How would I go about getting a pay as you go electricity meter replaced with a normal billed meter? 30 January at 11:04PM in Energy 71 replies 1.8K views

Keep_pedalling

diystarter7 said:

Leeroy909 said:

Hi folks, so I've just moved into a property supplied by SSE that has a pay as you go leccy meter. This is obviously quite inconvenient, so I've tried to get them to change it back to a normal meter and get bills like I've always had and like every other meter in the building. However, they've been extremely pushy with trying to get me to have a smart meter, going as far as lying to get me to agree to an appointment and hanging up on me to prevent me cancelling the appointment.

Would anyone be able to tell me how I can change back over to a normal billed meter and not a smart meter? The only other thing I can think to do is change supplier to one that would be less hassle to get this done. If this is the only thing I can do, how would I do it and which supplier would be the best to get it done?

Thanks!

Hi OP

It's not your outfit that does that

From our supplier and I have made an official complaint to get it stopped. You get a call they talk fast and tell us "you need to get a smart meter installed as per government incentive........."  Thy make it sound as though its mandatory and when challenged they get confused,

I complained a couple of months ago and the first response was bs cut and paste that claimed to have confirmed I wanted a smart meter I was a bit unhappy with that so rang up, demanded to speak with a manager and that took doing then got an apology and they agreed to "train up.." the staff that had rang us,


I would not have a Smart meter as posting here about it having read the problems, though these problems may be small when compared to the numbers installed, it is not for us. The first generation smart meters, lol, the stories I've rad about them wanting to change to another supplier, gen two has addressed this they say

Another fear I have is once there are a few more of these smart meters - as recent weeks the suppliers gave a "discount" to some that opted not to use gas/elctiric at a certain tiem - its only a matter of time before those on smart meters may be asked to pay more during peak hours.

We have a water meter not via choice but because we moved - costs a lot more than not having one for us.

Sadly as another poster said, you will need to keep the meter you have or move if you want the meter the old type metter millions have in their homes in  England

Thanks

So in the OPs position you would rather stay as a PAYG customer with all the inconvenience that entails rather than have a SM? 

Dolor

GingerTim said:

diystarter7 said:

Leeroy909 said:

Hi folks, so I've just moved into a property supplied by SSE that has a pay as you go leccy meter. This is obviously quite inconvenient, so I've tried to get them to change it back to a normal meter and get bills like I've always had and like every other meter in the building. However, they've been extremely pushy with trying to get me to have a smart meter, going as far as lying to get me to agree to an appointment and hanging up on me to prevent me cancelling the appointment.

Would anyone be able to tell me how I can change back over to a normal billed meter and not a smart meter? The only other thing I can think to do is change supplier to one that would be less hassle to get this done. If this is the only thing I can do, how would I do it and which supplier would be the best to get it done?

Thanks!

Hi OP

It's not your outfit that does that

From our supplier and I have made an official complaint to get it stopped. You get a call they talk fast and tell us "you need to get a smart meter installed as per government incentive........."  Thy make it sound as though its mandatory and when challenged they get confused,

I complained a couple of months ago and the first response was bs cut and paste that claimed to have confirmed I wanted a smart meter I was a bit unhappy with that so rang up, demanded to speak with a manager and that took doing then got an apology and they agreed to "train up.." the staff that had rang us,


I would not have a Smart meter as posting here about it having read the problems, though these problems may be small when compared to the numbers installed, it is not for us. The first generation smart meters, lol, the stories I've rad about them wanting to change to another supplier, gen two has addressed this they say

Another fear I have is once there are a few more of these smart meters - as recent weeks the suppliers gave a "discount" to some that opted not to use gas/elctiric at a certain tiem - its only a matter of time before those on smart meters may be asked to pay more during peak hours.

We have a water meter not via choice but because we moved - costs a lot more than not having one for us.

Sadly as another poster said, you will need to keep the meter you have or move if you want the meter the old type metter millions have in their homes in  England

Thanks

I would suggest that it's much more likely that those not on smart meters will be paying peak rates all the time, with no option of cheaper rates at certain times offered to those with smart meters - much like the Octopus variable tariffs.

Oh dear - where is all this misleading information coming from? A large number of countries now have demand-based time-of-use tariffs. For example, some parts of Canada have tariffs based on 3 periods: peak; mid peak and offpeak. Parts of Europe now offer power-limited tariffs where the consumer agrees to a kW limit at certain times of the day and benefits from a lower overall contract price. In France, non-smart metered homes now pay an additional standing charge.

We have to find ways of balancing infinitely variable renewable energy with consumer demand: smart meters meet part of this requirement.

As existing analogue meters reach the end of their certificated lives, smart meters are now being fitted without there being any need for consumer approval. It follows that resistance is futile.

GingerTim

Dolor said:

GingerTim said:

diystarter7 said:

Leeroy909 said:

Hi folks, so I've just moved into a property supplied by SSE that has a pay as you go leccy meter. This is obviously quite inconvenient, so I've tried to get them to change it back to a normal meter and get bills like I've always had and like every other meter in the building. However, they've been extremely pushy with trying to get me to have a smart meter, going as far as lying to get me to agree to an appointment and hanging up on me to prevent me cancelling the appointment.

Would anyone be able to tell me how I can change back over to a normal billed meter and not a smart meter? The only other thing I can think to do is change supplier to one that would be less hassle to get this done. If this is the only thing I can do, how would I do it and which supplier would be the best to get it done?

Thanks!

Hi OP

It's not your outfit that does that

From our supplier and I have made an official complaint to get it stopped. You get a call they talk fast and tell us "you need to get a smart meter installed as per government incentive........."  Thy make it sound as though its mandatory and when challenged they get confused,

I complained a couple of months ago and the first response was bs cut and paste that claimed to have confirmed I wanted a smart meter I was a bit unhappy with that so rang up, demanded to speak with a manager and that took doing then got an apology and they agreed to "train up.." the staff that had rang us,


I would not have a Smart meter as posting here about it having read the problems, though these problems may be small when compared to the numbers installed, it is not for us. The first generation smart meters, lol, the stories I've rad about them wanting to change to another supplier, gen two has addressed this they say

Another fear I have is once there are a few more of these smart meters - as recent weeks the suppliers gave a "discount" to some that opted not to use gas/elctiric at a certain tiem - its only a matter of time before those on smart meters may be asked to pay more during peak hours.

We have a water meter not via choice but because we moved - costs a lot more than not having one for us.

Sadly as another poster said, you will need to keep the meter you have or move if you want the meter the old type metter millions have in their homes in  England

Thanks

I would suggest that it's much more likely that those not on smart meters will be paying peak rates all the time, with no option of cheaper rates at certain times offered to those with smart meters - much like the Octopus variable tariffs.

Oh dear - where is all this misleading information coming from? A large number of countries now have demand-based time-of-use tariffs. For example, some parts of Canada have tariffs based on 3 periods: peak; mid peak and offpeak. Parts of Europe now offer power-limited tariffs where the consumer agrees to a kW limit at certain times of the day and benefits from a lower overall contract price. In France, non-smart metered homes now pay an additional standing charge.

We have to find ways of balancing infinitely variable renewable energy with consumer demand: smart meters meet part of this requirement.

As existing analogue meters reach the end of their certificated lives, smart meters are now being fitted without there being any need for consumer approval. It follows that resistance is futile.

Ta, I think it must have been the Canadian and European models I had in mind!

Scorpio33

I don't (and never will want a SM). 

My reasoning is:

- There is currently no advantage to me as a consumer apart from not having to put in meter readings each month (which takes less than 10 mins)
- It provides information on when I use energy which will enable energy companies to bill more for peak times.
- The data that flows to the energy company isn't controlled by me, meaning it could be interecepted, altered, or used to find out when I use energy and so when I will be home (in theory).
- There is no evidence that having a smart meter leads to lower energy use. Personally, just because something tells me what I am using won't lead to me reducing usage - I will still want to watch TV and have a cup of tea.
- Smart meters give a lot more control to power companies. First generation meant you couldn't swap supplier easily, second generation can easily be changed to pay as you go meters by the power companies (even without consent).
- If there is an issue with the meter readings, I have no way of rectifying this - I will be at the mercy of energy companies who will insist everything is working ok (even if it is an issue with the meter or at thier end).

Can someone give me any tangiable advantages that benefit me?

GingerTim

Scorpio33 said:

I don't (and never will want a SM). 

My reasoning is:

- There is currently no advantage to me as a consumer apart from not having to put in meter readings each month (which takes less than 10 mins)
- It provides information on when I use energy which will enable energy companies to bill more for peak times.
- The data that flows to the energy company isn't controlled by me, meaning it could be interecepted, altered, or used to find out when I use energy and so when I will be home (in theory).
- There is no evidence that having a smart meter leads to lower energy use. Personally, just because something tells me what I am using won't lead to me reducing usage - I will still want to watch TV and have a cup of tea.
- Smart meters give a lot more control to power companies. First generation meant you couldn't swap supplier easily, second generation can easily be changed to pay as you go meters by the power companies (even without consent).
- If there is an issue with the meter readings, I have no way of rectifying this - I will be at the mercy of energy companies who will insist everything is working ok (even if it is an issue with the meter or at thier end).

Can someone give me any tangiable advantages that benefit me?

At some point in the not too distant future, those on non-smart meters will pay a premium (like in France) not to have an SM, or  will pay peak prices at all times without any option to access off-peak rates.

Dolor

Scorpio33 said:

I don't (and never will want a SM). 

My reasoning is:

- There is currently no advantage to me as a consumer apart from not having to put in meter readings each month (which takes less than 10 mins)
- It provides information on when I use energy which will enable energy companies to bill more for peak times.
- The data that flows to the energy company isn't controlled by me, meaning it could be interecepted, altered, or used to find out when I use energy and so when I will be home (in theory).
- There is no evidence that having a smart meter leads to lower energy use. Personally, just because something tells me what I am using won't lead to me reducing usage - I will still want to watch TV and have a cup of tea.
- Smart meters give a lot more control to power companies. First generation meant you couldn't swap supplier easily, second generation can easily be changed to pay as you go meters by the power companies (even without consent).
- If there is an issue with the meter readings, I have no way of rectifying this - I will be at the mercy of energy companies who will insist everything is working ok (even if it is an issue with the meter or at thier end).

Can someone give me any tangiable advantages that benefit me?

Read my post above. Consumers on analogue meters will end up paying MORE than smart metered consumers for their energy. Yes, electricity at peak times can be expensive because it costs more to produce: the converse of peak is offpeak. At times offpeak unit prices can be very low and consumers are often paid to use surplus energy.

What is your unit price?

Scorpio33

Currently it may be true that the tarrifs are more expensive for a non-smart meter, but there is nothing saying that will be the case long term. Even if it was, I'm not sure that outweighs the other disadvantages. That is to say that even if I accept that it will be cheaper on a smart meter, in my opinion, that doesn't make up for the other issues.

I currently pay 34.23p/kWh for Electricity and 10.46p/kWh for Gas.

EssexHebridean

Scorpio33 said:

I don't (and never will want a SM). 

My reasoning is:

- There is currently no advantage to me as a consumer apart from not having to put in meter readings each month (which takes less than 10 mins)
- It provides information on when I use energy which will enable energy companies to bill more for peak times. Or conversely, less for off-peak times - meaning load shifting could save money. More expensive peak rate electricity is coming for everyone IMO - the difference for those with a SM is that they will be able to benefit from the tariffs that allow them to then choose to use appliances etc at cheaper times. There is already a precedent being set elsewhere that no smart meter = increased costs.
- The data that flows to the energy company isn't controlled by me, meaning it could be interecepted, altered, or used to find out when I use energy and so when I will be home (in theory). Do you use a mobile phone? wifi? contactless or chip & pin bank card? 
- There is no evidence that having a smart meter leads to lower energy use. Personally, just because something tells me what I am using won't lead to me reducing usage - I will still want to watch TV and have a cup of tea. The Smart Meter will do nothing to reduce energy use - but the IHD that generally comes along with the smart meter can as it helps people to identify the high use items. (Clue - your kettle is one, the TV most likely not so much).  
- Smart meters give a lot more control to power companies.Oh yes - "control" that one gets trotted out a lot - you're not called Susan are you? Keen reader of the Daily Fail? Convinced that everything the BBC says is the gospel truth? No? OK - just checking.  First generation meant you couldn't swap supplier easily But those are no longer being installed? And in any event, there was never an issue with swaping supplier with a SMETS1 meter that I'm aware of? It just meant that people had to go back to the position they were in prior to having the SMETS1 - namely giving regular meter readings., second generation can easily be changed to pay as you go meters by the power companies (even without consent). The trick to avoiding this is to pay your bills, or, if you are struggling to pay your bills, to speak with the energy supplier.  If you don't pay, and don't engage, then they can change you to PAYG with OR without a smart meter - the "without" just tends to be a bit messier and may involve some damage...
- If there is an issue with the meter readings, I have no way of rectifying this - I will be at the mercy of energy companies who will insist everything is working ok (even if it is an issue with the meter or at thier end). We've seen threads here that suggest this is not true. 

Can someone give me any tangiable advantages that benefit me?

The best advantage in the long term that having a smart meter will have for you is that it will almost certainly end up saving you money due to favourable tariffs that you will be unable to access without one. Whether that is a benefit to you or not, only you can decide! 

Scorpio33

EssexHebridean said:

Scorpio33 said:

I don't (and never will want a SM). 

My reasoning is:

- There is currently no advantage to me as a consumer apart from not having to put in meter readings each month (which takes less than 10 mins)
- It provides information on when I use energy which will enable energy companies to bill more for peak times. Or conversely, less for off-peak times - meaning load shifting could save money. More expensive peak rate electricity is coming for everyone IMO - the difference for those with a SM is that they will be able to benefit from the tariffs that allow them to then choose to use appliances etc at cheaper times. There is already a precedent being set elsewhere that no smart meter = increased costs.
- The data that flows to the energy company isn't controlled by me, meaning it could be interecepted, altered, or used to find out when I use energy and so when I will be home (in theory). Do you use a mobile phone? wifi? contactless or chip & pin bank card? 
- There is no evidence that having a smart meter leads to lower energy use. Personally, just because something tells me what I am using won't lead to me reducing usage - I will still want to watch TV and have a cup of tea. The Smart Meter will do nothing to reduce energy use - but the IHD that generally comes along with the smart meter can as it helps people to identify the high use items. (Clue - your kettle is one, the TV most likely not so much).  
- Smart meters give a lot more control to power companies.Oh yes - "control" that one gets trotted out a lot - you're not called Susan are you? Keen reader of the Daily Fail? Convinced that everything the BBC says is the gospel truth? No? OK - just checking.  First generation meant you couldn't swap supplier easily But those are no longer being installed? And in any event, there was never an issue with swaping supplier with a SMETS1 meter that I'm aware of? It just meant that people had to go back to the position they were in prior to having the SMETS1 - namely giving regular meter readings., second generation can easily be changed to pay as you go meters by the power companies (even without consent). The trick to avoiding this is to pay your bills, or, if you are struggling to pay your bills, to speak with the energy supplier.  If you don't pay, and don't engage, then they can change you to PAYG with OR without a smart meter - the "without" just tends to be a bit messier and may involve some damage...
- If there is an issue with the meter readings, I have no way of rectifying this - I will be at the mercy of energy companies who will insist everything is working ok (even if it is an issue with the meter or at thier end). We've seen threads here that suggest this is not true. 

Can someone give me any tangiable advantages that benefit me?

The best advantage in the long term that having a smart meter will have for you is that it will almost certainly end up saving you money due to favourable tariffs that you will be unable to access without one. Whether that is a benefit to you or not, only you can decide! 

Fair enough.

I'm defo not a daily fail reader lol. I am all for innovation, but it just seems to be change for change sake when it doesn't give anything long term apart from an excuse for the energy suppliers to increase prices?

diystarter7

macman said:

Those on smart meters will have access to TOU tariffs, so rates will vary by the half hour. No different to E7, but much more flexible and sophisticated. 
If you had a water meter fitted from the day you moved into the property, then how do you know you are paying 'much more' compared to RV biling, since you will have never paid an RV bill at that property? 

Simple answer, same family composition, same number of baths/showers, using the washing machine, flushing the loo, hours spend at home  - we moved within the same water supplier area - does that help?