Smart Meter

I had to have a Smart meter fitted because when Octopus changed the gas meter - the read-out was on the front of the meter, which is set into a box in the ground and it was virtually impossible to read it! The previous one had the screen on the top and was easy.

The In House Display - the only bit that's of benefit to me, as opposed to the energy company, didn't work for months and when they did get it working it only lasted a few weeks before it packed up again.

Other than saving me having to become a contortionist, performing with a mirror in the meter box ro read it - I get no benefit from this so-called 'smart' meter whatsoever.

We often get texts, emails or phone calls telling us when fitters will be in the area and "please pick whichever of these dates is most convenient" to have them fitted. We just ignore the messages. Have no desire really to get them, we're fairly careful with energy use anyway. And the latest speculation about "surge charging" just makes me even more sceptical. 

All the negatives over the last 3 pages on this thread is my worst nightmare coming to pass. We are entering a crazy time for energy bills & I for one want total control over every aspect I can have. The ‘remote’ part of an energy meter is something I’m not willing to accept now I’ve tried them & found them wanting. BG, the ones I had my smart part of the meter with took a multitude of readings & when I got a chance to check them it was put into reams of digital numbers. Everyone knows how to confuse folk-‘throw figures at them, with no way of checking them’. Never again will I lose control of my energy meter. I know to 1/10th of a penny what the cost of my next bill be👍🏻

I just can't see the logic of not having a smart meter, especially if any new meter installed starts as a smart meter but with the electronic transfer of readings switched off which I understand is a choice the consumer can make. I am with Octopus Energy and I get monthly bills which I much prefer to the previous quarterly bills. I don't see the point of me providing readings manually or worst still having to put up with estimated ones if the little man in a van is not in my district when I need a  reading. We have the technology, lets use it?

David

We held out against them for years, even with a smart only tariff! Had to give in last September.

Had to clear each of the understairs cupboards, one meter in each, guy arrived and was very rude, couldn't wouldn't do the gas as there was lead. Refused to do the electric one, as they both had to be done! Then sat in his van across the road for 2 hours 😤😤😤😤. I made a complaint but didn't follow it up - to much else on the go! Another guy came and changed them weeks later so same empty and put back fun.

Noticed my December bill was estimated , turns out they'd failed within weeks. I put the little stand alone gizmo that told me what I already know ( putting the kettle on uses much power!) back in the box.

Finally had them come out to swap the tech bit took over 2 hours! More comments re lead. My main reason for allowing was to find out how to read the meter for 'moving ' day. Not impressed. so far so good fir lastv3 weeks...

Our daughter who lives in New Zealand has had smart meters since she arrived over 14 years ago, never had an issue. The proper tech is out there but we can't use it in this country.....

My advice resist for as long as possible.

We to have a first generation Smart Meter installed by B G part of a Low Tarif deal. When we switched Energy supplier the Smart Meter wasn't very smart and so I had to send my readings in. Our contract ends in March and conveniently the Smart Meter is now being read by our present Energy Supplier.

We had one since they first came out. Excellent bit of kit. They did check the mobile signal in the meter cupboard before installation. No more ridiculous estimates and phoning to get them sorted. A couple of years ago they changed it for the more modern version that can be used with any supplier, installed by Eon in each case. I quite like the display, on a few  occasions it has prompted me to turn something off that I hadn’t realised had been left on. Initially our bills were quarterly, however for the last few years they interrogate it monthly and a new bill is generated. No paper involved, all online.

We kept getting communications from EDF offering us a smart meter but every time I contacted them I was told that they weren't available. However, we did eventually get one but I'm now rather suspicious of its accuracy. The onscreen figures shown in the house seem very strange and inconsistent. There have been a number of times when the cost per day is showing more than the cost for the week. Similarly the monthly cost (during the winter) has sometimes shown a figure far less than what I pay each month. At other times it appears to be a bit more accurate - but is it?

We are told that these meters will help us manage our fuel usage but if the figures can't be relied upon, what is the point? A long session with EDF proved to be a waste of time ending up with them just telling me to "keep an eye on it". 

We are with Octopus. Monthly bills, all online, all OH does is just spend 30 seconds a month reading meters. We don’t let them alter our payments, got sick of this when I did it for Mum. Of course things go down in Summer, it’s warmer and we are away a lot. Much prefer to go into Winter months with a bit of a buffer, then we happily heat to what we feel we need.

DK, you live in the past I’m afraid🤷🏻‍♂️. My ex smart meter doesn’t need a ‘little man in a van’-on the 14th of every month I get an email-‘submit reading’ the point of manual readings is this-you are in full control. I then take a screen shot then put it in the ‘submit reading’ box. I lose maybe 60seconds a month, I’ll struggle on👍🏻. Anyone who trusts their energy company never to make a mistake or take advantage of them totally controlling their energy & readings are too if not very trusting. Energy companies hold excess payments of consumers that run into £millions the owners of that money have to fight to get that(their own) money back☹️