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

matt_drummer

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

In any case, my view is that the meters belong to the energy supplier and if they want to change them, that is what should happen, it is not for us to stand in their way as it's not our equipment.

 but it was decided (goverment or ofgem?) people could refuse to have a smart meter installed UNLESS it was a requirement because of a reason like it was out of certification or found unsafe after inspection 

you and dolor would agree that is wrong and people shouldn't be able to refuse but this is the world we live in so people do have that right . 

I know.

My view, is don't worry about it, but as always, I accept some people do.

I'm sure more stress is caused by trying to get out of having smart meters fitted than the actual act itself.

Promoting refusing/avoiding having smart meters fitted reinforces the idea that there is something to be scared of, I wish more people would encourage and reassure  rather than scare and diissuade.

matt_drummer

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

In any case, my view is that the meters belong to the energy supplier and if they want to change them, that is what should happen, it is not for us to stand in their way as it's not our equipment.

 but it was decided (goverment or ofgem?) people could refuse to have a smart meter installed UNLESS it was a requirement because of a reason like it was out of certification or found unsafe after inspection 

you and dolor would agree that is wrong and people shouldn't be able to refuse but this is the world we live in so people do have that right . 

And in this case, it is a requirement, isn't it?

The currently installed meters are nearing the end of their certified life?

Spoonie_Turtle

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

In any case, my view is that the meters belong to the energy supplier and if they want to change them, that is what should happen, it is not for us to stand in their way as it's not our equipment.

 but it was decided (goverment or ofgem?) people could refuse to have a smart meter installed UNLESS it was a requirement because of a reason like it was out of certification or found unsafe after inspection 

you and dolor would agree that is wrong and people shouldn't be able to refuse but this is the world we live in so people do have that right . 

And in this case, it is a requirement, isn't it?

The currently installed meters are nearing the end of their certified life?

Not in the OP's case.

matt_drummer

Spoonie_Turtle said:

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

In any case, my view is that the meters belong to the energy supplier and if they want to change them, that is what should happen, it is not for us to stand in their way as it's not our equipment.

 but it was decided (goverment or ofgem?) people could refuse to have a smart meter installed UNLESS it was a requirement because of a reason like it was out of certification or found unsafe after inspection 

you and dolor would agree that is wrong and people shouldn't be able to refuse but this is the world we live in so people do have that right . 

And in this case, it is a requirement, isn't it?

The currently installed meters are nearing the end of their certified life?

Not in the OP's case.

OK, I have misunderstood, sorry!

I thought he had a letter from Octopus Energy saying the meters were nearing the end of their certified life and needed replacing.

EssexHebridean

matt_drummer said:

EssexHebridean said:

[Deleted User] said:

Deleted_User said:

Thanks, dolor.  If/when Smart Meters  become mandatory, of course I'll have to accept them.

I have learned a lot from this Forum and the information from pochase  has been really very helpful and reassuring.

For now I am happier, comfortable and pleased to stay with my 'Dumb' meter.

With the greatest respect, that is just plain ‘dumb’. As I post, I am paying 6p/kWh and, at times less this Winter, for gas, and 5p/kWh for electricity.  Over the past 4 years, I have saved £00s on my energy costs. 

If the OP is comfortable paying more for peace of mind, then so long as this is based on a reasoned approach - rather than believing the lies frequently touted by the “anti” brigade - then that’s fine for them, I’d say. We all have to balance off “what suits us” against “what might in fact be best for us” and sometimes there are compromises to be made - either a little inconvenience for (for example) making something more easily affordable, or paying a little more in order to make life more straightforward. 

I’d personally save a big chunk of money right now by switching to EDF for my energy - it’s not going to happen any time soon, though! 

What peace of mind?

Surely he would have more peace of mind knowing that he had electricity and gas meters that weren't forty years old and instead had nice new ones that he knew were recording his electricity and gas usage accurately?

Having the meters replaced won't mean he'll instantly pay less money. If he does nothing but change the meters, nothing will change, they are just meters that record his use of electricity and gas.

Thank you for mansplaining smart meters to me, I shall file your third paragraph under “things that I already knew!” 😉

Everyone finds peace of mind in different things - and if the OP, who, as I think we have now established, has a working, certificated meter, and keeping that meter would give them peace of mind in spite of potentially meaning that they pay slightly more for their energy use, then that is, I’d hope we could agree, entirely their call? I wouldn’t dream of dictating to you what is allowed to give you peace of mind, as long as it doesn’t negatively  affect anyone else, or break the law, you crack on with whatever works IMO! 

A phrase a lot of people find suits them is “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Right now, the OP’s meter is indeed “not broke” so in their view, there is nothing to “fix”! 

There is a huge amount of misinformation centred around smart metering - indeed we’ve had to spend an appreciable amount of time even on here recently countering some of it. However, the flip side - trying to suggest that SM’s are needed in every single situation, and that everyone “should” want one immediately, can be just as harmful. Someone can not want a smart meter without it needing to instantly be assumed that they believe it will somehow provide a hotline to Joe Burglar along the road telling him the moment they leave for a fortnight in Benidorm, or whatever other scare story the Daily Fail and similar might choose to peddle! Balance needed. 

matt_drummer

I wasn't mansplaining anything to you or anybody else, I don't really understand what it means, I assume it's got something to do with offending females?

Firstly I have no idea who's a man and who's a woman and you can't be sure what sex I am!

The reply was intended to be for anybody thinking that you only get a smart meter to save money.

The only thing that I have said a along is that they are just new meters, they don't do anything, it's just the word smart.

If Octopus just said to him they were fitting new meters whilst they were in the area, they have a digital display in them instead of a wheel or dial, is that ok? I'm sure he would have said yes.

The word `smart' seems to be the issue.

I hope I haven't offended you or anybody else here.

I am just joining in the conversation and want to encourage and promote new technology and ideas.

I cannot see where I have dictacted to the OP or anybody else what they should do, of course it's their call, what can I do about it? I don't fit or install smart meters and I don't think Octopus Energy will go round to his house and swap his meters on my say so!

I would also say, that if you don't want opinions about whether to have smart meters fitted when the supplier asks to fit them, it's probably best not to post the question on a public forum on the internet!

This ain't broke, don't fix attitude doesn't really work either. If you don't maintain things they will eventually break, wouldn't it be better to replace an old meter before it goes wrong instead of waiting until it breaks?

It seems a lot of time is spent on here with smart meters is because so many people are actively negative about them for no good reason and go to great lengths to try to find ways to resist or avoid having them fitted.

I am surprised that so many people on a money saving forum are so committed to dissuading people from having something fitted that can save them money!

Spoonie_Turtle

matt_drummer said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

In any case, my view is that the meters belong to the energy supplier and if they want to change them, that is what should happen, it is not for us to stand in their way as it's not our equipment.

 but it was decided (goverment or ofgem?) people could refuse to have a smart meter installed UNLESS it was a requirement because of a reason like it was out of certification or found unsafe after inspection 

you and dolor would agree that is wrong and people shouldn't be able to refuse but this is the world we live in so people do have that right . 

And in this case, it is a requirement, isn't it?

The currently installed meters are nearing the end of their certified life?

Not in the OP's case.

OK, I have misunderstood, sorry!

I thought he had a letter from Octopus Energy saying the meters were nearing the end of their certified life and needed replacing.

They did, specifically the electricity meter, but we've established (some pages back, now, although it was only yesterday evening) it has over 10 years left of the certification period.

greenhill

matt_drummer said:

EssexHebridean said:

[Deleted User] said:

Deleted_User said:

Thanks, dolor.  If/when Smart Meters  become mandatory, of course I'll have to accept them.

I have learned a lot from this Forum and the information from pochase  has been really very helpful and reassuring.

For now I am happier, comfortable and pleased to stay with my 'Dumb' meter.

With the greatest respect, that is just plain ‘dumb’. As I post, I am paying 6p/kWh and, at times less this Winter, for gas, and 5p/kWh for electricity.  Over the past 4 years, I have saved £00s on my energy costs. 

If the OP is comfortable paying more for peace of mind, then so long as this is based on a reasoned approach - rather than believing the lies frequently touted by the “anti” brigade - then that’s fine for them, I’d say. We all have to balance off “what suits us” against “what might in fact be best for us” and sometimes there are compromises to be made - either a little inconvenience for (for example) making something more easily affordable, or paying a little more in order to make life more straightforward. 

I’d personally save a big chunk of money right now by switching to EDF for my energy - it’s not going to happen any time soon, though! 

What peace of mind?

Surely he would have more peace of mind knowing that he had electricity and gas meters that weren't forty years old and instead had nice new ones that he knew were recording his electricity and gas usage accurately?

Having the meters replaced won't mean he'll instantly pay less money. If he does nothing but change the meters, nothing will change, they are just meters that record his use of electricity and gas.

You seem terribly obsessed with getting this forum member to change to a smart meter. Why? Leave him/her alone!
No, you don't save money with smart meters so please don't bother saying that.

ariarnia

matt_drummer said:

I am surprised that so many people on a money saving forum are so committed to dissuading people from having something fitted that can save them money!

maybe its worth remembering that the ethos of this site isnt to 'save money' 

its to help people have the info they need to make the best choices for them (using whatever measure of 'best' they want) with there money 

so we would never buy a new from the show room car on the never never but would have no problem with someone 'wasting there money' buying one and helping them find good deals/the cheapest way to do what they wanted

[Deleted User]

matt_drummer said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

In any case, my view is that the meters belong to the energy supplier and if they want to change them, that is what should happen, it is not for us to stand in their way as it's not our equipment.

 but it was decided (goverment or ofgem?) people could refuse to have a smart meter installed UNLESS it was a requirement because of a reason like it was out of certification or found unsafe after inspection 

you and dolor would agree that is wrong and people shouldn't be able to refuse but this is the world we live in so people do have that right . 

And in this case, it is a requirement, isn't it?

The currently installed meters are nearing the end of their certified life?

Not in the OP's case.

OK, I have misunderstood, sorry!

I thought he had a letter from Octopus Energy saying the meters were nearing the end of their certified life and needed replacing.

That is true although, thanks to the helpful information here on this Forum (Pochase) I now understand that my electric meter is not nearing the end of its certified life. 

I was being encouraged  by Octopus to make an arrangement to have both an electric and a gas Smart Meter installed.