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Octopus.Pulling the wool....
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If your really desperate to try and string it out - and argue with your supplier…
Although most RTS set-ups with a secondary day rate supply meter might be well out of date - including the single rate meters that accompany any secondary only rts metering. You might be lucky in that the single rate meter is still within it's expected lifecycle (but if so probably not by many years - Ive seen a few posts in the 2-5 years type range here).
Check to see if you can see the exact meter model and certification date on the meter and check the initial certification life - expected for the model here under column C.
But even if it is within the initial certification period - the meters can be pulled far earlier.
(My first digital replacement for RTS pair - lasted about 2 years of the C 15 years in that table at time - options were a different brand digital or early smets1 smart - I went smart - Ive never regretted it - despite never really benefiting from savings - due to my legacy E10 tariff).
The key to remember is that it is the suppliers meter choice - not yours - and they control what meters they are willing to accept - and supply you with - they pretty much have a right to swap it at any point - and any Ofgem weasel words to allow consumers to refuse - were removed - especially for the EOL case.
There are likely to be more problems around retaining the second meter.
Two MPANs are likely to make it difficult to switch - especially with a RTS tariff code.
Are you currently paying a SC for the second meter / MPAN ?
AFAIK the Ofgem rule on billing complex as single rate has expired - last date I saw was June 2025 - charges and legacy tariffs can now again in theory be applied to legacy metering. Some might choose to impose as leverage to get them replaced.
[June 2025 had several milestones for metering / supplies - as was also when Ofgem allowed suppliers to drop legacy tariffs for certain - and not just RTS - complex metering set-ups. IIRC EDF did so - sending letters to some of their customers at that time (including some on E10 or their weekend extendedsuper E10 = E2020 iirc) - some with only days of notice.]
And for those not upgrading to common smart meter solutions - there can be a cost to removing a second meter to save on the SC. Ive seen users on Ovo forums talk of c£300 - including their own electricians certificate - needed before Ovo would remove second meters (Ovos fee alone pushing c£160 c2024 iirc).
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Now THAT is a good reason to put off having the meter changed!
🎉 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/her1 -
Not only do smart meters allow money saving, but they usually also avoid metering disputes, they just flat out a good thing. I got reminded of how bad not having automated usage collection was when I briefly had issues after switching to EON.
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What do I think.
I think you are being very foolish. There are no downsides to having a smart meter. I have also been with Octopus for a good few years and have always had smart meters in that time and never had any issues with them.
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The following applies to gas meters only.
When the battery starts to fail, the meter can sometimes transmit erroneous readings that the energy company accepts as gospel. There have been a couple of posters in recent years that really struggled to convince their supplier that the readings were wrong.
Not heard of electricity meters sending incorrect readings. Although, I did have a couple of months last year when the meter sent the same number for a couple of months. My supplier eventually changed the meter and handed me a bit of compensation for the delays.
Any language construct that forces such insanity in this case should be abandoned without regrets. –
Erik Aronesty, 2014
Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.0 -
This can happen on dumb meters.
When I first moved into this property, the gas meter got replaced as was erroneous readings, was quick and easy to deal with.
Prior to me getting my smart electric meter, the old dumb electric meter was giving high erroneous readings.
Batteries going dead on smart gas meters is an issue I think the industry needs to find a solution for, I did have to get mine replaced after it only lasted a few years which is way too short of a lifetime. However because of the automated and high resolution reading data compared to dumb meters, it make's any dispute (as result of dead battery) easier to win. I think disputes are much harder to win on a dumb meter, where you have far fewer data points.0 -
@MeteredOut 's thread goes to prove that erroneous readings are definitely not just a smart meter issue!
🎉 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/her0 -
@Chrysalis wrote:
Batteries going dead on smart gas meters is an issue I think the industry needs to find a solution for.
As far as I can make out, the commonest reason for battery failure in a SMETS2 gas meter is poor or non-existent communication between it and the comms hub. The battery is big enough to cope with transmitting a tiny burst of data at 30 minute intervals for many years (>10), but if communication fails, the meter will try and re-establish its link to the CH at frequent intervals (sorry, I can't remember how long, but ISTR it's 10 minutes). This will deplete the battery at at least 3x what it's designed for.
Did your gas meter have difficulty communicating in its early days?
I'm not being lazy ... I'm just in energy-saving mode.
If you're asked to post a photo of your meter Meter Configuration Tables v2.0.xlsx0 -
Take them up on the offer and save yourself some time and money.
Oh and if you come across any issues between booking, the appointment itself, or after install:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-release/ofgem-roll-out-tougher-smart-meter-rules-february0 -
There isnt any gaps, the only time gas data stopped is in this instance, but of course its possible it still struggles to communicate with the electric meter, they not in the same spot. If I remember right actually, the guy who swapped it claimed it wasnt the battery. He blamed the exposure to rain, as the meter is outside.
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