thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429392/smart-meter/p1

badmemory

One of the reasons I do not want a smart meter has actually been mentioned on this thread.  The battery on the gas meter when it goes flat it is supposed to cut off the gas.  As my heating is gas I would really rather this didn't happen due to the length of time it takes to replace said battery.  For some reason they ceased installing smart meters around here almost 2 years ago.  At the time I assumed it was because of my very intermittent mobile signal but I gather that should no longer be the case.

I am quite prepared to accept a smart meter provided that they put in writing that when they install the gas meter & leave me with a leak that they do not try to charge me for fixing the leak like last time & that when the battery goes flat on the gas meter they will replace it within 24 hours.  It would help if the one they installed was actually able to be manually read but suspect that that will just be a step too far.

Robin9

luvchocolate said:

Shell fitted a non smart meter at my request..no problem at all

luvchocolate said:

Shell fitted a non smart meter at my request..no problem at all

May |I ask if this was a new or a reconditioned unit ?

[Deleted User]

badmemory said:

One of the reasons I do not want a smart meter has actually been mentioned on this thread.  The battery on the gas meter when it goes flat it is supposed to cut off the gas.  As my heating is gas I would really rather this didn't happen due to the length of time it takes to replace said battery.  For some reason they ceased installing smart meters around here almost 2 years ago.  At the time I assumed it was because of my very intermittent mobile signal but I gather that should no longer be the case.

I am quite prepared to accept a smart meter provided that they put in writing that when they install the gas meter & leave me with a leak that they do not try to charge me for fixing the leak like last time & that when the battery goes flat on the gas meter they will replace it within 24 hours.  It would help if the one they installed was actually able to be manually read but suspect that that will just be a step too far.

The system is designed to send an alert to the supplier when the gas battery needs replacing. You would also get an alert on the meter and on the In House Display. The battery on my gas meter has a predicted life of 15 years. 

I have seen nothing to suggest that the gas supply will be disconnected if the battery fails. The supplier will not charge for a battery replacement. I suspect that you were charged for the gas pipe repair as the leak was on your side of the meter. This has been the case for decades.