Smart Meters

[Haliotis]

17 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Criticsm of the in-home displays:

Octopus Energy boss criticises smart meters as households struggle with faulty devices (msn.com)

Next time I ‘have a go’ at Octopus over my smart meter argument, I’ll make sure to point out to the agent that his/her boss shares my views.  What’s good enough for him is good enough for me!

[Puglet]

We had smart meters fitted last year, we to had the 'threat' your old meters are out of date, which I knew they were, funnily enough the gas meter had been changed once but that was now nearly 20 years old and the electricity meter was original one, so very very old. 

I agree, I was quite happy doing the manual online meter readings, getting a bill few days later and then paying, but not sure on the legalities but as the energy companies own the meters etc. etc. decided to swap.

Thankfully, the install went ok, they was an issue with the gas meter cos a few years ago we had a gas leak and they came out, fixed the leak, but changed the connections, which although were perfectly safe and fine as fixed by Transco/Cadent, it was not to 'standard' as per our supplier, which was strange.

Anyway, the install went ok and the energy hub is working ok and the online hub is handy, but hasn't really changed our usage cos being old school we turn off what not using etc. etc. like many on here I suppose. It is handy to see what lights/appliances use the most energy, but not really altered our use of those.

I think someone told me you can have the 'smart' part of the meter turned off if you prefer, but knowing how big brother we are today, bet they can still monitor what you are doing in the background for energy supply reasons.

[Bper]

3 hours ago, Puglet said:

We had smart meters fitted last year, we to had the 'threat' your old meters are out of date, which I knew they were, funnily enough the gas meter had been changed once but that was now nearly 20 years old and the electricity meter was original one, so very very old. 

I agree, I was quite happy doing the manual online meter readings, getting a bill few days later and then paying, but not sure on the legalities but as the energy companies own the meters etc. etc. decided to swap.

Thankfully, the install went ok, they was an issue with the gas meter cos a few years ago we had a gas leak and they came out, fixed the leak, but changed the connections, which although were perfectly safe and fine as fixed by Transco/Cadent, it was not to 'standard' as per our supplier, which was strange.

Anyway, the install went ok and the energy hub is working ok and the online hub is handy, but hasn't really changed our usage cos being old school we turn off what not using etc. etc. like many on here I suppose. It is handy to see what lights/appliances use the most energy, but not really altered our use of those.

I think someone told me you can have the 'smart' part of the meter turned off if you prefer, but knowing how big brother we are today, bet they can still monitor what you are doing in the background for energy supply reasons.

Hi Steve, 

The energy companies own nothing, they have a licence to provide you with gas and electricity and they meet generators and consumers in the middle. These companies buy electricity from generators, which they then sell to customers.

Regarding your comment energy companies own the meters etc., they don't. Who owned the meter before you switched to various energy companies to get a better deal? Who owns it when you leave?

The actual ownership of an original installed meter would be the area distribution network operator who installed the main cable to your main cutout in your distribution cupboard and when the domestic electrical installation is completed and tested a request for metering is made and either in-house or third party approved contractors will install the meter.

The government has been pushing smart meter installation as part of their net zero agenda and the suppliers are under pressure as the smart meter targets are not being met. The government imposed redress fines of £1million on these companies for missed smart meter installation targets and have said that they will look at further measures if they are still not met.

Consumers have been switching suppliers for years so based on this every energy supplier would at some stage own your meter which is b*****s.

You are legally allowed to ask an approved meter installation company to install a new meter and they should inform the distribution company, in our case South Eastern, that they intend to replace this.

So by paying for this to be changed who owns the meter now.? who also pays for a smart meter change that you don't want, you do by inflated energy prices.

Make no mistake about these energy suppliers, just look at the profits being made and the director pay packets. And when they go bust who bails them out, we do.😡

 

[Roy124]

Bob, agree with what you say.  What was interesting was a smart meter requested from our supplier,  Scottish Power, could not be connected as we had switched to Ovo between request and fitting

[Puglet]

Agree, thinking about it as you say it would be the distribution company who owns it i.e Transco etc. All I do know is we don't own it or can touch it. They just so busy pushing these meters we had a supply company van/installer to do both. As you say it all target driven, they been pushing us since before Covid, then that gave us a few years off, but it all ramped up again. I knew for sure our very old disc type electricity meter was decades old, so we on borrowed time anyway and eventually it would have had to be changed.

Thankfully our install went ok and the meter readings it taking are correct which is the main thing.

[Primus1]

My meter is so old the readings are in Roman numerals…

[Audrius1970]

I got smart meters instaled year ago. My life changed then. Problems started when they stopping transmit signal sometimes, it depends maybe on political situation in country, I dont know.

This morning I wake up and find out, that somehow over night, according smart meter I used £3.82 of gas and electricity (daily average dose of my house). After 4 hours that number fall down to £2.55. I closely watching now, expecting at evening down to zero and going to minus. 😁

[Haliotis]

Blow that for a game of soldiers, Audrius.  A bit like waiting for a time bomb to stop ticking!

I am aware of roughly what energy I am using at any one time.  All I want is are accurate, reliable meters and to read my meters and email the readings to my supplier - no fuss, no palava, job done! 

[Bper]

21 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

Blow that for a game of soldiers, Audrius.  A bit like waiting for a time bomb to stop ticking!

I am aware of roughly what energy I am using at any one time.  All I want is are accurate, reliable meters and to read my meters and email the readings to my supplier - no fuss, no palava, job done! 

Albert, as I mentioned in my previous posts you have alternatives. The other option if you are not happy is switch supplier. A few of these do not insist on a smart meter.🙂

[Roy124]

@Haliotis  the meter I have, or rather supplier, is not that smart. 

The charge is composed of 3 elements: the kW consumed, the daily charge, and 5%VAT on both.  For simplicity they say the cost shown is only for the kW energy consumed.  Except it isn't.

My electric cost display includes the daily standing charge.  The gas display doesn't. 

Like you I know what I am using.  We have solar panels, with the sunshining we minimise appliance usage to match solar and Battery capacity. 

[Puglet]

I totally agree about peoples' worries about smart meters, I was one of them, that's why I delayed it so long, we were even on a couple of fixed tariffs that said you must have a smart meter, but that didn't happen. They have tried the softly softly approach, which obviously didn't improve installations and the tech loving peeps have been exhausted, so I bet now they are on the hardcore of peeps not wanting one so are pursuing the strong arm/threat approach. As I said I was perfectly happy doing manual reads, entering online and paying online as well on our decades old electric and gas meters, which apart from a small gas leak, worked perfectly for decades. They need to concentrate on improving the core infrastructure and power grid, but then again think already mentioned we all paying for this tech anyway in our bills so they covered that one off as well.

[Trewithy]

Can anyone confirm that the price showing on my In House Monitor for the smart meter includes the daily standing charge.

[Bper]

14 minutes ago, Trewithy said:

Can anyone confirm that the price showing on my In House Monitor for the smart meter includes the daily standing charge.

Hi Kevin, it is supposed to show they are included in the total on your Smart Energy Monitor or in-home energy display which tells you how much energy you’ve used per day, week, and month.

[Roy124]

41 minutes ago, Trewithy said:

Can anyone confirm that the price showing on my In House Monitor for the smart meter includes the daily standing charge.

No.

Ovo flatly deny it does.  The electric display does.   The gas does not.

Apart from staying up until midnight, look at your electric consumption in the morning.  Assume 30p/kW and 50p standing charge.  If your consumption is 2kW the cost will show as 60p or £1.20.

For gas assume 9p/kW and 30p.  In our case gas kW is 0 therefore the cost should be zero.

[Bper]

1 minute ago, Roy124 said:

No.

Ovo flatly deny it does.  The electric display does.   The gas does not.

Apart from staying up until midnight, look at your electric consumption in the morning.  Assume 30p/kW and 50p standing charge.  If your consumption is 2kW the cost will show as 60p or £1.20.

For gas assume 9p/kW and 30p.  In our case gas kW is 0 therefore the cost should be zero.

Roy I did say they are supposed to but it just shows you what a pile of s**t they are.

[Primus1]

Smart meters were introduced so they could charge more at peak usage times ( as someone else mentioned) think getting home after five and cooking your meal or switching the kettle on at half time during a major sporting event, but the smets1 meters introduced were not very smart, and I’m not sure about the smets2 , I’m with octopus and so far, they haven’t badgered us about installing a smart meter…I’m going to hold out as long as possible, but the new tactic will be only offering cheaper tariffs if you have a smart meter..

[Bper]

1 minute ago, Primus1 said:

Smart meters were introduced so they could charge more at peak usage times ( as someone else mentioned) think getting home after five and cooking your meal or switching the kettle on at half time during a major sporting event, but the smets1 meters introduced were not very smart, and I’m not sure about the smets2 , I’m with octopus and so far, they haven’t badgered us about installing a smart meter…I’m going to hold out as long as possible, but the new tactic will be only offering cheaper tariffs if you have a smart meter..

Alan, as I have said in my posts above you have a choice to change your own meter, they do not own it. It's misinformation to frighten people that they have no choice.

[Primus1]

4 hours ago, Bper said:

Alan, as I have said in my posts above you have a choice to change your own meter, they do not own it. It's misinformation to frighten people that they have no choice.

Yes your right, but, they will eventually charge you more via a different tariff if you don’t have a smart meter installed, they’ll get us one way or another…

[Cyker]

Stuff like this also doesn't incentivize me to switch...

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/smart-meter-cut-off-prepayment-meter-switch-by-stealth-warn-campaigners-142534893.html

[Roy124]

12 hours ago, Primus1 said:

Smart meters were introduced so they could charge more at peak usage times 

Actually with Ovo they have inverted that deal.   They charge more all the time but then rebate you if you use less during the 4-7 pm window. 

The payment depends on you using a specific percentage less during that time.  For the quarter Oct-Dec we hit the 13.5% reduction twice and got 2x£15.  In December with the MiL incessantly drinking tea and filling hot water bottles we missed out.

For the current quarter the payments are £5, £10 or £15 depending on your reduction.

[Haliotis]

I certainly don’t like the apparent ability for energy companies to vary the unit rate depending on time of day usage.  As far as I am concerned, the more simple the meter, the better.  The only important factor is its accuracy.  I read my meters monthly and email the readings to my supplier.  I am quite capable of understanding what energy I have used, and do not want these all-singing-and-dancing smart meters in my home.

[Parts-King]

On 1/27/2024 at 7:20 PM, Trewithy said:

Can anyone confirm that the price showing on my In House Monitor for the smart meter includes the daily standing charge.

It does on mine, I am with Octopus

[Mjolinor]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68130784?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

[Wooster]

Ofgem say you don not have to have a smart meter installed:  www.ofgem.gov.uk/getting-smart-meter

 

 

 

[Bper]

More to keep you looking at your smart meter 😠

Octopus Energy will also be increasing their electricity standing charge on 15th February 2024 to 49.77p a day [£181.66/annum] from currently 41.61p/day, which is a 19.6% increase. Changes to the formula will mean on average, daily electricity rates are generally around 2.3 p/kWh higher and gas rates around 0.38 p/kWh higher.