IHD from Eon next

Lotus-eater

I was with British gas after moving in to my new (to me) house. Then changed to Octopus. They installed new smart meters in, or after Feb 2025.

I bought the house in Dec 2024.

I got a small pink box that allowed me to use their app to see real time info.

I moved to Eon next last week. I either expected the pink box to connect to an app, or Eon to offer me another solution.

Eon have just been rather useless tbh, saying that my in home display was installed in Sept 2024, unlikely as the home owner was deseased at the time, it is out of warrenty and I need to buy a new one for £50.

They also say my meter was installed in Sept 2024.

They sent a link to two apps I could get, one you have to pay monthly for and one gives real time info 3 hours behind. Neither are very good.

Does anyone know my rights here? It all seems confusing

victor2

Lotus-eater said:

I was with British gas after moving in to my new (to me) house. Then changed to Octopus. They installed new smart meters in, or after Feb 2025.

I bought the house in Dec 2024.

I got a small pink box that allowed me to use their app to see real time info.

I moved to Eon next last week. I either expected the pink box to connect to an app, or Eon to offer me another solution.

Eon have just been rather useless tbh, saying that my in home display was installed in Sept 2024, unlikely as the home owner was deseased at the time, it is out of warrenty and I need to buy a new one for £50.

They also say my meter was installed in Sept 2024.

They sent a link to two apps I could get, one you have to pay monthly for and one gives real time info 3 hours behind. Neither are very good.

Does anyone know my rights here? It all seems confusing

There's very little you can do about the IHD. It's not a part of the smart meter itself and suppliers are not obliged to supply or replace them. If you really want one, I believe there are 3rd party ones you can buy. Depends how much you want to see real time info, which no device will give you for gas anyway.

Keep_pedalling

Octopus gave you an Octopus mini instead of an IHD which adds real time data to the app but it only works with the Octopus app. You new supplier has no obligation to provide you with a replacement IHD. 

Lotus-eater

Keep_pedalling said:

Octopus gave you an Octopus mini instead of an IHD which adds real time data to the app but it only works with the Octopus app. You new supplier has no obligation to provide you with a replacement IHD. 

Damn. I went for the mini as it gave me data on my phone.

That's very annoying, but thankyou for the info.

WiserMiser

Ask Octopus for a real IHD.  The worst that can happen is that they say No.

QrizB

Lotus-eater said:

Does anyone know my rights here? It all seems confusing

EON Next are under no obligation to provide you with an IHD free-of-charge.

However they have signed up to the UK Government's "Smart meter In-Home Display: voluntary replacement principles".

You might like to read the entire linked webpage; it's not long and is relatively understandable.

Principle 2 states:

Principle 2: Once the IHD is confirmed as being missing or broken and cannot be repaired, a supplier should offer a replacement IHD or provide a means by which a replacement can be purchased.

Your IHD is missing (was never provided), so EON Next should be able to make a replacement IHD available for you to purchase.

Lotus-eater said:

Eon ... saying that ... I need to buy a new one for £50.

Which it appears they have done.

Edit to add: thanks to @bristolleedsfan for sharing that link a month or so ago, in a similar thread.

QrizB

WiserMiser said:

Ask Octopus for a real IHD.  The worst that can happen is that they say No.

OP is no longer Octopus's customer. This has two consequences; one they have no good reason to supply an IHD, and two they have no network access to pair an IHD to his meter even if they did.

Also, OP says Octopus offered an IHD but they chose the Mini instead:

Lotus-eater said:

Damn. I went for the mini as it gave me data on my phone.

Lotus-eater

Thanks for all the info.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I wish Octopus had said that if I move suppliers then the mini won't work with them.

squirrelpie

victor2 said:

There's very little you can do about the IHD. It's not a part of the smart meter itself and suppliers are not obliged to supply or replace them. If you really want one, I believe there are 3rd party ones you can buy. Depends how much you want to see real time info, which no device will give you for gas anyway.

I don't think that's quite right. According to:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-meter-in-home-display-voluntary-replacement-principles/smart-meter-in-home-display-voluntary-replacement-principles Octopus were obliged to supply one when they installed the smart meter and are obliged to keep it working for 12 months.

So maybe ask Octopus for a (free) working IHD. That should then work with Eon as your supplier. Octopus are being cheeky supplying their proprietary device without an IHD.

If you end up having to buy one, I recommend the Glowmarkt Glow Display & CAD, which works with their Bright app as well as providing a display itself.

QrizB

squirrelpie said:

victor2 said:

There's very little you can do about the IHD. It's not a part of the smart meter itself and suppliers are not obliged to supply or replace them. If you really want one, I believe there are 3rd party ones you can buy. Depends how much you want to see real time info, which no device will give you for gas anyway.

I don't think that's quite right. According to [link] Octopus were obliged to supply one when they installed the smart meter

As discussed above; Octopus offered an IHD or a Octopus Home Mini, and the OP chose the latter.

squirrelpie said:

So maybe ask Octopus for a (free) working IHD.

And even if Octopus were to supply an IHD, it wouldn't work as they don't have access to pair it to the OP's HAN.

Rodders53

Glow Display and CAD – Glow from Hildebrand will allow "real time monitoring" via the Bright App for around the £70 mark (may be less atm) and will be supplier agnostic.

The Chameleon-brand Ivie Bud with their App will do the same... I can't see a subscription from a quick scan read...  ivie Bud - Smart Meter Monitor | Replacement In-Home Display and that's what EoN are suggesting.
Again it should also then be supplier agnostic if you change in the future.