Octopus: Action: Your meter is approaching its use-by date

[Deleted User]

I apologize if this is similar to previous posts.  If necessary please move this post for me, thank you.  I received an email from Octopus Energy asking me to book an appointment to have Smart Meters fitted because my electricity meter is approaching its use-by date.  "Your meter is approaching the end of its certification period and needs to be replaced".

I am a very satisfied Octopus Energy customer and I have always been extremely pleased with the service they provide.  I really don't want Smart Meters unless, as a last resort, they become essential.  I'll be grateful for any help in doing my best not to have Smart Meters fitted.  If I ignore the email and do not book an appointment what is likely to happen, please?  I normally would never ignore a communication.

As far as I know my electricity meter is still working perfectly and I have no problems with my gas meter.  Although I don't want to be a difficult customer, I really am most eager to avoid having smart meters fitted until, there is no option other than to accept them and there is no alternative.

I'll be grateful for any advice as to how I should deal with this.  Thank you for any replies.

Mstty

What is your resistance in not getting a smart meter perhaps your mind could be put at rest?

matt_drummer

I want to ask how you know your meters are working perfectly?

Maybe they are but I guess they are of an age where they might not be?

Apart from some catastrophic failure what would indicate to you that they are no longer accurately recording your usage?

Annemos

I am with British Gas. Mine was also very old at about 30 years of age. I was getting cards though the door from Network Plus/ National Grid saying it would need replacing from a safety point of view. 

I have just had a refurbished "Dumb" meter fitted. 

(I.e. an old style non-smart meter that has been refurbished.) 

I wonder if you contacted them and said you would prefer to have this, what they would say? 

[Deleted User]

Thanks very much for replying Mstty.  I am happy and satisfied with the system I have and I really don't want any change.  

I understand that, in time, Smart Meters will be essential but I don't want to change from a system I know and understand.  I'm wary of them and feel unnerved by the number of problems associated with them.  Perhaps, in time, they will be fewer problems associated with them but, for now, I really don't feel comfortable about having to accept them.

[Deleted User]

I'm sorry I don't know how to reply in an effective way to your post, matt_drummer.  The answer is that I don't know although I understand fully the stress caused by problems related to Smart Meters.  Please don't think I am being rude but I really don't want Smart Meters at all.

If my electric meter is not proved to be faulty, can I be forced to have Electric and Gas Smart Meters installed?

onemouseplace

I had the same email this morning - we've only lived in the property for 2 months and noone has checked our internal meter, so I have no idea how they know whether or not our meters are nearing their 'expiry' date.  

I strongly suspect they have installation targets they would like to meet.  

[Deleted User]

Annemos said:

I am with British Gas. Mine was also very old at about 30 years of age. I was getting cards though the door from Network Plus/ National Grid saying it would need replacing from a safety point of view. 

I have just had a refurbished "Dumb" meter fitted. 

(I.e. an old style non-smart meter that has been refurbished.) 

I wonder if you contacted them and said you would prefer to have this, what they would say? 

Thank you Annemos.  If a change is essential  I would gratefully accept a refurbished "Dumb" meter being fitted.  I understand that it is not always easy to have a refurbished "Dumb" meter as they are in short supply.

Annemos

My impression is that, as soon as you dive into smart technology or updated technology, it very quickly becomes out of date again! 

Before anybody says that taking that line, I would still be using log tables and slide rules!......

Please see this reply to a review on Trustpilot for British Gas.  

Reply from British Gas

A day ago

Hi Laura. As your smart meter is an old generation it'll need to be enrolled onto the newest smart systems to function again. As it's such an old generation there's a chance the enrolment won't work and an exchange will be necessary. Our Smart Team are currently working through a backlog of devices that need to be updated onto the newest system, which they're hoping to clear by the end of this years first quarter. If after they've tried to update your meters onto the system it doesn't work, they will contact you to advise about an exchange. Thanks, Heidi

I am firmly with Deleted_User. Wait as long as possible for sophisticated technology. 

matt_drummer

Deleted_User said:

Thanks very much for replying Mstty.  I am happy and satisfied with the system I have and I really don't want any change.  

I understand that, in time, Smart Meters will be essential but I don't want to change from a system I know and understand.  I'm wary of them and feel unnerved by the number of problems associated with them.  Perhaps, in time, they will be fewer problems associated with them but, for now, I really don't feel comfortable about having to accept them.

There isn't really any change in the system.

They are meters that measure and record your usage, nothing more if that is all you want, you can read the display just like your current meter and submit readings to your supplier just as you do now.

I think you can even ask for them to be installed in `dumb mode?

But it's just like a modern mobile telephone, they do lots of things but if you just want to make and receive calls on them, you can.

I think if your supplier wants to change the meters and only fit smart meters then there really isn't anything to argue about, the meters are not ours and the supplier has the right to install what they deem necessary.

Some people will tell you you don't have to have them if you don't want but I'll leave them to explain how they think you can do this as it's beyond me why anybody wouldn't want a more modern and functional piece of equipment installed at their house at no cost to them.

[Deleted User]

Thanks onenouseplace.  I don't want to be a difficult customer - yet I am certain that I don't want Smart Meters until there is no alternative.