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

Keep_pedalling

Octopus are probably one of the least pushy suppliers out there as far as smart meters are concerned so it is likely your meters are approaching end of life. If you ignore the email nothing is likely to happen in the short term other than getting further emails, but eventually your meter will be changed with or without your consent,  although that could still be several years away.

brock_the_badger

Eonnext bugged me twice a month stating your electric meter needs replacing till I pointed out it is still certified till April 2028 . Not heard a word since .
EDF the same for gas until I said (how are you going to install a gas smart meter with no smart electric meter to send the readings in a mobile and wifi blackspot . Not heard from them since .

matt_drummer

brock_the_badger said:

Eonnext bugged me twice a month stating your electric meter needs replacing till I pointed out it is still certified till April 2028 . Not heard a word since .
EDF the same for gas until I said (how are you going to install a gas smart meter with no smart electric meter to send the readings in a mobile and wifi blackspot . Not heard from them since .

Well done, you've dodged a bullet there!

[Deleted User]

Spoonie_Turtle said:

What stress caused by smart meters exactly do you mean?  I can understand not wanting change just to 'fix what ain't broke' (as the saying sort of goes) but expired certification period counts as 'broken'.

The biggest stress of smart meters were the first generation (SMETS1) that stopped communicating when people switched suppliers.  That's been solved by the second generation (SMETS2), and a lot of the SMETS1 meters have been enrolled to communicate again.

If you're thinking of something else, perhaps the knowledgeable regulars here can help put your mind at rest.  Octopus are a very flexible and accommodating company but I very much doubt they hold any refurbished non-smart meters in stock.  You could always ask, but of course if they do and they allow you to have one fitted, it may not have a long certification period left now and would just be delaying the smart meter necessity by a few years anyway.

Thanks Spoonie_Turtle.  I have benefited from your posts a number of times in the past and really appreciate them very much. 

I'm not skilled enough to argue my case.  Owing to a number of significant health problems I am on The Priority Services Register and I would (genuinely) find it stressful to have this change forced on me unless it is absolutely essential and there is no alternative.   If the choice is taken out of my hands I may have to accept it.  If it's only my electricity meter that is the problem I would not want a Gas Smart Meter.  A refurbished 'Dumb" electric meter would be a compromise but it sounds as if one is not likely to be available.  Octopus want me to make an appointment to have Electricity and Gas Smart Meters.

If, and it would be out of character for me, I ignore the email, what is likely to happen, Spoonie_Turtle?

Annemos

Dolor. The Gas Safety Notice card I was given by the National Grid/ Network Plus chap who knocked on my door, said that "The exchange is free of charge". It also stated "This will not be a smart meter". 

I let him in to fit the "dumb" refurbished meter. This was October 2022.

Am I safe from a charge? Can British Gas come back to me and impose one? (I never had any contact from them prior to the meter change.) 


(Deleted_User. I had ignored the safety warning cards for about 2 years before I let the chap in, because I noticed he was going to fit a non-smart meter! But I was never signed up for e-mails, so they could not contact me that way.)

ariarnia

i think the problem is its hard for anyone to say exactly what will happen for any specific person. 

we can say what the rules say is supposed to happen and what we no happens in most cases (from on here or because some posters work in the industry) but it could be in your area they ignore it and do nothing for years. or dont charge for a traditioal meter. or arrange and turn up unexpectely because someone thought it was all agreed. 

so really its up to you if you want to ignore it or accept that it is going to happen one way or another eventually.

Spoonie_Turtle

Deleted_User said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

What stress caused by smart meters exactly do you mean?  I can understand not wanting change just to 'fix what ain't broke' (as the saying sort of goes) but expired certification period counts as 'broken'.

The biggest stress of smart meters were the first generation (SMETS1) that stopped communicating when people switched suppliers.  That's been solved by the second generation (SMETS2), and a lot of the SMETS1 meters have been enrolled to communicate again.

If you're thinking of something else, perhaps the knowledgeable regulars here can help put your mind at rest.  Octopus are a very flexible and accommodating company but I very much doubt they hold any refurbished non-smart meters in stock.  You could always ask, but of course if they do and they allow you to have one fitted, it may not have a long certification period left now and would just be delaying the smart meter necessity by a few years anyway.

Thanks Spoonie_Turtle.  I have benefited from your posts a number of times in the past and really appreciate them very much. 

I'm not skilled enough to argue my case.  Owing to a number of significant health problems I am on The Priority Services Register and I would (genuinely) find it stressful to have this change forced on me unless it is absolutely essential and there is no alternative.   If the choice is taken out of my hands I may have to accept it.  If it's only my electricity meter that is the problem I would not want a Gas Smart Meter.  A refurbished 'Dumb" electric meter would be a compromise but it sounds as if one is not likely to be available.  Octopus want me to make an appointment to have Electricity and Gas Smart Meters.

If, and it would be out of character for me, I ignore the email, what is likely to happen, Spoonie_Turtle?

I don't know, sorry.

You can find out the certification life of your meter here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1126202/schedule-4-december-2022.pdf

If you know when your meter was manufactured/certified and it turns out it has a few years left, you can ask them not to contact you until nearer the time it really really needs to be replaced. 

You stand the best chance if you can articulate exactly what about a smart meter specifically would be stressful, though - I don't necessarily mean here, but to Octopus (or any future supplier if your meter has longer to go).  If it's something physical then there may be a way around it, if it's something mental then you might need to effectively ask for the few years' reprieve to try to work on it for when there really are no more non-smarts available and it's a choice of smart meter or no meter.  They're supposed to make life easier and give access to financial benefits (such as time-of-use tariffs like Agile), not make your life more difficult for whatever reason.

[Deleted User]

Keep_pedalling said:

Octopus are probably one of the least pushy suppliers out there as far as smart meters are concerned so it is likely your meters are approaching end of life. If you ignore the email nothing is likely to happen in the short term other than getting further emails, but eventually your meter will be changed with or without your consent,  although that could still be several years away.

That is reassuring, thank you Keep_pedalling.

matt_drummer

I still don't quite see why some posters here make out that there is some difference in a smart meter and a non smart meter.

Day to day they are the same, they just record your usage.

Although they send information to the supplier, (I'm am sure you can also choose how often information is sent with Octopus), you can still read the meter yourself and submit readings.

In fact, everybody should make sure the amount they are billed for agree with their meter readings.

In practical day to day terms there is no difference.

If they stop sending readings automatically you have to take manual readings, the worst it can be is the same as a non smart meter.

Of course, you can enjoy different tariffs if you wish, but if you don't, they are just electricity and gas meters that are more reliable and less prone to go wrong than an old non smart meter.

Nothing has happened since I have had smart meters, I still get electricity and I still get gas, and I still have to pay for it!

Mstty

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.

I suspect you are well within your rights not to book an appointment and you may well get another reminder. However I was under the impression there is a shortage of smart meters so ignoring booking yours may well mean no chase for some time.