Eon Next fixed tariffs come with smart meters (Aug 2023)

newpuppy

I've been on the Eon Next standard tariff for both gas and elec for ages now, but am tempted by their new fixed tariffs.  However, I have been told 'Some tariffs do have a requirement to have a smart meter - usually the fixed tariffs - if you remained on the next flex variable then there is no obligation'.  So my question is: how much of an obligation is there to accept a smart meter if you choose to have the new tariffs but don't want a meter?  Has anyone tested this out?  

CSI_Yorkshire

The entire electricity system now has an obligation to accept a smart meter.  They can fit one with or without your consent.

There is getting to be greater and greater pressure on suppliers to fulfil their requirements to fit smart meters.

Out of interest, why don't you want a smart meter?  Would one actually not work at your property or have you been listening to conspiracy theories?

molerat

Note the change in T&Cs with the new Next Secure Fixed 12M V1

An exit fee of £75 per fuel will be applied if you change product or supplier before your tariff end date.

QrizB

The meter belongs to your supplier. By having an electricity or gas supply you agree to them fitting a meter. The choice of meter type is theirs, not yours.

The government, through Ofgem, have set a target of fitting smart meters to every domestic supply by 2025. No-one really expects them to hit this target but there will be financial penalties for suppliers who don't get close enough.

Even Next Flex customers will get smart meters before very much longer.

Sea_Shell

molerat said:

Note the change in T&Cs with the new Next Secure Fixed 12M V1

An exit fee of £75 per fuel will be applied if you change product or supplier before your tariff end date.

Looks like they've realised that a 'loophole' needed closing!!!  

matelodave

There is no legal requirement to have a smart meter but the supplier can insist that any replacement  meter can be smart and can make it a condition of supplying you or as a condition of getting specific tariffs.

Therefore if you dont want a smart meter then you cant have a tariff that specifies that a one is required.

newpuppy

CSI_Yorkshire said:

The entire electricity system now has an obligation to accept a smart meter.  They can fit one with or without your consent.

There is getting to be greater and greater pressure on suppliers to fulfil their requirements to fit smart meters.

Out of interest, why don't you want a smart meter?  Would one actually not work at your property or have you been listening to conspiracy theories?

Thank you for your response.  As another poster said, I will probably have to accept a smart meter in the end, even if I stay on the standard tariff.  In the meantime though, I resent being bullied, and the fact there is so much pressure to have new meters makes me suspicious (those conspiracy theories!).

My reasons for resistance: I've been monitoring attitudes to meters on sites such as MSE and This Is Money, and feel the time is not yet right for me to go smart.  I have had problems with water metering in the past, meters failing etc.  I've not only got gas and elec, but also solar panels which are metered separately atm, so at one time that was something my supply company said was a problem.  A friend who has solar panels and Economy 7 had issues and it was several months before her supplier got her smart meter working properly.  I don't need a meter to tell me what electricity I'm using, I'm not at all fascinated by numbers, I don't find it a chore to send off monthly meter readings (despite spiders in the gas cupboard and having to stand on my head to see the elec meter).  My old meters have never gone wrong, but my experience of modern technology hasn't been good.  But apart from that ...

[Deleted User]

newpuppy said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

The entire electricity system now has an obligation to accept a smart meter.  They can fit one with or without your consent.

There is getting to be greater and greater pressure on suppliers to fulfil their requirements to fit smart meters.

Out of interest, why don't you want a smart meter?  Would one actually not work at your property or have you been listening to conspiracy theories?

Thank you for your response.  As another poster said, I will probably have to accept a smart meter in the end, even if I stay on the standard tariff.  In the meantime though, I resent being bullied, and the fact there is so much pressure to have new meters makes me suspicious (those conspiracy theories!).

My reasons for resistance: I've been monitoring attitudes to meters on sites such as MSE and This Is Money, and feel the time is not yet right for me to go smart.  I have had problems with water metering in the past, meters failing etc.  I've not only got gas and elec, but also solar panels which are metered separately atm, so at one time that was something my supply company said was a problem.  A friend who has solar panels and Economy 7 had issues and it was several months before her supplier got her smart meter working properly.  I don't need a meter to tell me what electricity I'm using, I'm not at all fascinated by numbers, I don't find it a chore to send off monthly meter readings (despite spiders in the gas cupboard and having to stand on my head to see the elec meter).  My old meters have never gone wrong, but my experience of modern technology hasn't been good.  But apart from that ...

Smart Meters form a key element of what is known as a smart grid. Countries around the world are making smart meters mandatory. France already fines objectors with the annual fine increasing each year. Germany will make smart meters mandatory from 2025.

The pressure is coming from the Government. All suppliers have annual smart meter installation targets and they get fined if these targets are not met.

We are about to see a revolution in the types of tariffs offered to consumers as we have to find a way of balancing erratic renewable power with consumer demand. This will include power-limited tariffs which limits power draw at certain times of the day. The lower the power limit the lower the standing charge. Tariffs based on peak; mid peak and Offpeak, and tariffs that track the wholesale market. 

Future tariff price comparisons will be based on not just how much energy a consumer uses but when the energy is used. To make this comparison, 12 month’s worth of usage data will be pulled from the smart meters and entered into the price comparison website.

As you can see there is a lot more to smart metering than saving the consumer the chore of having to read their meters. 

A lot of posters on this forum are saving £100s each year being on smart tariffs such as Octopus Agile; Tracker and Flux. As the consumer demand for smart meters is exceeding supply there is no need for the Government to change its policy. Come 2025, I would  expect smart meters to become mandatory in the UK.

CSI_Yorkshire

newpuppy said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

The entire electricity system now has an obligation to accept a smart meter.  They can fit one with or without your consent.

There is getting to be greater and greater pressure on suppliers to fulfil their requirements to fit smart meters.

Out of interest, why don't you want a smart meter?  Would one actually not work at your property or have you been listening to conspiracy theories?

 In the meantime though, I resent being bullied, and the fact there is so much pressure to have new meters makes me suspicious (those conspiracy theories!).

A company replacing a piece of equipment that they own with an updated piece of equipment that they have been told to fit by the government is not bullying.

newpuppy said:

CSI_Yorkshire said:

The entire electricity system now has an obligation to accept a smart meter.  They can fit one with or without your consent.

There is getting to be greater and greater pressure on suppliers to fulfil their requirements to fit smart meters.

Out of interest, why don't you want a smart meter?  Would one actually not work at your property or have you been listening to conspiracy theories?

My reasons for resistance: I've been monitoring attitudes to meters on sites such as MSE and This Is Money, and feel the time is not yet right for me to go smart.  I have had problems with water metering in the past, meters failing etc.  I've not only got gas and elec, but also solar panels which are metered separately atm, so at one time that was something my supply company said was a problem.  A friend who has solar panels and Economy 7 had issues and it was several months before her supplier got her smart meter working properly.  I don't need a meter to tell me what electricity I'm using, I'm not at all fascinated by numbers, I don't find it a chore to send off monthly meter readings (despite spiders in the gas cupboard and having to stand on my head to see the elec meter).  My old meters have never gone wrong, but my experience of modern technology hasn't been good.  But apart from that ...

So, one anecdote from a friend, some internet rumours, and an untested assumption that the old meters are working correctly.

Do you know if your meters are still certified?

QrizB

newpuppy said:

I've been monitoring attitudes to meters on sites such as MSE and This Is Money, and feel the time is not yet right for me to go smart.

57% - more than half, over 30 million meters - of UK domestic meters are already smart meters (see stats). Almost a million new smart meters are being fitted every quarter. (Yes, at that rate it will take another 6-7 years to roll them out to everyone.)

newpuppy said:

I've not only got gas and elec, but also solar panels which are metered separately atm, so at one time that was something my supply company said was a problem.  A friend who has solar panels and Economy 7 had issues and it was several months before her supplier got her smart meter working properly.  I don't need a meter to tell me what electricity I'm using

Metered solar export could potentially earn you £100s a year, but (unless you're one of the rare folk with a dedicated export meter) at the moment you don't know how much you're exporting and can't be paid for it.

Dolor said:

A lot of posters on this forum are saving £100s each year being on smart tariffs such as Octopus Agile; Tracker and Flux.

I'm on one of Octopus's smart tariffs. Over the last 12 months I purchased 1431kWh of electricity from the grid at a cost (excluding standing charge) of £129.36. That's an average of 9p/kWh. Buying the same amount of electricity on a conventional tariff would have cost about £430. My smart meter enabled me to save £300.

qsk

I have been chased by Eon Next to have smart meter installed. I have been reluctant as I heard the smart meter is not standardised and new one might need to be installed if you switch suppliers. Is this still the case?