Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Didn't realise everybody didn't have them :shrug:. Our smart gas and leccy meters were installed on the same day.

Neither of them has ever managed to get a network connection, mind.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Dual-band systems should sort that out.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Both mine were brand new this year and set to update or report daily. However weeks go by sometimes without connecting.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

We have a 'smart' gas meter, no idea who it talks to (if anyone) or when.

The small box you plug in to tell you all the details of usage data etc has been at the back of a cupboard* for ages.






* or was thrown into the bin and is now in a recycling warehouse in Indonesia :D

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

My electric and gas meters are good old fashioned meters, both were installed some 30+ years ago.

Quite excellent Paul :)

Yes which is why we need to keep the resistance high!!

I love Win98se Jay :)

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

So 30% of homes aren't serviceable with those meters? They must have known that at the time they were installed, yet they went ahead. And now we all need new ones? Ker-ching! (for somebody)

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Since smart meter has added 30% to our electricity bills I can't say I'm enamoured by them.

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Got as smart meter only deal. Still has a year to run . Dread to think what it will go up too next year :rolleyes:

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

It's helping you go green by emptying your pockets.

Exactly...... They are so the power companies get MORE $$$$$$ they arent to help you!! (Its sad ppl believe the lies)

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Can't really understand why anyone thinks companies are created to HELP them . Shock news , Sorry but this a fact They're created to make money , not make you or I happy .:shocked:

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Spot on

No matter how any introductory offers, discounts, fluffy toys or free pens, the aim of them all is to relieve you of money :D

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Yes and mine ( well my family's) does that very well and has done so since at least the 1880,s Not that anyone here ( UK) would be contributing to that, well at least not these days .sold up a few years ago (UK) :erm:

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Seems someone has finally noticed.

They last bit is irritating, I already told them (last year) that I dont want a smart meter.

I know mine is aging, and its almost ready to loop around again (from 99999 > 00000) which Im sure will cause issues, but I'm not in any hurry to swap it yet.

I'll just ignore this for now I think and see what happens.
Another company tried this a few years ago, even sent me a letter with a proposed install date, which I ignored. No one ever turned up.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I would be tempted to jump on the opportunity to have the traditional meter installed. Anything to avoid a smart meter

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They are certified for a set period of time (up to 20 years it seems).
Mine is 32 years old, so I dont really think I have much of an argument there.

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Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I’ve been ignoring various suppliers for years, despite signing up to tariffs that claim I’ve “agreed” to have a smart meter installed I’ve ignored the letters/emails and when they’ve rung me up I’ve said the available times for installation don’t suit.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I’ve been ignoring Shell’s constant texts and emails too.

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You don't get any choice over having a Smart Water meter installed.
Can now see my water usage by the half-hour.

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I used to get monthly emails with Bulb about getting a smart meter installed then they sent this email and I've heard nothing since.

Since February I've heard nothing from them.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I'm lucky enough to live in a shitty mobile signal area so the thing can't phone home, so my installation was cancelled, I've come to the realisation that this is probably for the best.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Yes better than you realise mate!!

Good for you :)

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Why? Are you planning on not paying your bills?

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Not at all, but I'm seeing no benefit and lots of real and potential issues later on, so I'll just keep as I am thanks.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

"Trojan Horse that could pull down the whole grid"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tics-fear.html

Don't want a smart meter anyway.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Just had a chap from Scottish Power tell me one of the benefits of having a smart meter is it'll give off less radiation than my current meter :shocked:. He also told me I must have one because it's the law and it's all to do with the banning of petrol and diesel engines and that Scottish Power are a big company and wouldn't lie to customers. He also said I wouldn't be able to drive in Glasgow soon unless I had an electric car.

I told him I didn't want one, I don't have to have one and him saying I must have one is wrong and dishonest. When it comes to Scottish Power not lying to customers I suggested he Googled the £8.5 million fine they got a few years ago for mis-selling. Also, having been involved in planty of behind the scenes work on Low Emission Zones I offered him the truth about the upcoming changes in Glasgow, but he told me he lived there so knew what he was talking about. I said it was a shame his knowledge on the changes to driving in Glasgow was as poor as his facts about smart meters.

I asked to speak to his manger because I felt he was trying to scare me in to getting one and he put the phone down.

Feel a bit guilty now because he only sounded a young lad and I could tell he was nervous, but he shouldn't be allowed to ring people up and try to bully them however much they laugh at his outlandish claims.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

To be fair, I’ve yet to meet anyone in Glasgow who knows exactly what the Low Emission Zone means. :rofl: It doesn’t help that their online checker is extremely vague (‘your car may not qualify’ is the best it will say. Somehow I suspect the computer that issues the fines won’t act all coy when spitting out its tickets).

As it happens, I’m sure my 10 year old diesel Berlingo doesn’t qualify, while my 5 year old petrol Panda does. Neither are electric, obvs. Your nuisance caller was talking out of his bahookie on all points.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Welsh Water has is going for a big push to fit Smart Water Meters to ALL customer's supplies.

They say it will "help" households use less water and save money. But once the majority have them, I bet the unit rate will rise to return income to previous levels. And then the annual increases will surge I bet.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Even Martin is telling people now the only non SVR tariff worth considering is Octopus agile (although the normal trackers are also good).

My smart meter has saved me a ton of money, but I still see often people not wanting them.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

More a case of not trusting them I think, or more specifically, the companies controlling them.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Not for Wales , just for profit and big bonuses :rolleyes:

Dont feel bad.. You stood up to him,he shouldnt be adding to the fear mongering!

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

What he said. My bill is halved.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

A smart meter can only “save” you a ton of money if you change your consumption.

If the devices are out there scaring folk into being cold to save money that can - and absolutely will - have longer term implications on the health of those falling into the trap.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

or if it allows you on a Tracker Tariff. Octopus now only allow you on it with a Smart Meter. And for at least 6 months the Tracker Tariffs have saved people money

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Not quite.

I am actually paying lower unit rates on my smart meter tariff. The actual unit cost is lower.

In addition my old dumb meter was faulty, it got escalated, they refused to test it, so I ended up ordering a smart meter to "force" the meter been removed, and then the readings for the same usage were considerably lower. I ended up getting a rebate for nearly 2 grand.

Octopus also last April tried to raise my DD to an amount that was about 4x my bills, I told the operator to check my smart meter readings and she fixed it within a minute after that, I expect with a dumb meter I would have had a harder time getting them to fix.

I have even been paid to use electric for periods.

---------- Post added at 13:11 ---------- Previous post was at 13:08 ----------

I can understand that to a degree but then the question is what kind of actions are they fearing?

We have seen in the news e.g. that with a dumb meter, warrants can still be obtained to force people onto prepay or to disconnect supply, a smart meter isnt required for that.

For reference I already do layer up and only sparingly use my GCH.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

It’s when they start differentiated pricing at peak times everyone who got one will panic.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I have a dumb meter for gas, and still paying the unit price from 2021 so still very cheap for me. I don't get why people want a smart meter, it'll be something that you will keep checking and worrying about where I'm happy to just pay what I use. That and they can change the charges when they want can't be a good thing.

Edit...

'Smart meters to save UK households only £11 a year, report finds' - Various sources...

So £11 for the stress of watching a meter, trying to turn off things that you won't usually bother in hope of saving less than a quid a month... Not for me.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

What Seph said.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Well you on an expired tariff so yeah you paying obsolete cheaper prices now, you in for a shock when the tariff runs out though, although looks like you have ridden through the worst of it as its forecasted for prices to drop in July. (although will still be at least 2x 2021 pricing).

The thing you mentioned about constantly watching your usage would be the in home display device, mine is powered off. However I dont think its a bad thing if a smart meter and/or the IHD can help identify a energy guzzling device in the home.

It is a free country and I think choice is king, but I dont think smart meters are some kind of trick to con people. The obvious benefits and motivations for a supplier to want people to have smart meters is we can be done away with estimated readings, so many people have bills based on estimated not actual usage.

I also think time of use tariffs are the future. Let people benefit from cheap off peak energy. Its a shame only Octopus is modernising and the rest of the industry is stuck in old ways.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I agree, but I have enough on the meter for a good few of years yet, but I budget for everything. If or when it goes up it's not a problem. The refund from the £400 for bills has been put aside for just that, but for me it doesn't change anything, just using it for the intended purposes. My point is there's more to life than watching a figure go up on a meter and try to figure out what else you can turn off when it doesn't really amount to much.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Time of use tariff can only benefit the supplier. No way can it benefit the customer. In this century, we should be able to have power on tap at a uniform price 24x7x365.\

Exactly... Its good of you to know this!!

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Yes but people love looking at read outs. I have the inside/outside temperature projected onto the bedroom wall every night, it's fascinating ;)
However I've resisted the urge for a smart meter, far too boring. Plus you'd never use the tumble drier again...

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

So which country on this planet is able to manage that, whatever the level of demand?

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Isnt that what the normal/standard rate is ?
Mine is the same at all times of the day, 7 days a week.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Im perfectly aware of that, However, you stated ;

"we should be able to have power on tap at a uniform price 24x7x365 "

Thats already how it works for the vast majority of people.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

The tariffs already exist and are currently considerably cheaper than the government cap rates and have been for most of the past 6 months. Martin has also caught on now and been recommending them to people who arent risk averse on his ITV show.

http://mysmartenergy.uk/Tracker/Southern-England

The red line on that graph is unit rate for the government cap.

Its similar on Agile (time of day electric) where big chunks of the day are cheaper.

I think you seem to be extremely risk averse so prefer an assured price 24/7 than a variable follow wholesale costs type of pricing. Even if it means you paying too much at off peak periods, knowing that you wont pay more than your assured price at peak.

Currently my agile tariff is capped at the government unit rate so ironically I have the same assurance as you now (with half of the standing charge) and cheaper off peak pricing.

I do believe choice is king so I wouldnt be against legacy tariffs remaining available as a choice for risk averse people. (smart meters can be used on legacy pricing, you not required to use a time of day or tracker tariff)

Attaching my today electric costs. it also shows the price I am paying today for gas. :)

Even better is these costs arent subsidised, they are "naturally" cheaper, the current SVR (fixed unit rates) would be much higher without the government subsidies.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Me too, The same date every. Month,

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I have weekly readings since 2nd August 1987.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Germany had to have plans in place for gas shortages. IIRC Legally domestic gas cannot be cut off, but industrial usage can. Bear in mind the more recent energy prices increases started in part due to German shortage of gas for electricity generation. They over-relied on wind power and ran short on gas., because they were shutting down nuclear and coal.


In the US, some areas, do have daily changes for regional shortages, and the prices can be scary.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

Got sent a neat device from Octopus (Octopus mini,) and now dont need the IHD, just view all live, and current day usage in the app, really neat.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

No fluffy octopus and now, no mini octopus, the queue is 11,000 long. Pissed off.

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

I only applied for this about a month or two ago, so didnt take me long to get to front of queue. I would apply. :)

Re: The Smart Meter Con
 

My wife has daily reading since around 2011 when we had the solar panels installed. Gas, electric and generated.