Out of date meters

cathylcousins

Is it true that meters that are out of date but working perfectly have to be upgraded to a smart meter?  My meters are not BBC ones. 

Ayr_Rage

Yes it is true.

They may be working but out of tolerance.

Gerry1

They do have to be changed if they're life expired, and you're likely to be offered only a smart meter.  The original promises, repeatedly made, that nobody would be forced to have a smart meter have all been torn up.  (Surprise, surprise.)

However, you may be able to persuade your supplier to fit a non-smart conventional meter if you are persistent enough.  New ones may be in short supply, but there's no reason they can't fit one that's been removed if it's not past its Use By date.

Alternatively, it's theoretically possible to buy an approved non-smart meter and to get your supplier to fit it, although I haven't seen any reports of forumites successfully doing so.

Keep_pedalling

How do you know it is working perfectly? If it was under or over recording your usage by 10% you would be unlikely to notice unless the fault occurred suddenly rather than drift over time.

Peter999_2

Why on earth you would not want a smart meter baffles me.

My next door neighbour hates all smart meters.   She was so shocked when I told her that her water meter was a smart meter - she is going to contact the water company to get it removed as it's very bad for the enviornment apparently.     

Spikeygran

@Peter999_2

I can answer that one. A lot of old cottages have meters fitted high up.  A white box on the outside of a 200 year old cottage is not ideal and you have to pay for the work to get it moved. 

So having had a "wonderful" smart meter fitted  I find I've been lied to as the remote handset only displays a total usage. For anyone on different rates, seeing whether the night rate has started /finished and night time use is recording on the low rate is the most important reading, which is not available.

The old meter had both rates shown on the front, and could be read from the floor with distance glasses or a pair of binoculars.

To read this one or to establish whether is actually on the night rate, requires a step ladder, a mobile phone and hope.  You have to stand up there, trying to get the light right to see the small screen, and push buttons all while trying not to throw yourself on the floor. I'm actually wondering how many other 70+  have broken their hips from a fall since having the meter fitted. 

Having it in a cupboard outside is not ideal for anyone living on their own either.  Its not a quick operation to check and you'd be standing outside in the dark, with the front door open with a torch to check it is on low rate.

Its not been an upgrade in my opinion.   The cheap rate offers during the day are a bit tricky too. The terms and conditions say if it loses signal you dont get the discount, so could be swapping stuff to the offer hours only to pay full price.

Bark01

You can request to have the smart meter installed in dumb mode. No supplier is going to go out of there way to find a legacy meter for you they all have a shelf life' and no supplier is buying dumb meters anymore.

QrizB

Spikeygran said:

So having had a "wonderful" smart meter fitted  I find I've been lied to as the remote handset only displays a total usage. For anyone on different rates, seeing whether the night rate has started /finished and night time use is recording on the low rate is the most important reading, which is not available.

Those readings are available on some models of in home display. It's a shame that the one you were supplied with doesn't.

Gerry1

Bark01 said:

You can request to have the smart meter installed in dumb mode.

No such thing as a dumb smart meter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80320924/#Comment_80320924

dunstonh

So having had a "wonderful" smart meter fitted  I find I've been lied to as the remote handset only displays a total usage. For anyone on different rates, seeing whether the night rate has started /finished and night time use is recording on the low rate is the most important reading, which is not available.

If you don't like the IHD supplied then get one that does what you want.  Mine shows the live figure as well as used and a bar chart for the last 24 hours.

TroubledTarts

cathylcousins said:

Is it true that meters that are out of date but working perfectly have to be upgraded to a smart meter?  My meters are not BBC ones. 

What are the "BBC" ones.