Free removal of E7?

masca

Hi. Does anyone have recent experience of having their E7 removed, ideally for free? I'm currently with EON (on a single combined rate) and they want ~£150 to change to a single rate meter, but I'm happy to switch suppliers. Current smart meter is old and 'dumb' and so due an upgrade, and I haven't used the night rate since buying the property in 2022. Keeping a dual tarrif meter leaves me unnecessarily disadvantaged when it comes to switching/shopping around, or as a minimum, over complicates a switch. TIA!

Scot_39

How old is tge meter - look for certified date stamp sticker or first 2 digits of serial number in some cases or ce / m xx year labelling - m22 = 2022 etc..

And make / model number

Or post a photo with later digits of serial number redacted showing tails.

My smets1 is 8 years old and mostly communicates just fine - the odd day occassionally missed in the app, but statements are always smart readings.

Why is it dumb ?

Have you tried // asked EOn to get it communicating before moving ?

There are options depending on location - if south cellular - such as off meter hubs, mesh hubs, hub aerials and now even 4g and if in north Arqiva lrr again 4g cellular

Would a new meter communicate any better if placed in the same location ?

Would you be willing to pay to move incoming feed if necessary ?

As it is potentially comms that is ultimately going to restrict access to best deals - smart ev, smart tou like eons next drive / smart saver tariffs etc etc

as a communicating smart meter can be switched remotely tomany suitable tariff and even the supply profile class updated.

there in one sense isnt really such a thing as an e7 smart meter per se in terms of the raw tariff. The complication being some - and its only some - e7 tariff meters support alcs and drive time restricted circuits - often 5 ports, 2 live meter tails and 2 or 1 split consumer units.

Many newer flats Ive seen were setup with e7 tariff and no restricted wiring.

[Going quite Historical here

And again the supplier will not tidy up that customer side wiring for you if you move twin restricted to single feed.

And In past when multirate metering used to use 2 seperate meters, suppliers certainly used to before would remove a 2nd meter driving a restricted feed - as I know folk in that situation in past - insist on an electricians report. They were not allowed to leave you without a fully operational supply - the customers electricians certificate told them they werent.

As to whether they would need that to remove a 5 port smart doing same job ?? ]]

Meter swaps are not generally free for customer requests - if theres no good operational reason - such as end of life - EOn Next are within their rights to charge for a customer driven request.

But there are new rules sadly iirc only for new installs that now make bad comms an operational reason they need to try to fix — so you could try leaning on EOn again on that angle.

Requesting a comms fix rather than a meter swap (as often means a new meter and hub, or at least hub anyway)

A new supplier will tend to follow old meter profile class by default for a new meter install in any case - replacing a 5 port with 5 port etc - and even for tariff - but that at least can be changed on phone instead at sign up.

And again whilst maybe over 5 years ago some used to regularly just fit their own meters in early days (smets1 comms were often bespoke - only 3 suppliers inc EOn, Octopus and EDF ??suppoted mine) - many now do not if there is a working (communicating ?) over DCC capable (smets 2 or smets1 integrated) meter.

Some companies do seem better from posts here about being proactive to resolve non communication meters though.

Ill let others who have fought the battle to comment

WiserMiser

Surely this is just a billing issue? They should be able to bill each register at the same rate.

If E.ON are choosing to be awkward, just Ditch and Switch.

masca

Thanks for the replies. The 'dumb' meter is a first generation one, and as I've already switched once, it no longer communicates… I'm not at home at the mo, so unfortunately I can't confirm the meter number just now.

I do appreciate that many (but not all) suppliers will offer a single rate regardless (as EON are now), but the switching comparison sites don't facilitate for this, and it therefore takes manual intervention to arrange a switch. Given that I'm continuously being hounded to get a new meter fitted, I had hoped that I could work this to my advantage and do away with the inconvenience of the E7 at the same time. I don't really want to pay for the privilege though! 😀

masonic

I have changed from E7 to single rate and back a couple of times. The comparison sites tend to detect your meter profile when you enter your details. Switching can have unpredictable results when you've previously been on E7. I've found the new supplier has picked up the wrong info and started billing on E7 even though my network operator had me registered as single rate. I don't know if having a different physical meter registered would help with that.

Scot_39

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82175649#Comment_82175649

ok many will i suspect be willing to fit a new smets2 on switch, it its old and not been dcc integrated.

Do a search to check e.g.

https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Maybe again push EOn to do so as a comms fix and not an e7 replacement.

Your supplier should arguaably already have done so - as all were told to identify and the rub "advised" maybe not forced to prioritise their upgrades..

Scot_39

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82175746#Comment_82175746

thats tariff on same meter.

the op requested a physical meter change to make it potentially permanent.

As suspect has in past had restricted power (not using night isnt 100% conclusive though).

WiserMiser

I do appreciate that many (but not all) suppliers will offer a single rate regardless (as EON are now), but the switching comparison sites don't facilitate for this, and it therefore takes manual intervention to arrange a switch.

Some comparison sites do give quotations for single rate with an E7 meter, including Uswitch, Compare the Market and The Energy Shop. Say you don't have an E7 meter. Make sure you see the whole of the market, not just the expensive ones that pay commission. You may have to click on 'Filter' or something equally obscure or well hidden.

masca

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82175809#Comment_82175809

Thank you. I will look at the comparison sites again.

2010

Octopus gives both single and e7 on their rates.

masonic

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82175790#Comment_82175790

I was referring to a change to the supply number (from S2… to S1...) on same meter, registered with the DNO, not just a tariff with both rates the same. This is supposed to be permanent, but it seems some suppliers fail to check the current configuration in the national database when switching you over.