Standing Charges

Seasider0077

If there’s one payment I have no control over it seems is ‘ the standing charge ‘ to go into my kitchen at 12.30am and see the prices I have to pay on my smart meter ( I have motion lights ) before using anything is a bugbear that I can’t get past .
I wish I had never agreed to getting the smart meter set up and the only place they would work is in the kitchen beside my cooker and kettle so since the prices have gone sky high they are in my face seemingly every moment of the day . I say 
                                                    STOP THE STANDING CHARGES
and also if possible git rid off smart meters that only work in the kitchen. Where they can only work when the only time they work is when they are in your face .

CSI_Yorkshire

Put the in-home display in a drawer and forget about it.

You will have a happier life.

Brie

yes but no but.  You'd have to pay the standing charge even if everything was turned off completely.  So no point in worrying about it unless you can change to an all over better deal.  

Ayr_Rage

Smart meters work 24/7/365 however the pesky IHD only works when in range of the comms hub sitting on top of the electricity meter.

Standing charges pay for a lot more than just have the privilege of a supply to your home.

TheMilkmansDad

are you referring to the actual smart meter or the IHD? I suspect the later, in which case if you don't want to see it, put it in a draw and forget about it.

Spoonie_Turtle

You could set the IHD to the kWh screen instead of costs. 

Or just unplug and put it in a drawer, as already suggested.

Scot_39

The IHD is only there to help you.  The meter should work fine without it - but on the other hand the IHD might give you a clue you don't spot otherwise.

If it doesn't help - just unplug it - many see them as useless and do so anyway - and some of the fancier multi colour ones use upto 15W as some who have switched them off claimm just to save energy.  Mines doesn't - small LCD mono - a couple of W max I guess.

But I find mine a useful reminder still - after a couple of years - on when to run washing machines or other heavy loads like cooking etc (I have E10 - so go off peak rates in afternoon, evening and night)

Turning off the IHD wont stop it reporting usage to the network / your supplier.

Many people in flats with remote meter cabinets never issued IHDs - as they took a long time to come up with the new alt-han (which just uses the mains wiring - like a plug in network plug - which the IHD then talks to AFAIK).