Smart Meters and Tariffs - Page 63

**Paul** · 25-05-2025, 00:16

Sadly we are out for lunch tomorrow, so wont be paid to cook at home this time.

---------- Post added at 00:16 ---------- Previous post was at 00:14 ----------

Atm the predictor is showing some negative for Monday as well, although not as much as Sunday.

**Paul** · 27-05-2025, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

All the recent sunshine is showing up in UK power generation.

Last weekend (May 17th) solar generation hit 39.5% of total generation (wind was 23.1%).

This weekend (May 25th) their combined total hit 76% (solar 30%).
On top of that Nuclear was almost 13.5% while Gas generated just over 5%, hence the cheap/negative rates.

peanut · 27-05-2025, 08:37

Well I took the plunge and got 'smart meters'. Within 2 days the 'In Home Display' has now failed and no longer works.

The first night it said our gas has been disconnected (it hasn't). Day 2, the meter can not be found. Great start.

SnoopZ · 27-05-2025, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut

Well I took the plunge and got 'smart meters'. Within 2 days the 'In Home Display' has now failed and no longer works.

The first night it said our gas has been disconnected (it hasn't). Day 2, the meter can not be found. Great start.

Hopefully you haven't got issues with your meters and it is just your IHD which to be honest doesn't really do much, mines in the drawer unused. If you're with Octopus I recommend getting their Home Mini which is free, this allows you to see live readings for Electricity and half hour readings for Gas via the Octopus app and I have found it very useful.

Taf · 27-05-2025, 11:45

My latest bill from Scottish Power says that I could save around £150 p.a. if I switched to their Charity Fixed Tariff. But that could be a lower amount than the upcoming drop in the Cap.

Meanwhile, a flurry of Indian callers have been trying to get me to swap to a smart meter.

SnoopZ · 27-05-2025, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taf

My latest bill from Scottish Power says that I could save around £150 p.a. if I switched to their Charity Fixed Tariff. But that could be a lower amount than the upcoming drop in the Cap.

Meanwhile, a flurry of Indian callers have been trying to get me to swap to a smart meter.

Does the Charity Fixed Tariff have exit fees? If it does I would hold out for a better deal later on.

Your mistake is answering the phone to unknown numbers.

peanut · 27-05-2025, 13:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopZ

Hopefully you haven't got issues with your meters and it is just your IHD which to be honest doesn't really do much, mines in the drawer unused. If you're with Octopus I recommend getting their Home Mini which is free, this allows you to see live readings for Electricity and half hour readings for Gas via the Octopus app and I have found it very useful.

Not sure if I have issues with the actual meters as yet. No doubt when the next bill is due I'll find out.

Saying that, obviously when I had the display thing it was a bit of a novelty to see how much energy things took I was taken aback a bit. I'm with EDF and as it stands I'm over £470 in credit with them.

I tend to do what I want without worry if I need to put the heating on or the oven etc (I bake a lot) but with that meter thing I can see how it can help people to reduce their bills and for that 1 day it was working it did have a negative impact on me. Basically I don't want to know how much energy I'm using up all I want to do is pay the bill whatever it is and have the freedom of not caring about such things.

I'll see if the bills are the same but I won't be chasing up to sort out the home display thing out. It can go in the bin (or drawer) for all I care.

SnoopZ · 27-05-2025, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut

Not sure if I have issues with the actual meters as yet. No doubt when the next bill is due I'll find out.

Saying that, obviously when I had the display thing it was a bit of a novelty to see how much energy things took I was taken aback a bit. I'm with EDF and as it stands I'm over £470 in credit with them.

I tend to do what I want without worry if I need to put the heating on or the oven etc (I bake a lot) but with that meter thing I can see how it can help people to reduce their bills and for that 1 day it was working it did have a negative impact on me. Basically I don't want to know how much energy I'm using up all I want to do is pay the bill whatever it is and have the freedom of not caring about such things.

I'll see if the bills are the same but I won't be chasing up to sort out the home display thing out. It can go in the bin (or drawer) for all I care.

Take photos of both meter readings regularly and check once a month to see if they have pulled the correct meter readings from the meters or it could become a problem if not noticed.

peanut · 27-05-2025, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopZ

Take photos of both meter readings regularly and check once a month to see if they have pulled the correct meter readings from the meters or it could become a problem if not noticed.

Thanks, sound advice and will now being doing that.

Sirius · 27-05-2025, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoopZ

Your mistake is answering the phone to unknown numbers.

I never answer a number i don't know. I check it out first on https://who-called.co.uk/. A little bit of common sense saves me all the hassle

If they don't send there number then i don't even need to check it out as i never answer them ether

SnoopZ · 27-05-2025, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius

I never answer a number i don't know. I check it out first on https://who-called.co.uk/. A little bit of common sense saves me all the hassle

If they don't send there number then i don't even need to check it out as i never answer them ether

On my Google Pixel 9 XL it even tells me if they suspect the incoming call is spam and that helps me alot.

Mr K · 27-05-2025, 20:26

There is always the opt out of marketing or giving them a duff phone number options. Much more effective.

SnoopZ · 27-05-2025, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut

Thanks, sound advice and will now being doing that.

Octopus always pull my meter reading on the first of each month and they show up in the app so I always take my photos then and compare and it so far has always been correct.

**Paul** · 27-05-2025, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut

Well I took the plunge and got 'smart meters'. Within 2 days the 'In Home Display' has now failed and no longer works.

Failed how ?
They are prone to disconnecting unless very close to the meter.
Like many on Octopus, I ditched mine and use the home mini instead.

There are sites/apps you can register with to view your meter data from the DCC, 'Bright' for example.

downquark1 · 28-05-2025, 10:00

Mine never worked.