General Chat

Anyone had one fitted? If so have you had any problems. We are having one wished upon us in July.

The latest generation work fine no problems and even have a mobile app. If you are not interested in reducing yr power bill ( they work with gas too ) just ignore it.

When I got a phone message from my supplier informing me they had been 'constantly' trying to contact me (why didn't they leave a message earlier then?) I looked on this site:

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/do-i-have-to-accept-a-smart-meter

I haven't accepted one - I know the iron, kettle and microwave use a lot of electricity, I have no reason to see a set of numbers in another form :-(

Had ours for some months now, no problems. We had it installed because OH had to lie on the floor to read the gas meter and climb up to read the electricity one every month lol

Good reason, Sue!!
:-D :-D

It was Maggie...lolol excellent planning by the utility companies when they installed the blasted things years ago :-D

I'm also thinking of changing provider soon, and 'Smart' meters can cause problems :-(

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.

My point exactly, Det. :-D

'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.

..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?

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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! :-) :-)

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.

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