Smart Meter Confusion

FreeBear

Grumpy_chap said: I have received my first statement / bill since the change to smart meter in September.

Check that bill and make sure they are using the correct units.

When my meter was swapped for a smart (metric) meter, the numpties failed to update the records and were billing me for (100s) ft³. As a consequence, my bills were 2.83 times higher than they should have been.

Reed_Richards

Grumpy_chap said:

.... the readings used in calculating the bill are all estimated readings....

Various websites allow you to download the half-hourly reading taken by you smart meter if you sign up.  I've used both https://loop.homes/ and https://www.n3rgy.com/ .  If you can see the readings from your meter then your supplier (EDF?) is just being incompetent in using estimated readings.  If you can't see any readings from your meter then your comms hub is not communicating, rendering your smart meter dumb.

Grumpy_chap said:

...If I can get away from EDF, I may consider a ToU tariff now that I have an EV but, presumably the fact EDF are simply making up readings would mean that won't be possible in any case.

Well TOU tariffs won't be possible with any supplier if your smart meter is not communicating but you can find out for yourself (as above).


   

Grumpy_chap

Reed_Richards said:

your supplier (EDF?) is just being incompetent 
   

My supplier is incompetent in every way possible.

I did submit my readings online so today received a bill based on my readings rather than estimated readings.

Reed_Richards

But you're having to submit readings yourself because the comms hub that sits on top of your smart meter is not communicating?

Petriix

Why aren't you on Intelligent Octopus Go yet? 

ArbitraryRandom

Grumpy_chap said:

Reed_Richards said:

your supplier (EDF?) is just being incompetent 
   

My supplier is incompetent in every way possible.

I did submit my readings online so today received a bill based on my readings rather than estimated readings.

Reed_Richards said:

Grumpy_chap said:

.... the readings used in calculating the bill are all estimated readings....

Various websites allow you to download the half-hourly reading taken by you smart meter if you sign up.  I've used both https://loop.homes/ and https://www.n3rgy.com/ .  If you can see the readings from your meter then your supplier (EDF?) is just being incompetent in using estimated readings.  If you can't see any readings from your meter then your comms hub is not communicating, rendering your smart meter dumb.

Just reposting this advice and asking if you managed to register/what you can see. 

 In case you're not aware - smart meters send the readings to a central database (not directly to your supplier), then authorised people (like suppliers and businesses you've given permission) can access that data for various reasons, like billing. 

So it's definitely worth checking the websites Reed provided as it'll show if the issue is your smart meters not sending data or the supplier not using the data - if it's just EDF being incompetent then the problem might resolve itself if you switch.

If it's the smart meter then I'd still recommend switching when you can, but you could try asking them to refer the issue to the smart meter team who can try a few things to fix it (software updates or maybe a hard reset by removing the fuse on your supply, depending on the actual problem)

Grumpy_chap

ArbitraryRandom said:

Just reposting this advice and asking if you managed to register/what you can see. 

Sorry - yes, the websites show my data.
It is just EDF being incompetent.
Though, I am not sure they are really incompetent, more that they are devious.  They don't get the readings (allegedly) so the bill is in error, so the DD is too low, so I am in debit balance, so they can (within the rules) block a customer leaving.

bob2302

Reed_Richards said:

Grumpy_chap said:

.... the readings used in calculating the bill are all estimated readings....

Various websites allow you to download the half-hourly reading taken by you smart meter if you sign up.  I've used both https://loop.homes/ and https://www.n3rgy.com/ .

Is there much difference between these apps? I'm using Hugo at the moment, but it's the only one I tried. I use it for the demand reduction scheme as well as basic monitoring.

ArbitraryRandom

bob2302 said:

Reed_Richards said:

Grumpy_chap said:

.... the readings used in calculating the bill are all estimated readings....

Various websites allow you to download the half-hourly reading taken by you smart meter if you sign up.  I've used both https://loop.homes/ and https://www.n3rgy.com/ .

Is there much difference between these apps? I'm using Hugo at the moment, but it's the only one I tried. I use it for the demand reduction scheme as well as basic monitoring.

I believe Hugo and Loop get their data from N3rgy, whereas Bright pulls it directly.

I think Loop updates more frequently than Hugo or Bright (pulls the data several times a day) but Hugo seemed to have the better process for pulling actual tariff information or at least it seemed that way when I tried them both a few years ago. 

As I only really look at it a couple of times a month and don't use it for £, I'm currently using Bright as I like their UI interface and layout. 

EssexHebridean

I use Loop and Bright and generally speaking I tend to prefer Loop. Having said that these days I also have an Octopus Mini so I use their app more than  anything else!