Is it just me? ( Smart Meter)

Grumpelstiltskin

I received an E Mail from Octopus basically saying my Electric Meter had reached it's sell by date and needed replacing. No problem, I have no idea how long it has been in but the house is 40 years old.
First problem the E Mail said I needed to enter a phone number on my account so the engineer could contact me when he was coming, but the page wouldn't accept a landline number. No use entering my mobile number as it is only switched on when I am making a call.

Next looking at the video on the E Mail it made it obvious the new meter would be a Smart Meter.

Now I have no intention of having a Smart Meter unless it is the law that I have to.

So I E Mailed then asking how I could enter a land line number and what was the Smart Meter all about.

Did I get a reply? No.

A couple of days later I received the same E Mail again, no answer to my E Mail.

So I rang them, they entered my land line number on to my account, so that solved.

When I asked about the Smart Meter she said they only installed Smart Meters, so basically they are  forcing me to have a Smart Meter.

I am not happy and she did say I could ignore the E Mail, so what if I do? OK I suppose I could change supplier but why should I have to?

powerful_Rogue

Grumpelstiltskin said:

I received an E Mail from Octopus basically saying my Electric Meter had reached it's sell by date and needed replacing. No problem, I have no idea how long it has been in but the house is 40 years old.
First problem the E Mail said I needed to enter a phone number on my account so the engineer could contact me when he was coming, but the page wouldn't accept a landline number. No use entering my mobile number as it is only switched on when I am making a call.

Next looking at the video on the E Mail it made it obvious the new meter would be a Smart Meter.

Now I have no intention of having a Smart Meter unless it is the law that I have to.

So I E Mailed then asking how I could enter a land line number and what was the Smart Meter all about.

Did I get a reply? No.

A couple of days later I received the same E Mail again, no answer to my E Mail.

So I rang them, they entered my land line number on to my account, so that solved.

When I asked about the Smart Meter she said they only installed Smart Meters, so basically they are  forcing me to have a Smart Meter.

I am not happy and she did say I could ignore the E Mail, so what if I do? OK I suppose I could change supplier but why should I have to?

If the certification for your meter has run out, then they can force entry to change it. This is because you can't be billed with an uncertified meter. You would be lucky to find anyone to install a non smart meter now days, they are not produced and haven't been for a long time.

What concerns do you have over having a smart meter?

MeteredOut

If your meter needs replacing (eg, it is end-of-life'd), it will only be replaced by a smart meter as legacy meters are in short supply/no longer manufactured/are not economically viable for suppliers to keep installing.

Suppliers can ultimately force you to get your existing meter replaced with whatever meter they choose, and you're unlikely to be able to switch to a supplier who will commit to installing a non-smart meter. But, you can quite easily delay that by continually refusing to engage with them, say you're not available, reschedule when they contact you to a date as far out as possible, don't be in when they say they'll come (so long as you've not confirmed you will be in) etc etc

But, are there any specific reasons you don't want a smart meter?

PS. It's not just you; there have been a few threads where people have stated they don't want a smart meter, usually due to misinformation and/or ignorance on what they actually do and the apparent issues they cause.

slipthru

Just ignore the email as she said. 

Only one I know who still fit non smart meter is British gas and maybe edf but installation was 120 or so two years ago.

Ring round and find out so you know who to move to if you need to.

Also non smart meters are still made as people are paying privately to have them fitted. 

EssexHebridean

Effectively it is now the law that you have to have one. Your current meter has reached the end of its certification, and as already explained above, suppliers now only fit smart meters, and indeed, when a meter reaches end of life, they are indeed perfectly entitled to fit a smart meter.

Echoing the comments above though, if you let us know what your concerns are regarding a smart meter, we may well be able to set your mind at rest. A lot of the things people often quote as reasons for not wanting a meter are either outdated (for example, them only being smart until you change supplier - the meter that would be fitted now would be a SMETS2 and this will stay smart even when you do switch) or quite simply myths (that someone could hack into the meter's comms hub and take control of your electricity). 

Grumpelstiltskin

I just don't want anything else in my kitchen. I am not interested in what appliance uses what amount of electricity. I just can't be doing with it. OK so I'm not saving the planet but until my small life makes a difference I am very happy as I am.

Krakkkers

That is the IHD, not the smart meter.

Krakkkers

You don't need to have an IHD.

MorningcoffeeIV

Grumpelstiltskin said:

I just don't want anything else in my kitchen. I am not interested in what appliance uses what amount of electricity. I just can't be doing with it. OK so I'm not saving the planet but until my small life makes a difference I am very happy as I am.

You won't have anything else in your kitchen. Your smart meter will simply replace your existing meter - you don't keep them both.

Spoonie_Turtle

MorningcoffeeIV said:

Grumpelstiltskin said:

I just don't want anything else in my kitchen. I am not interested in what appliance uses what amount of electricity. I just can't be doing with it. OK so I'm not saving the planet but until my small life makes a difference I am very happy as I am.

You won't have anything else in your kitchen. Your smart meter will simply replace your existing meter - you don't keep them both.

This exactly. 

You are probably thinking of the In-Home Display, which you don't have to have plugged in on display anywhere.  You can just put it in a drawer and forget about it. 
(Don't throw it away though, as it's a needless waste and in case you ever move the new occupants may well want it.  And if you don't plan to move, realistically - sorry - if you were to die then the house would end up with new occupants.  Obviously you'd hope the latter wouldn't happen unexpectedly but you just never know.)

MultiFuelBurner

Grumpelstiltskin said:

I just don't want anything else in my kitchen. I am not interested in what appliance uses what amount of electricity. I just can't be doing with it. OK so I'm not saving the planet but until my small life makes a difference I am very happy as I am.

Is that it the display devicek?

Any other problems with smart meters?

If so easy fixes in the messages above.