Smart meter

[upnortheast]

Just had an email from Npower inviting themselves to come & install a smart meter in the house.

The farm supply is a smart meter ( but without the infant school display ) but seems pretty crap at sending in readings. I told the guy when he installed it the a Vodafone sim was a waste of time on this site - but he knew best !

Do we have to let them install one or can we say we are happy as we are ?

 

[franklin]

I think the government are making them do it.
Meter belongs to them, so just let them get it done.

 

[Gormers]

Is it correct that if you swap energy suppliers you have to swap smart meter?
Just told eon I don’t want one

 

[Steevo]

Is it correct that if you swap energy suppliers you have to swap smart meter?
Just told eon I don’t want one

Some smart meters will stop working if you swap suppliers as not all suppliers are currently set up to use smart meters for readings. Mainly the big boys who are geared up for it....but often they are the least competitive.

 

[Happy]

No you don't have to have a smart meter but the electricity suppliers want you to think it is.

Cut a long story short. Had one fitted in house by E.on after which we got tripping of the RCD on a nightly basis which had never happened before. They denied smart meter could be cause. Ended up getting electrician to by pass the meter for a night to prove otherwise. Been trouble free in 4 months since they replaced with an old style meter.

Wouldn't want one again in a hurry that's for sure.

 

[phillipe]

They to!d us we had to have one i said bring it on ,man arrives and tests the signal and annouces you have no signal ,i know i said i told your office that ,notning has a signal here,i have wasted my time he says ,i know i say ,muppets

 

[farmerm]

Am I right in thinking smart meters become dumb meters when you switch to a differernt supplier than the one who installed the meter..?

 

[Gormers]

Some smart meters will stop working if you swap suppliers as not all suppliers are currently set up to use smart meters for readings. Mainly the big boys who are geared up for it....but often they are the least competitive.

Thanks @Steevo
Thought they were a bit pushy...that’s why I turned it down

 

[Steevo]

Am I right in thinking smart meters become dumb meters when you switch to a differernt supplier than the one who installed the meter..?

Yep. See my post above.

 

[Lincs Lass]

According to the Martin Lewis money site ,you do not have a smart meter if you dont want one and you can refuse the engineer entry

 

[Lincsman]

Dont get one if you have a domestic set of solar panels, they then know what you actually export, which could be less than the deemed amount if you are running emersion heaters etc.

 

[Exfarmer]

Dont get one if you have a domestic set of solar panels, they then know what you actually export, which could be less than the deemed amount if you are running emersion heaters etc.

You are correct, except this relies upon the smart meter returning the information to the right source. They are not set up for doing this as I understan so I would not worry too much.
The intention had been that these two shoukd be linked, quite correctly, but we are a long way from there. Data sharing between networks without all permissions ascertained of course is very questionable.

 

[Clive]

Some smart meters will stop working if you swap suppliers as not all suppliers are currently set up to use smart meters for readings. Mainly the big boys who are geared up for it....but often they are the least competitive.

recently swapped supplier and all our smart meters stopped working

 

[devonshire farmer]

They kept ringing me about one but they don’t work Saturdays, I told them ring me when your prepared to put yourselves out, gone quiet now!

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Chap from Npower rings up
We're installing Smart Meters this month in your area
When can we fit yours?
Why do I need one?
Because they are more efficient?
How come?
Because you don't get estimated readings?
I don't get estimated bills now, an Accuread man reads the meters or I read them and ring the readings in
You won't have to do that, it will automatically send the readings to us
It will be more efficient as you can tell how much electric you are using and switch things off
I don't want to switch things off
The only person it will be more efficient for is the energy provider
No difference to me, so good day to you

 

[Steevo]

Chap from Npower rings up
We're installing Smart Meters this month in your area
When can we fit yours?
Why do I need one?
Because they are more efficient?
How come?
Because you don't get estimated readings?
I don't get estimated bills now, an Accuread man reads the meters or I read them and ring the readings in
You won't have to do that, it will automatically send the readings to us
It will be more efficient as you can tell how much electric you are using and switch things off
I don't want to switch things off
The only person it will be more efficient for is the energy provider
No difference to me, so good day to you

I like ours. Nice not to have to take readings regularly and know bills are accurate and up to date. Works well and adds efficiency..

Having 5 different meters to read is more hassle than just one or two though. Must be a big help for those with 10 or 100 meters!

 

[devonshire farmer]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/six-reasons-say-no-smart-meter/

 

[Clive]

I liked ours when the worked - was great for moaning at wife and kids about leaving stuff on

 

[devonshire farmer]

I liked ours when the worked - was great for moaning at wife and kids about leaving stuff on

If only they realised that when they are working so is everyone else!

 

[Lincsman]

I like ours. Nice not to have to take readings regularly and know bills are accurate and up to date. Works well and adds efficiency..

Having 5 different meters to read is more hassle than just one or two though. Must be a big help for those with 10 or 100 meters!

When British gas had some smart meters in my grain store they still estimated them, from a date the smart meter sent a reading to the date the bill was printed. Anyway I ended their contract and Eon removed them along with a heap of power that was never billed because BG thought there was only 1 meter when in fact they had fitted 3. (1 for each phase)

Its good to change supplier, they usually screw up and you can get free power!