General Chat

When we moved into this house, almost 30 years ago, we checked out the cost of solar panels and discovered it would take 20 years to recoup the outlay.

As I have never lived anywhere near that length of time, we did not bother, as it was never our intention to be here so long.

If I thought one of the children or grandchildren would like to live here, I'd install solar panels immediately - after installing a new roof first so 'up top' had a long shelf life.

I find it crazy to have lived in one place so long but that's the result of this being the home we eventually retired in and OH won't be shifted for love nor money.

Even if we installed solar panels we wouldn't live long enough to see any financial benefit...lolol

Not everyone can afford to upgrade to solar etc Rollo as you well know hence you put it in as you're obviously so rich and green/uptodate.....envious?....nope not at all

Sorry Sue, words of one syllable needed, Rolo not understand!!!
..it's 'from the past'!! :-D :-D :-D


...and we all know he's a pseudo 'youff' :-D

We lived without mains gas for nearly 30 years. An assortment of bottled gas, oil and wet pele mond burned on the Rayburn were our alternatives. Even with 3 small children we managed quite well and of all the alternatives bottled gas was the most expensive.

Pele mond was dirt cheap...lolol that's what we had at the farm.

I do like the mains gas we have now as when there is a power cut we can still cook something quickly.

You can only avail yourself of what is available in rural areas.

It's not a case of 'preferring to live in the past' - it's a case of councils and utility companies who make vast profits not being willing to pay for utilities to be provided.
Much like mobile phone providers.


..and in the case of my Calor Gas cooker - I dislike electric cookers, It was rented property with no mains gas.
Not, of course that I should have to justify anything to you, but as you're intent on not actually bothering to read what anyone else says, just putting down any one not as 'up to date' and as you consider yourself to be, I thought I'd explain in simple terms, just for you, or if you prefer J4Y.

..I loved my Calor gas cooker :-(

Some areas, of course, STILL don't have mains gas, so no matter how much opinions are voiced, non-mains gas cookers etc are still needed and used :-D

So Rollo why weren't you a good brother and rig your sister up with the water pressure dohicky you mentioned earlier?

Bottled gas is very expensive. When my sister got the chance to go on the grid she grabbed it. The current smart meters monitor grid gas as well as electricity.

At some future point trad arrangements will no longer be an option. Given the slow roll out of the current not very smart devices that is years away but the day will come.

Meter readers will join the ranks of lamp lighters, clock setters, railway guards and crossing keepers, piano tuners and shorthand typists.

I haven't got one and don't want one! I just ignore the leaflets telling me how great they are and how much I will save when I stop leaving things on standby. Nothing is on standby! If I'm not going to use the computer for a while, it gets switched off and the same applies to the TV.

I don't have a freezer or a microwave or a tumble dryer; central heating, hot water and cooking are gas (bottled) so I couldn't cut down much if I tried! :-) :-)

Had one for a year or so no trouble whatsoever :-)

Chris, both our electricity and gas are bought from a single supplier. A few years ago our energy supplier wanted to hike up our monthly payment by a considerable amount.

Until then I had actually worked out the usage costs myself and when I calculated the costs of both forms of energy, I discovered one reading was slightly higher and one slightly lower so I rang to say that I thought our monthly payment ought to stay the same. The excuse I received for the hike was that the slightly higher usage fell upward into the next band of costs. The company would not take into account the slightly lower usage of the other form of energy and insisted on charging us the higher rate.

So, apparently that company operated a usage-bands system.

I exercised my rights to move to another supplier.

Actually we already have a meter that reads the amount of electricity used, although we have a normal one for reading useage. The small one was provided some years ago and we are well aware of our useage. I didn't want it but OH who reads the meters does.

We had one installed in 2015 because I thought It would be better than me struggling to read the meters that are floor level in the back of the understairs cupboard

Plus I got fed up with meter readers who thought it was ok to traipse over my lounge carpet with dirty shoes on!!

Had a a little time and and the monitor kept cutting out. It was replaced with no problem

I dont cut back on the usage of gas or electric as we always did be careful with not leaving unnecessary lights in etc . The gas is just the multipoint and central heating anyway

I do use less electric as I don't cook everyday now I am on my own , plus less water too so less gas heating it and the water bill that is also metered has gone down

My parents moved into a retirement property last September that was on a tariff (electricity only) that was unbelievably complicated.

We changed their electric only radiators to newer cost efficient ones and changed the tariff, same supplier, to fit in with their likely usage (After in depth consultation). Direct debit £46 per month.

We then had a smart meter fitted in March this year.

May this year their monthly standing order has increased from £42 to £96 per month
:-(

I know there is obviously something wrong with the calculations, and luckily my parents can afford to pay until we sort it out....But what about those who are not able to, or don't have the support to do so :-(

My advice......Be wary with smart meters until they are proved to be working as they should.

Chris

I believe Ann was asking about Smart meters, not how to spend money unnecessarily on useless water usage!

..and it's an unnecessary 'hidden' charge to ALL customers :-(

Also, I don't have a Smartphone, but why would I need to see how much electricity was being used when the house is empty?

'They' may try to 'sell' it to consumers as an encouragement to reduce their usage, but who really benefits? The power companies who will no longer need meter readers and their associated costs.

In a worse case scenario, you could get people so scared that they are reducing their use to a dangerous level. No hot drinks, turning the heating down too low, not watching TV even though its their only 'company' & generally making their own lives miserable.

My point exactly, Det. :-D

You don't have to have it, Ann, or at least not at the moment.

Pros and Cons (Oct 2016)
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/oct/01/
smart-meter-energy-saving-revolution-cut-bills-gas-electricity

They may help the younger generation appreciate the minute by minute cost of their power usage, Those of us who have been around for longer are already aware.