Smart Meters

pokerpodge2005
pokerpodge2005 Posts: 9 Forumite
in Energy
I have been made eligible by my supplier EDF to have my PAYG meters changed to smart meter, but I have been reading a lot about smet 1 meters being installed until smet 2s become available and that the smet 1s can become dumb if changing suppliers in the future, so my question is, does anyone know exactly when smet 2 meters will be available, as I am unable to find out an exact date in which these will be available, all I can find is that ofgem state that smet 1 meters being installed after the 28th October 2017 will no longer to count towards the 2020.

kind regards

Gary
«13

Comments

  • House_Martin
    House_Martin Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    Latest electric/gas smart meters in both credit and prepayment by Landis and Gyr are future proof upgradeable over the air and will work in both SMETS1 and 2..Not sure which meters EDF are using because they have nt been fitting smarts for too long but BG, the UKs largest supplier,who have having been fitting smarts for 10 years are using them.You could enquire with EDF why they do not fit similar meters now if they are nt.
    This is a money saving forum and I urge you do ditch prepayment meters, fixed at high standard/variable tariffs, and see how much you can save per week by switching tariffs to a one year fixed deal on a direct debit with either EDF or the whole market.The Cheap Energy Club comparison website on MSE also give cashbacks on many of the suppliers.
    Smart meters are mainly benefitting suppliers so I don t think its worth taking them too seriously in use in the home as an energy saving device.
  • Ken68
    Ken68 Posts: 6,825 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Energy Saving Champion Home Insurance Hacker!
    I can still read the meters remotely using SMETS 1 after moving suppliers.
    No other functions though.
  • lstar337
    lstar337 Posts: 3,441 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Combo Breaker
    Best to ask EDF what they would be fitting.

    They told me they were future proof, but then stumbled when I asked if they were SMETS 1 or 2. Once they realised I knew what I was talking about they admitted that they were SMETS1 and that it was not possible to update them over the air.

    I told them to call me when they had SMETS2 meters and I would happily accept them.

    IF, I had accepted EDF's offer I would have had the meters 2 months before they would be back to dumb. EDF no longer have a competitive tariff for me, so I have initiated a switch.
  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker
    Hi Gary,

    Unfortunately I don't think anyone will be able to answer your question with absolute certainty. The smart meter programme is in a state of flux and there is uncertainty in relation to just about every aspect of it.
    House_Martin wrote: »
    Latest electric/gas smart meters in both credit and prepayment by Landis and Gyr are future proof upgradeable over the air and will work in both SMETS1 and 2.

    For reasons given below I would be very wary of anyone telling you that something is "future proof upgradeable over the air". Anything, especially technology - and particularly communications technology - is only 'future proof' until someone decides to make a change which makes it redundant. "Future proof" is just marketing spin.
    lstar337 wrote: »
    They told me they were future proof, but then stumbled when I asked if they were SMETS 1 or 2. Once they realised I knew what I was talking about they admitted that they were SMETS1 and that it was not possible to update them over the air.
    ...
    IF, I had accepted EDF's offer I would have had the meters 2 months before they would be back to dumb.

    As a consumer you have little say about the type of meter fitted. Even if a call-centre operator promises you on their mother's life that your meter will be SMETS2, if the fitter comes out and installs a SMETS1 meter you have zero comeback on the supplier. You are stuck with it unless you are willing to pay for a meter exchange at some point in the future, or until the supplier decides to change it for their own reasons.

    Some suppliers will have stocks of SMETS1 meters waiting to be installed, and some might even provide you with a pre-used SMETS1 meter. The situation at the moment is fluid and there is little certainty about what will happen with SMETS1 meters longer-term.

    Whilst there is this uncertainty, if the ability to retain smart functionality is important to you if you switch, then it makes sense to wait until there is clarity. If having smart functionality is not important to you - then why would anyone want a smart meter in the first place? :)
    House_Martin wrote: »
    Smart meters are mainly benefitting suppliers so I don t think its worth taking them too seriously in use in the home as an energy saving device.

    I totally, completely, utterly, without reservation and wholeheartedly agree with this point. :)

    Smart meters primarily benefit the suppliers (and the manufacturers). The benefits to the consumer are margin at best, and zero if the meter goes dumb as a result of a switch (or a technology change).

    Unless you are desperate to have a smart meter then the best thing to do is to wait a while until it is clear what the situation is, and/or it is absolutely certain you will get a SMETS2 meter.
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
  • pokerpodge2005
    pokerpodge2005 Posts: 9 Forumite
    Firstly Thank you all for your replys


    Secondly I am wanting off the pre-payment meters, and have contacted EDF regarding having a credit meter installed.


    I can have the gas transferred to credit meter within 2/3 weeks, but the problem is that EDF have no engineer visits available to fit a new electric meter in for the next 3 months and even the electricity booking team said its highly unlikely they will have for months, which is when one of the customer service team made me eligible for smart meters due to this problem.


    For me personally I'm thinking of just changing the gas to a normal credit meter as that's the biggest expense especially during winter at £120-£160 a month, the electricity is costing me between £40-£60 a month, so I don't see much point in changing the electricity.


    the dilemma I have is that EDF have quoted me £80 a month if I transfer both gas and electric to smart meters, so I am after the savings as currently my gas and electric in summer is costing me about £80 a month anyway.


    I was merely enquiring about smart meters, as I have heard the smet1s become dumb if changing supplier in the future(being saving savvy myself :D), meaning manual readings which seems to defeat the object really, whereas the smet2s seem to not have this problem.


    Kind Regards


    Gary
  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker
    pokerpodge2005 wrote: »
    ...the dilemma I have is that EDF have quoted me £80 a month if I transfer both gas and electric to smart meters, so I am after the savings as currently my gas and electric in summer is costing me about £80 a month anyway.

    Do you mean you get the £80/month if you switch to credit meters, or does it specifically have to be smart meters to get this price?

    Or are you just getting smart meters because it will take too long to get standard credit meters installed?
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
  • footyguy
    footyguy Posts: 4,157 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    pokerpodge2005 wrote: »
    ...

    Secondly I am wanting off the pre-payment meters, and have contacted EDF regarding having a credit meter installed.


    I can have the gas transferred to credit meter within 2/3 weeks,...

    According to the information they provided to MSE
    No credit check, but you must repay any outstanding debt first, at least three months before requesting to switch meters.
    http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity

    (I've heard that from other sources too in the past, perhaps direct from EDF?)
  • littlerock
    littlerock Posts: 1,774 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    my electric meter is in basement where no signals are available. (we cannot even get WiFi or phone signal at back of house let alone in cellar. ) EDF who have previously surveyed my cellar and agreed cannot install a smart a meter due to no signal, regularly send me mail shots saying government has told them everyone must be converted to smart meters by 2020 and can they come and fit mine please.

    I regularly phone them and explain why it would be pointless and they agree and promise to endorse my account record to say this. Now they have strated up again. Your ,electric meter needs replacing as it is old ( no it is not, and it is working fine but it is not a smart meter ) so we need to come and install a smart meter to replace it. They are now harassing me by email.

    Do I just let them come and find out the hard way? or would that be storing up more grief for future?
  • House_Martin
    House_Martin Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    Let them fit the smart meter, it will be a better dumb meter than the cheap £5 Ampy one they would install.BG fit the Landis and Gyr e470 meters which work ok in my cellar and thousands of others I have seen..There are ways round boosting a low signal which they could try before admitting defeat.
  • littlerock
    littlerock Posts: 1,774 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    This is EDF they surveyed my cellar about 18 months ago and said not enough signal.
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