EonNext at it again with 'End Of Life Meter' tactics for exchanging to a Smart meter

Scot_39

Terry_S_Mc said:

The meter is not very old and is an up to date digital one  working perfectly as they have checked it and I was told so.

It does not have a replacement date on it so how would the user check on what is purported  by the Energy Company?
But I suspect you are incorrect in saying "there is zero reason not to have a smart meter". I expect there must be many reasons and I have a few of my own.

Many modern meters only have a 10 or 15 year lifespan.

And can be retired earlier if issues like failures or detection of reading inaccuracy.  In one case NI utilities replaced every single model of one meter - all other UK suppliers only replaced certain batches of same meter manufactured over a set period. 

And sone maybe missed a few - there was a post by a user here a few months back with a suspect high reading of same model.

My own digital meter only lasted 2-3 years before EOn replaced it - long before current pressure on Smart roll out.

As above, if meter is deemed end of life by supplier  - then govt via Ofgem has effectively authorised them to replace with Smart.

If you don't want it smart - you could ask for it to be set in dumb mode - EDF offered that as an option recently to a customer who didn't want smart , so EOn might.

camking

I've started getting repeated emails and texts from eon next too on this topic.

My Ampy Automation 5196 meter was certified in August 2003 and manufactured in 2003, according to the label on it and this meter has a certification period of 25 years according to the government's schedule 4 document, dated 16th May 2024, listing meter certification periods.

2003 + 25 = 2028.  It's currently 2024 as the time of writing.  Therefore, eon next's statement that "your electricity meter has passed its certification date and needs to be replaced." is patently untrue. (my emphasis)

If there were genuinely beneficial reasons for switching the meter, then I'd expect them to list them.  They don't.  Instead, they make what looks like an obviously untrue statement.  In my opinion, using an untrue statement is deception, pure and simple.  If a company stoops to that level, it raises the question of their motivation for sending the message.  Since they cannot provide any compelling reasons, my assumption is that it's not beneficial for me, the customer.

The reason other posters have referred to these communications as a "tactic", and I agree with that assessment, is because eon next has gained a reputation for repeatedly using untrue claims to persuade customers to change their meter.  

Aside: I accept that it is possible that Ampy/L+G might have extended its certification period recently and that eon simply doesn't have up to date data.

BarelySentientAI

camking said:

I've started getting repeated emails and texts from eon next too on this topic.

My Ampy Automation 5196 meter was certified in August 2003 and manufactured in 2003, according to the label on it and this meter has a certification period of 25 years according to the government's schedule 4 document, dated 16th May 2024, listing meter certification periods.

2003 + 25 = 2028.  It's currently 2024 as the time of writing.  Therefore, eon next's statement that "your electricity meter has passed its certification date and needs to be replaced." is patently untrue. (my emphasis)

If there were genuinely beneficial reasons for switching the meter, then I'd expect them to list them.  They don't.  Instead, they make what looks like an obviously untrue statement.  In my opinion, using an untrue statement is deception, pure and simple.  If a company stoops to that level, it raises the question of their motivation for sending the message.  Since they cannot provide any compelling reasons, my assumption is that it's not beneficial for me, the customer.

The reason other posters have referred to these communications as a "tactic", and I agree with that assessment, is because eon next has gained a reputation for repeatedly using untrue claims to persuade customers to change their meter.  

Aside: I accept that it is possible that Ampy/L+G might have extended its certification period recently and that eon simply doesn't have up to date data.

Would you prefer that they just said "we're changing it, the government and regulator have told us we should, and it's ours so you can't object"?

Because that's what the supply licence and electricity act allow them to do.

mmmmikey

However much it sticks in your throat, this is a problem with a simple solution that will stop the nuisance calls forever. All you need to do is have a smart meter fitted. If you choose to hold out as long as possible then, whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation then you will inevitably come under continued pressure to have a smart meter fitted. There really are very few reasons not to have a smart meter fitted and lots of benefits. Holding out because you object to the tactics is something I can understand but at the same time it does have a feeling of cutting off your nose to spite your face.

FreeBear

mmmmikey said: There really are very few reasons not to have a smart meter fitted and lots of benefits.

Assuming the OP is not in one of the few areas where smart meter comms doesn't work, there really isn't any downsides. Most energy contracts require a smart meter to be fitted (read the small print). Once one is installed, you can then switch to a Time of Use tariff and cut your energy bills. If you ever get an EV, having a smart meter will be essential in order to maximise savings.

I've been on a ToU tariff since January, and have saved around 20%.

Marvel1

I signed my parents to I guess Time of Use tariff - refund off your bill if you less than electric certain times of day - result – unfortunately not able to read your meters regularly during the period 

Qyburn

This whole thing has come about because the industry or government promoted smart meters as something people would want to have, rather than just rolling them out as the normal type of meter.  That "want" opens the door to people deciding there's a choice, and again industry/government pandering to this with all the material floating around suggesting you could choose not to.  The sooner it's clearly publicised that they're mandatory, the better.

wild666

Some analogue meters have a 40 year certification period. When I changed from a prepayment meter in 2012 to a credit meter they installed an analogue meter and I asked how long it was certified for and I was told it was 35 years meaning that it could be 2047 before the meter was replaced. I got SMETS 1 smart meters installed in July 2015 and I believe they are certified for between 10 to 15 years meaning they could be replaced between 2025 and 2030. I don't expect them to be replaced, just as suppliers' wouldn't replace meters reading in ft3. 
If the meter is giving similar readings from when it was installed, i.e. first reading 4.2kWh per day and the last reading 4.2 kWh, it could be lower due to advances in technology, or 145 kWh per month and now reads 145 kWh per month then it it's likely it's still reading usage correctly. 

I bet there are still some properties, not a lot, that still have meters reading in ft3. I have a few friends one who has had his analogue meters since 1992 and another who's in his 90's and has a meter reading in ft3 and he's being in the property for 70 years. Only the one with the analogue meter reading in M3 has being contacted regarding having the meters switched to smart meters. 

Scot_39

The sooner it's clearly publicised that they're mandatory, the better.

I am not anti smart metering I had smets1 pre dcc integration and so the swap supplier limitations that came with smets1.

But just for balance, press articles on the 3.9 million failures figure in last week or so have once again stated to their readers snart meters are NOT mandatory in UK.

Don't see Ofgem asking for retractions.

Even Ofgem still states at

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/get-smart-meter

"You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted." 

Placed Directly below their end of life meter statement.


Citizens advice still says you "don't have to accept" 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/getting-a-smart-meter-installed/#:~:text=You don't have to,hard to access all tariffs.


The fact that suppliers may only be willing to offer one - is not the same thing as them being mandatory.  And even if they do fit one - you can apparently request it in no comms mode - at least in terms of sending measurements to suppliers.

If they were truly legally mandatory why would that be true ?

Even if 50% or more of the 3.9m are simple ihd issues - the Einstein adverts still running on TV still push the ihd hard to consumers. 

And the refusal to support ihd after just 1 year another major failure on a meter with say a 10, 15 year lifespan another mistake if integral to their usefulness.

And where I do agree with you the mixed messaging, poor technical standards etc  all part of the botched roll out and govt / Ofgem / supplier failures since day 1.

MeteredOut

"You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted." 

If its out of certification, is that still an offer to have it replaced?