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British Gas wants to fix my gas meter that works fine.
Comments
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This has nothing at all to do with the age, efficiency or accuracy of the meter.
It's only about them meeting government quotas for fitting smart meters.
And they can save money by not sending someone to our house to read the meter.
I believe they cannot legally force me to have one (yet).
They are happy to accept my own readings every month so what's the problem ?
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Technically you could ask them to use letterbox communication only or other. But the priority is to get you up and running faster and warn you if there are's any outages as vulnerable customer. But if the meter is over a decade old or deemed dangerous, then you have no choice. But they will spam whatever contact you gave them phone, email, letterbox until you respond positively.
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OK - easiest way to stop this is to allow the change of meter - it sounds as though yours may have reached end of life.
A gas fitter isn't qualified to either confirm that the meter is working as it should in terms of recording, or to pass comment on whether it has reached end of life. This is no slur on the fitter, just not stuff he would be able to confirm or deny.
Yes - the meter is deemed to "belong" to your current supplier - that's the way it works.
No, they won't arrest you, but they could get a warrant to force the entry to allow the change if the meter requires replacement.
If the meter requires replacement, it will be replaced with the current model available - in much the same way as you wouldn't look to replace an outdated home computer with an Atari, or a ZX Spectrum, would you?
If you are simply being difficult about this "because you can" then I'd suggest taking a breath and realising that the only person you are causing stress to here is yourself - and that could get an awful lot worse before it gets better. If you are worried about the scare stories you've heard about the modern meters - there is no need to be. An awful lot of what is said about them is fearmongering by the sorts of people who also suggest that people shouldn't get vaccinated for things - it's done purely to frighten the elderly and vulnerable, because the sorts of people who spread misinformation like that get a kick out of scaring those people. Not nice, eh?
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her7 -
Delete your mobile number from your BG account.
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Or, alternatively, just let the supplier do what needs to be done…
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her3 -
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/#:~:text=Smart%20meters%20are%20NOT%20mandatory...%20unless%20yours%20is%20faulty%20or%20at%20the%20end%20of%20its%20life
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The meters tend to be owned by one of a number of asset management companies, but regardless of who actually owns it, your current supplier is responsible for maintaining/replacing it.
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I am not frightened or stressed, just thoroughly fed up with it.
It's not a very nice way for a company to treat their customers and it ought to be stopped.
Any person sending texts like this virtually every day would be deemed a troll and could be prosecuted.
So why are they allowed to get away with it when I have told them time and time again to stop bothering me about it and they actually agreed onetime.
I do fully realise that I will have to have the smart meters at some time in the future.
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The British Gas fitter would only be able to tell you the meter was not leaking, he wouldn't have a clue as to whether it is recording correctly
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so just let them fit a new meter and that will be the end of it.
You are just causing yourself stress over it all and only have yourself to blame.
1
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