Re Scottish power saying meters need changing?

joesoap1264

Hi guys, just had 2 e mails from Scottish power, saying my electricity meter needs changing , urgently, over 15 years old.
could be dangerous, wrong readings, etc.
lecky one was in the house when I bought it 28 years ago !

make an appointment asap .
as I am dual fuel, they say they will do this as well !
I have been with them years, have refused a smart meter several times, is this their way of forcing me to have one?
I think so, or am I wrong ?
has anyone else had this e mail ?
I will just ignore it for the present see what happens .
I know smart meters are not obligatory , yet, can I just say replace meters, like for like, doubt they will do that.
SP have not got the best reputation when it comes to fitting smart meters.
any advice much appreciated.

[Deleted User]

Suppliers have the legal right to fit smart meters WITHOUT the consumer’s permission when meters are deemed to be end-of-life. All meters have a certified life. Meters that have passed their certified life should not be used for billing. 

CSI_Yorkshire

Your meter might be out of certification - then they have to replace it.

When they replace a meter, it has to be a smart meter unless there is a very good reason not to (and just saying "I don't want one" isn't counted as a good reason).

Many many people have had this email, and several of them have posted here.

mr_stripey

joesoap1264 said:

Hi guys, just had 2 e mails from Scottish power, saying my electricity meter needs changing , urgently, over 15 years old.
could be dangerous, wrong readings, etc.
lecky one was in the house when I bought it 28 years ago !

make an appointment asap .
as I am dual fuel, they say they will do this as well !
I have been with them years, have refused a smart meter several times, is this their way of forcing me to have one?
I think so, or am I wrong ?
has anyone else had this e mail ?
I will just ignore it for the present see what happens .
I know smart meters are not obligatory , yet, can I just say replace meters, like for like, doubt they will do that.
SP have not got the best reputation when it comes to fitting smart meters.
any advice much appreciated.

As someone who works for a manufacturer of gas and electric meters, the simple facts are that we (and most if not all of our competitors) no longer make the old style "dumb" meters. Indeed, the factories which used to manufacture them have been closed, sold and demolished and production of new style smart meters moved to other countries. 

So your energy supplier could not obtain and old style meter, even if they wanted to.

Raxiel

Just to add to what Dolor said. They can fit smart meters because that's just what they're fitting these days, but they've always had the right (and obligation) to exchange meters once they've reached the end of certification.

While a lack of faith in SP is understandable, this isn't some ploy they dreamt up.

MalMonroe

I'd just go with it. 

I don't have smarts yet either but am due to have them fitted next month as I have been resisting. But now I've been told my electric meter is at the end of its life. . . so I feel that I may just as well comply. It's not a big deal and could make life, and your bills even better. (That's just me there, btw, talking to myself!)

Now I've come to realise that it isn't a problem, they won't be here long doing the switch and I could be (not guaranteed) better off. At least I should be able to see where and when I'm using the most electricity? So I've been told.

The bonus is, it's a free switch!  So why fight? 

Edit to add :  I'm with Octopus - all energy companies want us to switch because it's easier for them, too.

[Deleted User]

MalMonroe said:

I'd just go with it. 

I don't have smarts yet either but am due to have them fitted next month as I have been resisting. But now I've been told my electric meter is at the end of its life. . . so I feel that I may just as well comply. It's not a big deal and could make life, and your bills even better. (That's just me there, btw, talking to myself!)

Now I've come to realise that it isn't a problem, they won't be here long doing the switch and I could be (not guaranteed) better off. At least I should be able to see where and when I'm using the most electricity? So I've been told.

The bonus is, it's a free switch!  So why fight? 

Edit to add :  I'm with Octopus - all energy companies want us to switch because it's easier for them, too.

Smart meters are anything but free. At the last count, the rollout was costing energy consumers £12.67Bn which is being recovered with a charge on our energy bills.

It is Government policy to fit smart meters as they form a key part of a Smart Grid. Suppliers are set annual smart meter rollout targets by Ofgem. If they fail to meet their annual targets, suppliers incur an Ofgem fine.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-04/Smart%20Meter%20Rollout%20Energy%20suppliers%20Rollout%20Delivery%20Open%20Letter%20April%202023.pdf

joesoap1264

Thanks all for your replies, much appreciated.
looks like one of those smarties then .

Spoonie_Turtle

[Deleted User] said:

MalMonroe said:

I'd just go with it. 

I don't have smarts yet either but am due to have them fitted next month as I have been resisting. But now I've been told my electric meter is at the end of its life. . . so I feel that I may just as well comply. It's not a big deal and could make life, and your bills even better. (That's just me there, btw, talking to myself!)

Now I've come to realise that it isn't a problem, they won't be here long doing the switch and I could be (not guaranteed) better off. At least I should be able to see where and when I'm using the most electricity? So I've been told.

The bonus is, it's a free switch!  So why fight? 

Edit to add :  I'm with Octopus - all energy companies want us to switch because it's easier for them, too.

Smart meters are anything but free. At the last count, the rollout was costing energy consumers £12.67Bn which is being recovered with a charge on our energy bills.

All the more reason for people to get one, to get their money's worth then!

… she says, whilst perfectly content with the current non-smart meter having not been motivated to get a smart one yet.  (We'll have to this summer though, if we want to stay on Tracker.)

joesoap1264

Although I will have to give in and have one, I don’t want to.
no such thing as a free lunch, it will be the customer who pays via bills.
companies didn’t want them, it’s the Gov who devised it.
this subject is old and pros and cons debated on here for years.
variable pricing is one, already being used by one company, octopus I think?
disaster stories galore.
why do you think the companies are being fined, customers like me resisting having them.
every house should have been fitted if they were that good !
big brother yet again.
appreciate everyone’s input, that’s my little pennies worth.😂
will still hold off booking the appointment till last minute.
DLTBGYD. My motto.

mr_stripey

joesoap1264 said:

Although I will have to give in and have one, I don’t want to.
no such thing as a free lunch, it will be the customer who pays via bills.
companies didn’t want them, it’s the Gov who devised it.
this subject is old and pros and cons debated on here for years.
variable pricing is one, already being used by one company, octopus I think?
disaster stories galore.
why do you think the companies are being fined, customers like me resisting having them.
every house should have been fitted if they were that good !
big brother yet again.
appreciate everyone’s input, that’s my little pennies worth.😂
will still hold off booking the appointment till last minute.
DLTBGYD. My motto.

slightly hyperbolic statement. What about the millions of people who do have smart meters who have no problems (or indeed "disaster stories")?