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Smart Meters and Supply Transfer
Comments
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Worse than that, the suppliers themselves either don't know or give you incorrect information. Consumers are being bombarded with the Switch in a few minutes and save a fortune on energy costs propaganda, yet I've not seen any of these Switch Supplier fanatics ever mention possible practical problems with things like metering.It's confusing because there are examples of new suppliers being able to fully take over existing SMETS v1 smart meters, but as you've discovered it's not clear exactly which meter and supplier combinations will work.0 -
Why does smart metering get so emotive. It's nice to have but not essential. I'd like it but I'm not upset that I don't have it and can't get it at the moment. I'll wait until they are available
I've got a meter and it measures my leccy consumption and I can read it myself and send the info in or let the supplier guess and come a read it when he's ready. I could do that with a smart meter that's reverted to dumb so it doesn't really matter what sort of meter I've got.
The fact that meters aren't yet compatible across the suppliers isn't really the catastrophe that some make out and it's not a barrier to swapping suppliers - lets get a sense of perspective.
I agree that the introduction of them and the infrastructure to support them is a total shambles and is probably going to cost twice as much as if it had been properly managed in the first place. Letting all the suppliers do their own thing for several years just to see who could do it better wasn't actually a very good idea.
Even the present system with a central database for dumb meters doesn't work all that well because people are involved and records don't get updated or corrected properly.
I can't see that the DCC will be significantly better because that will still rely on someone telling them that a new meter has been installed and needs to be activated and monitored. Unless of course it's been designed to self activate (which I doubt) and it will still have to work with the miriad of suppliers and billing systems that exist at the moment
I reckon it's still going to be quite a long time before it gets properly integrated with the suppliers who have all demonstated a dismal inability to sort out any upgrades or modifications to their own systems, let alone getting themselves connected and integrated into another network & database.Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers0 -
Deleted_User wrote: »Worse than that, the suppliers themselves either don't know or give you incorrect information. Consumers are being bombarded with the Switch in a few minutes and save a fortune on energy costs propaganda, yet I've not seen any of these Switch Supplier fanatics ever mention possible practical problems with things like metering.
Most savvy switchers have not been taken in by "Gaz & Lecky" and have simply said no to smarts meters. In a couple of years when they are all installing SMETS2 meters and the DCC is working without problems, then OK but certainly not before as they are currently unfit for purpose.0 -
That depends on the individual circumstances. When my smart meters were first fitted a couple of years back the gas meter was left in a position where it's pretty much impossible for me to read without risking me breaking my neck. Since the meters were being read automatically and remotely this was not a problem at all. However in order to satisfy the Switch and save huge amounts on your energy bills campaign I was put in a potential position where to switch to a new supplier might save me £60/year at a cost of my having to read my meters manually (the meter man on his dinosaur would inevitably miss me when he made his annual call). It's up to each of us to suit ourselves, but I'm not prepared to risk serious injury to save £60/year.matelodave wrote: »Why does smart metering get so emotive. It's nice to have but not essential.0 -
matelodave wrote: »Why does smart metering get so emotive. It's nice to have but not essential. I'd like it but I'm not upset that I don't have it and can't get it at the moment. I'll wait until they are available
I've got a meter and it measures my leccy consumption and I can read it myself and send the info in or let the supplier guess and come a read it when he's ready. I could do that with a smart meter that's reverted to dumb so it doesn't really matter what sort of meter I've got.
Yes smart meters are not essential but when you have them and they work well it's hard to do without them. It tells me what my monthly bill will be before I get it. No more estimated bills, no more big bills or built up massive credits.
Do you really want your supplier to guess your bill and then send you a proper one when they feel like it?0 -
Yes smart meters are not essential but when you have them and they work well it's hard to do without them. It tells me what my monthly bill will be before I get it. No more estimated bills, no more big bills or built up massive credits.
Do you really want your supplier to guess your bill and then send you a proper one when they feel like it?
I can get the same information from a 99p app called meters. It does require 2 minutes of work a month to enter 2 meter readings.This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
Yes smart meters are not essential but when you have them and they work well it's hard to do without them. It tells me what my monthly bill will be before I get it. No more estimated bills, no more big bills or built up massive credits.
Do you really want your supplier to guess your bill and then send you a proper one when they feel like it?
That is really pathetic!
You don't get estimated bills if you simply provide regular meter readings yourself.0 -
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That is really pathetic!
You don't get estimated bills if you simply provide regular meter readings yourself.
You obviously don't read many posts on this forum. I have not got the time to search properly for every post that complains about ignored meter readings but here are two to start with ......
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5478390
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5318208
There must be a few 100 more if you use the right search criteria.0 -
The problem is that smart meters are being sold on not having to read them, very convenient for those who have with their meter in an awkward position - look at the latest E.On advert. We now have a situation where these meters have become dumb and instead of looking towards the back of that deep dark cupboard with a torch people have to physically crawl into it, poke a button and guess which is the correct number to submit to their supplier - instructions on how to manually read a smart meter seem very hard to find. A cautionary tale to all those who design a system without considering all the "what if" scenarios !0
![[Deleted User]](https://us-noi.v-cdn.net/6031891/uploads/defaultavatar/nFA7H6UNOO0N5.jpg)
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