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

matt_drummer

TheElectricCow said:

I can understand the OP’s perspective of simply not wanting to change from what they’re already quite happy with without a good reason or it being absolutely necessary. 

Personally I can be someone who’s quite “stuck in my ways” and often find myself feeling a similar way to how the OP has described their opinion on smart meters. Of course I do accept that my reasoning isn’t always completely rational in these situations but see no harm in that as the only person it affects is myself.

It seems a perfectly reasonable enough position to take, provided they understand/accept the implications of not having one fitted (lack of access to smart tariffs etc.) and don’t attempt to impose their view on others or use misinformation discourage people from getting them, which doesn’t seem to be the case here.

In fact the OP seems very receptive to the advice they’ve received and if, despite having been informed of the potential advantages of getting one, they’d still rather not I don’t see anything necessarily wrong with that until the meter does actually expire and requires replacement. Sometimes it’s just that advanced warning knowing that a change will be coming is all that’s needed to prepare yourself for it.

I agree.

But, it's not a change like moving from London to Glasgow or getting a motorcycle instead of a car.

It's just swapping a recording device that you hardly ever look at for another recording device that you hardly ever look at.

Plus, of course, it's not his meter, it belongs to the energy supplier, so it really shouldn't be the customers choice. It has no affect whatsoever on the customer's life or their supply of gas and electricity, so I don't even now why anybody would care what make and model of gas and electricity meters their energy supplier installed.

ariarnia

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

The concern always seems to be that if a meter stops communicating with the supplier then you are worse off than you were before you had them installed, whereas you have exactly what you had before, so there's no risk, nothing can happen and all you will have are new meters.

thats not really right or fair. 

if you have a traditional meter now and are taking regular readings then that's your norm. 

when a smart meter is installed a lot of people stop taking readings (and are sometimes TOLD to stop taking readings cause with some suppliers it can cause problems). 

and because they are now not taking regular readings we get people on here who are either caught out because they didn't realise there meter had stopped sending readings. or because they werent taking manual readings didn't notice a problem with the meter sending inaccurate readings. or hadn't noticed when the new meter was installed that it hadn't been updated on the database. or was crossed with another meter. or other problems that wouldn't have happened if things hadn't changed. 

none of those problems are COMMON and there all easy enough to sort if they come on here for some help and advice. 

but they do exist and they are a 'risk' when something changes (some those problems could happen swapping a traditional meter for another traditional meter. just saying things are more likely to go wrong when something changes).

then its preference. if someone doesn't HAVE to have there meter changed and they dont want to then its no more irrational than me not liking bbq sauce when my OH and kids have it on everything. they dont force me to have it and i dont stop them from having it. everyone is happy... 

If somebody has been used to reading their meters periodically for the last x number of years, why would they stop now?

Most of the problems you mention could happen with any meter, whether it's a smart meter or not,

i think a quick look at the number and type of threads we get on here would show lots of people DO (even if you dont think they should) and some are even told to stop because trying to send in manual readings causes problems for some suppliers billing systems

yes they could (and i said they could) but the point is that CHANGE be it to a smart meter or a replacement traditional meter increases the risk of failure compared to NOT CHANGING until theres actually a problem that needs fixing. 

WE have smart meters and have no problems. but i can completely understand the OPs view even if i dont share it. 

matt_drummer

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

The concern always seems to be that if a meter stops communicating with the supplier then you are worse off than you were before you had them installed, whereas you have exactly what you had before, so there's no risk, nothing can happen and all you will have are new meters.

thats not really right or fair. 

if you have a traditional meter now and are taking regular readings then that's your norm. 

when a smart meter is installed a lot of people stop taking readings (and are sometimes TOLD to stop taking readings cause with some suppliers it can cause problems). 

and because they are now not taking regular readings we get people on here who are either caught out because they didn't realise there meter had stopped sending readings. or because they werent taking manual readings didn't notice a problem with the meter sending inaccurate readings. or hadn't noticed when the new meter was installed that it hadn't been updated on the database. or was crossed with another meter. or other problems that wouldn't have happened if things hadn't changed. 

none of those problems are COMMON and there all easy enough to sort if they come on here for some help and advice. 

but they do exist and they are a 'risk' when something changes (some those problems could happen swapping a traditional meter for another traditional meter. just saying things are more likely to go wrong when something changes).

then its preference. if someone doesn't HAVE to have there meter changed and they dont want to then its no more irrational than me not liking bbq sauce when my OH and kids have it on everything. they dont force me to have it and i dont stop them from having it. everyone is happy... 

If somebody has been used to reading their meters periodically for the last x number of years, why would they stop now?

Most of the problems you mention could happen with any meter, whether it's a smart meter or not,

i think a quick look at the number and type of threads we get on here would show lots of people DO (even if you dont think they should) and some are even told to stop because trying to send in manual readings causes problems for some suppliers billing systems

yes they could (and i said they could) but the point is that CHANGE be it to a smart meter or a replacement traditional meter increases the risk of failure compared to NOT CHANGING until theres actually a problem that needs fixing. 

WE have smart meters and have no problems. but i can completely understand the OPs view even if i dont share it. 

I do agree with you in the main.

This is the trouble with internet forums, really useful most of the time, but they also promote myths and untruths.

I cannot understand why anybody would be told not to read their meter, who would tell them that?

Of course, you don't now need to submit a reading unless asked to do so with a smart meter, but that must be a good thing?

It's all been blown out of proportion, they are just meters, get them fitted, check the readings match your bills when they arrive, sit back and enjoy your life!

ariarnia

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

ariarnia said:

matt_drummer said:

The concern always seems to be that if a meter stops communicating with the supplier then you are worse off than you were before you had them installed, whereas you have exactly what you had before, so there's no risk, nothing can happen and all you will have are new meters.

thats not really right or fair. 

if you have a traditional meter now and are taking regular readings then that's your norm. 

when a smart meter is installed a lot of people stop taking readings (and are sometimes TOLD to stop taking readings cause with some suppliers it can cause problems). 

and because they are now not taking regular readings we get people on here who are either caught out because they didn't realise there meter had stopped sending readings. or because they werent taking manual readings didn't notice a problem with the meter sending inaccurate readings. or hadn't noticed when the new meter was installed that it hadn't been updated on the database. or was crossed with another meter. or other problems that wouldn't have happened if things hadn't changed. 

none of those problems are COMMON and there all easy enough to sort if they come on here for some help and advice. 

but they do exist and they are a 'risk' when something changes (some those problems could happen swapping a traditional meter for another traditional meter. just saying things are more likely to go wrong when something changes).

then its preference. if someone doesn't HAVE to have there meter changed and they dont want to then its no more irrational than me not liking bbq sauce when my OH and kids have it on everything. they dont force me to have it and i dont stop them from having it. everyone is happy... 

If somebody has been used to reading their meters periodically for the last x number of years, why would they stop now?

Most of the problems you mention could happen with any meter, whether it's a smart meter or not,

i think a quick look at the number and type of threads we get on here would show lots of people DO (even if you dont think they should) and some are even told to stop because trying to send in manual readings causes problems for some suppliers billing systems

yes they could (and i said they could) but the point is that CHANGE be it to a smart meter or a replacement traditional meter increases the risk of failure compared to NOT CHANGING until theres actually a problem that needs fixing. 

WE have smart meters and have no problems. but i can completely understand the OPs view even if i dont share it. 

I cannot understand why anybody would be told not to read their meter, who would tell them that?

Of course, you don't now need to submit a reading unless asked to do so with a smart meter, but that must be a good thing?

it was eon or edf i think (can't remember which without looking for the thread). 

they were giving a meter reading the same way as they always had a few days before the end of the month and it caused a problem with there default dd amount being taken each month not the actual amount due (variable dd)

and yes its a good thing to not have to send a reading UNLESS it means you dont notice when theres a problem with your bill. 

matt_drummer

If everybody checked their bill, then they would notice a problem, that's true with any meter.

For most people, gas and electric will be one of their bigger annual costs, why on earth wouldn't they check that the bills are correct?

ariarnia

matt_drummer said:

If everybody checked their bill, then they would notice a problem, that's true with any meter.

For most people, gas and electric will be one of their bigger annual costs, why on earth wouldn't they check that the bills are correct?

why dont people eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, do activity for an hour a day, and treat mental health as seriously as physical health?

matt_drummer

OK.

Put it another way, if you are the sort of person that is worried about new technology, I would assume on the basis that it might cost you more money than it should, surely you would be the sort of person who checks their bills carefully?

The two views don't go together, a person worried about losing out on a meter change but doesn't check their bills are correct?

ariarnia

matt_drummer said:

OK.

Put it another way, if you are the sort of person that is worried about new technology, I would assume on the basis that it might cost you more money than it should, surely you would be the sort of person who checks their bills carefully?

The two views don't go together, a person worried about losing out on a meter change but doesn't check their bills are correct?

i think your assumption is incorrect. 

we have someone on this thread who has NEVER changed supplier and someone who has said they want to keep there traditional meter even tho its been explained they wont be able to access cheaper tarrifs. 

theres also quite a few who have posted on other threads choosing to go pay on receipt of bills even tho it costs 6-9% more or similar. 

you might not think it makes sense but its not your money so its bbq sauce again. 

matt_drummer

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.

ariarnia

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 .