MSE News: 'We need to change your meter'...

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  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976
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    Smart freezers? Science fiction, much! Oh, I believe they exist. Why would I not when it was on the news the other day that we, the taxpayers, pay the salaries of military personnel stupid enough to broadcast their movements on military bases for all the world to see via "fitness apps"?

    I must be one of the few old enough to remember when we had to think for ourselves rather than rely on apps and freezers to do it for us. Is it any wonder the world is in the mess it is?

    You can put your apps where you can put your smart meters, for me.
  • LameWolf
    LameWolf Posts: 11,234
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    What do they want to know what is in my fridge for?
    Maybe they've read the fridge magnet I have which says: "Raid fridge at your own risk; contents may be under a curse or awaiting re-animation". :D

    Joking aside, I share your concern about data-gathering; and I still can't come to terms with the idea of the data that's being gathered including one's energy use in real time. It seems to me that it wouldn't be very difficult, from the sudden greatly reduced energy use, to work out when my husband and I take a holiday, and the bungalow is therefore unoccupied....

    As the saying goes, "Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you". :cool:
    If your dog thinks you're the best, don't seek a second opinion.;)
  • jamesd
    jamesd Posts: 26,103
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    have sent this thread through to those at E.ON responsible for sending the letters including senior management.
    Would you be kind enough to relay this feedback:

    1. I'm after a meter where the customer can set the maximum possible reading frequency at the meter and where the technical capability for the supplier to exceed this has been designed out of the meter. Ideally also one where transmission capability is easy to disable and enable to further enhance control, but with fully functioning and frequently updated in-home reporting to the consumer.

    2. I'm having work done on the electricity equipment of a flat done in a few months. Part of my requirements for that will be arranging for easy fitting of a grounded metal screen around the whole of the electricity meter. If E.On has any design guidelines for the installation of Faraday cages around domestic electricity meters I could pass that on.

    It's unlikely that many of your customers have had my unpleasant experience of living in bugged homes but since I'm aware of the monitoring potential from frequent readings I intend to build that capability out of my portion of the system.
  • jamesd wrote: »
    Would you be kind enough to relay this feedback:

    1. I'm after a meter where the customer can set the maximum possible reading frequency at the meter and where the technical capability for the supplier to exceed this has been designed out of the meter. Ideally also one where transmission capability is easy to disable and enable to further enhance control, but with fully functioning and frequently updated in-home reporting to the consumer.

    2. I'm having work done on the electricity equipment of a flat done in a few months. Part of my requirements for that will be arranging for easy fitting of a grounded metal screen around the whole of the electricity meter. If E.On has any design guidelines for the installation of Faraday cages around domestic electricity meters I could pass that on.

    It's unlikely that many of your customers have had my unpleasant experience of living in bugged homes but since I'm aware of the monitoring potential from frequent readings I intend to build that capability out of my portion of the system.

    I've passed this through to our smart meter managers jamesd.

    If you need any technical advice about our smart meters in respect of the upcoming work at the flat, I'd talk directly to our smart teams. Even if they can't help specifically they'll be able to point you in the right direction.

    Malc
    Official Company Representative
    I am an official company representative of E.ON. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to [email protected] This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • Midnighter
    Midnighter Posts: 18,219
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    And they're still at it. We've just received a letter from them stating, yet again, that 'We need to change your meter. Please call us to arrange an appointment'. It seems like they just don't get the message.
    '...luck came to those who left a space for it.' Terry Pratchett
  • System
    System Posts: 178,076
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    Midnighter wrote: »
    And they're still at it. We've just received a letter from them stating, yet again, that 'We need to change your meter. Please call us to arrange an appointment'. It seems like they just don't get the message.

    In October last year, the Papers were reporting that the following words were being used in letters from energy suppliers:

    'We have a legal requirement to change your meter. Please call us.'

    Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-4946078/Eon-fire-smart-meter-bullying.html#ixzz58WLwf25l

    Is this still the case?
  • Midnighter
    Midnighter Posts: 18,219
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    Hengus wrote: »
    In October last year, the Papers were reporting that the following words were being used in letters from energy suppliers:

    'We have a legal requirement to change your meter. Please call us.'

    Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-4946078/Eon-fire-smart-meter-bullying.html#ixzz58WLwf25l

    Is this still the case?
    I binned the letter, but I'll have a look after to see if I can find it.
    '...luck came to those who left a space for it.' Terry Pratchett
  • nicobrum
    nicobrum Posts: 40
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    Midnighter do you know how old the meter is that Eon want to change? I had the same problem with them over a number of years but initially I agreed to the old Imperial Gas Meter being changed. The letter said that it had to be legally changed because of its age. However, they failed to turn up to two appointments and subsequently I just ignored the letters that were sent. That is until the end of 2015 when they sent me a letter with an already arranged appointment which was any time in a 6 hour slot. Previously when I complained about the failed appearances I was told they'd arrange another for a 2 hour slot but they never did. I phoned and explained I wanted a 2 hour slot because of what had happened previously and was given this. They turned up that time in Dec 2014 and changed the Gas meter for a new non-smart meter but it did take them about 8 weeks to get the system updated, during which time neither I nor Customer Service could input any gas meter readings.

    If your meter is old, they do I gather have a legal duty to replace it after its a certain age. This is different I understand to the attempts to get people to have smart meters.

    That said, about 12 months after it was changed I started getting letters again saying that had to change it. I ignored them as couldn't see why it was needed and couldn't face having to wait another 2 months for the system to be updated. In July 2016 an Eon project engineer turned up on the doorstep about it saying they had a project to change all the old meters but when I explained it had already been done and he saw the new meter, he apologised and said that he'd get it marked as replaced to avoid it happening again. Apparently when they changed the meter, nobody updated the project that was going on to say it had been changed.
  • Midnighter
    Midnighter Posts: 18,219
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    nicobrum wrote: »
    Midnighter do you know how old the meter is that Eon want to change?

    I think it's been in as long as we've been in the house, so about 30 years. But from reading of the letter, and it doesn't state anything about it being a legal requirement to change to meter, it's part of a program to install smart meters into all of their customers homes.

    Despite it not stating that it's a legal requirement, the wording of the letter does strongly suggest that the meter has to be changed: '...we need to replace...', 'We need to install smart meters into all of our customers homes...' & 'We're installing your meters in accordance with the Smart installation code of practice...'. All of which push towards the thought that you have to have a new meter installed, but that's just my reading of the wording.
    '...luck came to those who left a space for it.' Terry Pratchett
  • nicobrum
    nicobrum Posts: 40
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    Does sound like the meter is probably at end of life and they are using the opportunity to push smart meter installation and avoid a return visit potentially in years to come. My gas meter was probably about 28 or so years old when they started pushing for its replacement and failed to attend. It definitely predates my purchase of the house and I suspect was probably the original when they were built. The electricity meter had been replaced about 10 years ago after the night meter stopped working when the neutral on the mains supply blew in front of the property. If I'd been paying more attention at the time, I'd have asked for it to have been replaced with a standard meter rather than E7 as there has been central heating in the house since before I purchased it, but wasn't paying sufficient attention. To be fair the only thing that would get me to agree to smart meters voluntarily would be to get the E7 meter replaced by a standard one at their expense and not mine. It would open up switches to other companies who don't combine meter readings as Eon and some others will do.

    I suspect you'll find if the meter is that age that at some point they will force an appointment on you as they did with me. It may be worth approaching and saying that if it is because of the meter age I'll agree for it to be changed but I don't want, and do not legally have to agree to, it being replaced by a smart meter. They should, as the EON rep has said on other posts, have no issue with that. I suppose the only issue may be if they replace it with a smart meter but do not activate the smart side of it, I gather they are more difficult to read than analogue meters. There is of course the issue of mobile reception, I suspect that the smart part of the meter would have issues round here as there is very patchy mobile reception and as the gas meter is about 6 foot up on a wall I personally could have issues being able to read it due to mobility issues so in many ways would be reluctant to have it changed. Currently its easy to read as it just shows the reading all the time but if there became the need to press any buttons on the meter, it would cause me no end of problems.
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