Very pushy replacement energy meter calls

Marvel1

powerful_Rogue said:

prowla said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Why on earth would you want to do that and what would you define as a "genuine reason"?

Plus, what would the "extreme" you'd like it to be - hanging?

Can't be fitted due to no fault of the occupier (EG: Spacing, no signal etc)

Extreme is what I said - Double standing charge and double unit rate for electric/gas.

As to why? Because the tin foil hat brigade irritate me!

What should my parents get then, when this email came through?!

Your April Power Move update.

Hi (Name)

During April your smart meter failed to send us readings at certain times, so we couldn’t see the full picture of your electricity use.

Unfortunately this means you won’t receive a Power Move credit this month.

powerful_Rogue

Marvel1 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

prowla said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Why on earth would you want to do that and what would you define as a "genuine reason"?

Plus, what would the "extreme" you'd like it to be - hanging?

Can't be fitted due to no fault of the occupier (EG: Spacing, no signal etc)

Extreme is what I said - Double standing charge and double unit rate for electric/gas.

As to why? Because the tin foil hat brigade irritate me!

What should my parents get then, when this email came through?!

Your April Power Move update.

Hi (Name)

During April your smart meter failed to send us readings at certain times, so we couldn’t see the full picture of your electricity use.

Unfortunately this means you won’t receive a Power Move credit this month.

You tell me. No idea what a power move is.

booneruk

powerful_Rogue said:

You tell me. No idea what a power move is.

Sounds like one of those "dancing to the dance floor" moves. 

Though, there could be a serious point here, if someone gets a smart meter fitted on the promise of cheaper tariffs and the smart meter doesn't send readings, should there not be some kind of onus on the supplier to put it right? 

The_Green_Hornet

powerful_Rogue said:

Marvel1 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

prowla said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Why on earth would you want to do that and what would you define as a "genuine reason"?

Plus, what would the "extreme" you'd like it to be - hanging?

Can't be fitted due to no fault of the occupier (EG: Spacing, no signal etc)

Extreme is what I said - Double standing charge and double unit rate for electric/gas.

As to why? Because the tin foil hat brigade irritate me!

What should my parents get then, when this email came through?!

Your April Power Move update.

Hi (Name)

During April your smart meter failed to send us readings at certain times, so we couldn’t see the full picture of your electricity use.

Unfortunately this means you won’t receive a Power Move credit this month.

You tell me. No idea what a power move is.

OVO Energy | Power Move FAQs

mmmmikey

Marvel1 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

prowla said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Why on earth would you want to do that and what would you define as a "genuine reason"?

Plus, what would the "extreme" you'd like it to be - hanging?

Can't be fitted due to no fault of the occupier (EG: Spacing, no signal etc)

Extreme is what I said - Double standing charge and double unit rate for electric/gas.

As to why? Because the tin foil hat brigade irritate me!

What should my parents get then, when this email came through?!

Your April Power Move update.

Hi (Name)

During April your smart meter failed to send us readings at certain times, so we couldn’t see the full picture of your electricity use.

Unfortunately this means you won’t receive a Power Move credit this month.

Seems a bit tough, but it's clear from the OVO FAQs that if the meter doesn't communicate well enough then you can't participate. If your parents have a working smart meter but can't send out the data because of network issues then there's not much OVO or any other supplier can do about it other than make representation to the responsible party - presumably either the DCC or a comms provider. 

Half of me thinks that people who have cooperated fully with the smart meter rollout but are unable to benefit because of where they live should be offered some kind of compensatory payment or maybe a special discounted tariff. But who would pay for that? It would logically be added to the standing charges but that wouldn't be popular.

So maybe it's just a question of accepting that different places have different benefits and drawbacks. Some places can't get a decent TV signal, some places have busy roads, some places are more expensive than others and some you can't get a working smart meter......

Marvel1

powerful_Rogue said:

Marvel1 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

prowla said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Why on earth would you want to do that and what would you define as a "genuine reason"?

Plus, what would the "extreme" you'd like it to be - hanging?

Can't be fitted due to no fault of the occupier (EG: Spacing, no signal etc)

Extreme is what I said - Double standing charge and double unit rate for electric/gas.

As to why? Because the tin foil hat brigade irritate me!

What should my parents get then, when this email came through?!

Your April Power Move update.

Hi (Name)

During April your smart meter failed to send us readings at certain times, so we couldn’t see the full picture of your electricity use.

Unfortunately this means you won’t receive a Power Move credit this month.

You tell me. No idea what a power move is.

"Join the Power Move challenge today to use your energy at greener times of the day. You’ll get money off your energy bills and help take pressure off the grid."

The keywords being in bold.

prowla

BarelySentientAI said:

prowla said:

If you offer them incentives and explain the benefits then they may see the light.

They've been explaining the benefits for years, and are met by conspiracy theories, wilful ignorance or just ignored.

Isn't a 20-30% saving on your energy bills by using a smart tariff incentive enough?

Where does that 20-30% figure come from?
Is it a guaranteed 20-30% for everyhousehold who agrees to have a smart meter, or a typical saving for a typical family, etc.?

mmmmikey said:

BarelySentientAI said:

prowla said:

If you offer them incentives and explain the benefits then they may see the light.

They've been explaining the benefits for years, and are met by conspiracy theories, wilful ignorance or just ignored.

Isn't a 20-30% saving on your energy bills by using a smart tariff incentive enough?

I agree but do you think "they" have been doing a good enough job of explaining it? 

The TV ads with gaz and leccy and more recently Albert Einstein have been focused on the benefits of having an IHD so you can see what you're using and change your habits etc. so you can use less. There's been very little publicity that I've been aware of around the benefits of smart tarriffs. 

And it does seem to me that a significant proportion of the objections we see now are based on sheer bloody-mindedness - i.e. a mindset that says "I don't care how much I'd benefit from having a smart meter, nobody's telling me what to do". Is this sensible and the way it should be? IMHO no. But is it the way it is? Almost certainly, yes.

Then there are the views based on either misunderstandings or out of date information. I'd like to think the tide is turning on this one, but given the amount of spin you read in the media, and even the main moneysavingexpert site, it's hardly surprising. For example, if you bought a 5G phone and couldn't use it because there's no signal in your area, you wouldn't describe the 'phone as faulty.  And if your 'phone needed replacing anyway, you might well chose to buy a 5G model on the grounds it's much the same price and even if you can't use it straight away you'll be ready when there is a signal. But if a smart meter can't get a signal it's described as faulty which creates a completely misleading impression in my view.

@prowla - in response to one of the points you make about the link between smart meters and green energy....

Much of the green energy that is generated is solar or wind. The problem with this is that there's very little control about the timing of supply - you get solar energy when the sun shines and wind energy when the wind blows. This creates a situation where there are times of surplus supply and prices are dirt cheap. Smart meters allow consumers to take advantage of this by allowing them to buy this cheap energy, and that is where lots of forumites are making huge savings on their bills. This demand management is one of the big advantages of smart meters - i.e. you can use the smart meters to give consumers financial incentives to use electricity when it's cheaper. Even if you're not one of the consumers that chooses to save money by shifting demand, you still benefit because the reduced demand at peak times helps control prices there.

My previous (Pure Planet) and current (Octopus) energy suppliers say that I'm on a green tariff.

prowla

mmmmikey said:

Marvel1 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

prowla said:

powerful_Rogue said:

I would just double the standing charge and electric/gas rate for those that refuse a smart meter with no genuine reason.

I'm sure something like this will happen in the future, sadly it probably won't be as extreme as i'd like it to be.

Why on earth would you want to do that and what would you define as a "genuine reason"?

Plus, what would the "extreme" you'd like it to be - hanging?

Can't be fitted due to no fault of the occupier (EG: Spacing, no signal etc)

Extreme is what I said - Double standing charge and double unit rate for electric/gas.

As to why? Because the tin foil hat brigade irritate me!

What should my parents get then, when this email came through?!

Your April Power Move update.

Hi (Name)

During April your smart meter failed to send us readings at certain times, so we couldn’t see the full picture of your electricity use.

Unfortunately this means you won’t receive a Power Move credit this month.

Seems a bit tough, but it's clear from the OVO FAQs that if the meter doesn't communicate well enough then you can't participate. If your parents have a working smart meter but can't send out the data because of network issues then there's not much OVO or any other supplier can do about it other than make representation to the responsible party - presumably either the DCC or a comms provider. 

Half of me thinks that people who have cooperated fully with the smart meter rollout but are unable to benefit because of where they live should be offered some kind of compensatory payment or maybe a special discounted tariff. But who would pay for that? It would logically be added to the standing charges but that wouldn't be popular.

So maybe it's just a question of accepting that different places have different benefits and drawbacks. Some places can't get a decent TV signal, some places have busy roads, some places are more expensive than others and some you can't get a working smart meter......

Aye, so when you have companies wanting to force people on to smart meters, but they don't provide any guarantee that they will work.

In other words, the alleged 20-30% saving is just a load ot hot air!

There are also stories of people changing supplier and their smart meters not working.

ecraig

prowla said:

Aye, so when you have companies wanting to force people on to smart meters, but they don't provide any guarantee that they will work.

In other words, the alleged 20-30% saving is just a load ot hot air!

There are also stories of people changing supplier and their smart meters not working.

It’s a bit over the top to offer a guarantee that anything will work. You don’t even get this if you go for a medical operation. This is quite a basic and simple concept, you know. 
Usually consumers are offered a guarantee that something will be fixed within a specific period of time depending on the product or service, and perhaps length of ownership. There are many stories on the consumer rights board of this forum on the subject for many types of product and service. 
If a smart meter does work, the energy company will arrange for a replacement to be fitted. Again, simple concept and there have been many stories of a positive outcome on this very forum.

A customer with a smart meter on the octopus tracker tariff is paying approx 30% less than someone on the standard variable rate. Again, many stories on this forum about the price success people are achieving.

if you go on the prowl and read this forum a bit more you’ll find anecdotal evidence for yourself. 

mmmmikey

prowla said:

BarelySentientAI said:

prowla said:

If you offer them incentives and explain the benefits then they may see the light.

They've been explaining the benefits for years, and are met by conspiracy theories, wilful ignorance or just ignored.

Isn't a 20-30% saving on your energy bills by using a smart tariff incentive enough?

Where does that 20-30% figure come from?
Is it a guaranteed 20-30% for everyhousehold who agrees to have a smart meter, or a typical saving for a typical family, etc.?

mmmmikey said:

BarelySentientAI said:

prowla said:

If you offer them incentives and explain the benefits then they may see the light.

They've been explaining the benefits for years, and are met by conspiracy theories, wilful ignorance or just ignored.

Isn't a 20-30% saving on your energy bills by using a smart tariff incentive enough?

I agree but do you think "they" have been doing a good enough job of explaining it? 

The TV ads with gaz and leccy and more recently Albert Einstein have been focused on the benefits of having an IHD so you can see what you're using and change your habits etc. so you can use less. There's been very little publicity that I've been aware of around the benefits of smart tarriffs. 

And it does seem to me that a significant proportion of the objections we see now are based on sheer bloody-mindedness - i.e. a mindset that says "I don't care how much I'd benefit from having a smart meter, nobody's telling me what to do". Is this sensible and the way it should be? IMHO no. But is it the way it is? Almost certainly, yes.

Then there are the views based on either misunderstandings or out of date information. I'd like to think the tide is turning on this one, but given the amount of spin you read in the media, and even the main moneysavingexpert site, it's hardly surprising. For example, if you bought a 5G phone and couldn't use it because there's no signal in your area, you wouldn't describe the 'phone as faulty.  And if your 'phone needed replacing anyway, you might well chose to buy a 5G model on the grounds it's much the same price and even if you can't use it straight away you'll be ready when there is a signal. But if a smart meter can't get a signal it's described as faulty which creates a completely misleading impression in my view.

@prowla - in response to one of the points you make about the link between smart meters and green energy....

Much of the green energy that is generated is solar or wind. The problem with this is that there's very little control about the timing of supply - you get solar energy when the sun shines and wind energy when the wind blows. This creates a situation where there are times of surplus supply and prices are dirt cheap. Smart meters allow consumers to take advantage of this by allowing them to buy this cheap energy, and that is where lots of forumites are making huge savings on their bills. This demand management is one of the big advantages of smart meters - i.e. you can use the smart meters to give consumers financial incentives to use electricity when it's cheaper. Even if you're not one of the consumers that chooses to save money by shifting demand, you still benefit because the reduced demand at peak times helps control prices there.

My previous (Pure Planet) and current (Octopus) energy suppliers say that I'm on a green tariff.

That's great, but doesn't change anything about what I said.