Yorkshire Water - poor billing

KittenChops

I've just checked if my supplier (Severn Trent) offers smart meters - they do. And having googled what a smart water meter looks like, I think the one we had installed a couple of years ago is a smart meter. But they still only take a reading every 6 months. Does anyone know if/when Severn Trent will start using it as a smart meter and allow me to see my usage in real time?

Peter999_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82014516#Comment_82014516

It sounds like you have a not very "smart" meter like mine which is pretty rubbish really.

The good news is that Seven Trent are currently upgrading the smart meters to "real" smart meters at the moment. So far, they have updated 600,000 in Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry and Warwickshire.

The new meters will provide hourly readings which will be available to customers the day after in the app.

KittenChops

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82014547#Comment_82014547

I looked at Severn Trent's website here: https://www.stwater.co.uk/wonderful-on-tap/a-smarter-way-to-use-water/

When I click on "get a smart meter", then log into my account as prompted - it tells me I already have a water meter (no mention of it being smart or not), and that's as far as I can go.

Using the same link above, under the heading "how does a smart water meter work" it includes the following (my bolding):

"A smart water meter is installed either inside your home or outside where your supply pipe meets our network, depending on what’s most suitable. It measures how much water flows through your pipes every hour and, when network coverage is available, sends us your latest readings several times a day—so there’s no need for you to submit them or wait for a visit.

As we’re getting regular updates on your home’s water use, you can keep track of everything. And if there is a problem at home like a leak, we’ll know about it much more quickly, before lots of water gets wasted.

If the meter reading changes but you’ve not used your water, this could indicate there is a leak inside your property."

And then the next heading is "can a water smart meter save me money" and under that it includes the following (my bolding again):

"Yes it can. Your smart water meter gives us data on your water use, almost in real time. And of course we share that data back with you, together with hints and tips to help you reduce water usage."

So I called them. Apparently my water meter is smart (it was installed early 2024) but I will continue to only see 6 monthly readings on my account. I read out what is on their website, the person I was speaking to put me on hold briefly & spoke to someone else and then came back & confirmed that I'll only see readings on my account twice a year.

I have raised a complaint - not about the person I spoke to, and I made that very clear - but about the website content not reflecting the reality.

I've since read your reply to me @Peter999_2. I don't live in one of those areas but I would have thought the person I spoke to could have mentioned that, especially after apparently speaking to someone more senior - perhaps it will be available to me at some point in the future…?

Obviously I can keep a spreadsheet & read the meter myself regularly - but this isn't about that.

(edited for typos & clarity)

Peter999_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82014569#Comment_82014569

It's very similar to Yorkshire Water. The people I have spoken to there have denied that the smart meters are finally getting "smart" as well - they obviously haven't been kept up to date. It's only because my friends wife works for them and is involved in the upgrade that I found out about it (she sent me a link that explains it all).

Only taking smart meter reading once every 6 months is completely ridiculous and it's good that they are finally realising that and doing something about it. I can only imagine the amount of water from leaks it is going to save - mine was wasting 60 litres of water an hour, every hour for possibly over 4 months. If they get daily reports of everyone's meters they are going to find leaks very quickly and hopefully get them fixed quickly which in turn will save them a lot of water/money.

I hope that they get round to your meter soon (and mine, haha).

This is a link to where Severn Trent explain everything about the new smart meters in case you are interested :

A smarter way to use water | Wonderful on Tap | Severn Trent Water

KittenChops

I had a response back from Severn Trent - they think my complaint is because I "was expecting an in-home display unit to monitor my usage" which I obviously never said.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82014877#Comment_82014877

Regarding your comment "The people I have spoken to there have denied that the smart meters are finally getting "smart" as well" - I don't think I even got as far with Severn Trent

The person I spoke to explained all sorts of things that were completely irrelevant to what I was saying - from 6 month billing cycles to what energy companies do (probably where the IHD comes into it) - but never once actually addressed what I was saying, which was quite simply that the details on their website do not match reality.