Smart Meters

outlaw777

I have always been told to avoid smart meters however have been sent a letter from my supplier that my old meter is going to be discontinued as that I must install a new smart meter now, please advise what are peoples experience on here once switching to a smart meter?

QrizB

Get one.

As an absolute minimum, you can treat it s your current meter; read it manually once a (month/quarter/year), submit those readings to your supplier and get a bill.

However, unless you're one of the unlucky 5%, the meter will send your readings through automatically and you won't have to read it (though you might want to occasionally, for your own comfort).

Plus it'll give you the option of switching to one of the many smart tariffs, which could potentially save you £100s or even £1000s.

vacheron

I first got one in 2011, it was fine.
I had one replaced with another in 2015, that was also fine. 

I don't have to go out in the wind and rain and read meters.
Everything else behaves the same as before. Ignore the scaremongerers and tinfoil hat brigade. 

outlaw777

Should I get a dual smart meter or keep them separate?

tim_p

The actual smart meters are separate, you’re probably thinking of the In Home Device / Display (IHD) which can display both gas and electricity status. 

vacheron

outlaw777 said:

Should I get a dual smart meter or keep them separate?

Mine are 2 separate meters, i just let them fit whatever they thought best.

Not sure if there are any advantages or disadvantages to either. 

flaneurs_lobster

outlaw777 said:

Should I get a dual smart meter or keep them separate?

What do you mean by a "dual" smart meter? Gas and electricity meters are always separate, be they smart or otherwise.

Are you asking if you should convert gas and electricity to use smart meters at the same time?

Green_hopeful

Do you have economy 7. The meters for economy 7 are being replaced because they are changing the technology that controls them. Those people who have old economy 7 meters will have to have a new meter. 

Ayr_Rage

Get it done.

Then you can play the "save leccy in peak times and get free leccy on Sundays" or any other similar games your provider introduces.

If you have gas get that changed too, the much maligned IHD showed me that I had left my gas hob on a very low setting after cooking my peas when I had turned the knob the wrong way.

outlaw777

Yes I have an economy 7 for electric....

twopenny

I resisted for a long time only to find my 86yr old neighbour had done it years ago. She's smarter than I am

I got the Electric one to see how it went. So far a year in it's turned out fine.

I resisted having a display in the kitchen but again, turned out fine. It showed me just how expensive the shower, kettle and heaters was to run so I'm more cautious with those and know when I'm splurging.

Also showed how cheap my lights were to run (I have all the lowest, latest bulbs) which means I can leave some on in the darkest days.

In other words, I have choice and know my choices.

You can still have paper bills if you want. It's good to check at the start. But a month goes round so quick that eventually they seem like confetti.

I've resisted the gas one because I'm with British Gas and they can't get anything right. Also they still do 3 monthly which suits me.