Both pictures are of tampered meters, both are extremely dangerous, but do work until you are caught. I'm condoning neither!
My last two energy companies have both failed and be taken over - neither of which I had any problems with. However their replacements (Scottish Power and the new bargain basement British Gas Evolve) were/have been a bloody nightmare.
Our Gas and Electric bills are absolutely off the scale. Calmed down a bit throughout the summer months….winter is a nightmare
anyone else got a smart meter??
Hopefully very few have been conned into getting one.
Completely ignorant to this, why are they a con?
They don’t give you any benefit but old meters generally under measure usage whereas smart meters don’t so you generally end up paying a bit more. And you pay for the leccy that runs it.
We owe british gas about £300 as our monthly payments werent enough. Gits. Will pay that and then move over to octopus energy as I'll be getting an electric cab next week and need to get a home charge sorted.
Between 12.30 and 4.30, its about 5p per kw so will only cost a little over a quid to charge my cab.
Our Gas and Electric bills are absolutely off the scale. Calmed down a bit throughout the summer months….winter is a nightmare
anyone else got a smart meter??
Hopefully very few have been conned into getting one.
Completely ignorant to this, why are they a con?
They don’t give you any benefit but old meters generally under measure usage whereas smart meters don’t so you generally end up paying a bit more. And you pay for the leccy that runs it.
surely it's only a matter of time before everyone has one then?
In France part of the objection to smart meters (there is no material gain in having one) is that too much information about your lifestyle can be gleaned from smart meter information.
I think it is about discovering your daily habits. What time and when and how you use less or more energy of what type. A smart meter is able to track more than just a monthly or quarterly bill or usage.
Saw this a couple weeks back and didn’t believe it. I have a fixed with OVO currently paying £90 a month. They are now offering me a new one year deal for same annual usage at £125 a month. An increase of £420 per year.
They have increased prices as follows.
Electric Daily standing was 18.89p now 22.82p KW PER UNIT. 14.26. now 19.60
Gas. Daily standing 16.96. now 22.14 KW PER UNIT. 2.57. now. 3.98
Try Octopus for gas and electric people, since I moved last year they’ve been really cheap and are often top of price comparison sites. They’re also easy to contact and actually speak to someone.
100% this.
Cheap, easy to contact, user friendly web site, monthly meter readings to keep on top of things and the ability to change what you pay each month by logging in and doing it yourself.
Saw this a couple weeks back and didn’t believe it. I have a fixed with OVO currently paying £90 a month. They are now offering me a new one year deal for same annual usage at £125 a month. An increase of £420 per year.
They have increased prices as follows.
Electric Daily standing was 18.89p now 22.82p KW PER UNIT. 14.26. now 19.60
Gas. Daily standing 16.96. now 22.14 KW PER UNIT. 2.57. now. 3.98
These are hefty hikes……
Just started punting around for new deal.
Well shopped a round and Nearly everybody more expensive than OVO. People recommending Octopus, here is what they quote as their best Super Green Deal.
Electric Daily Standing 23.3p per day and 19.86 per KW Gas. Daily Standing 26.59 per day and 5.33 per KW
So they are some way above my existing OVO deal, so looks like I’m staying.
Oh for the days of the LEB & the Gas Board…..so simple, could pay at the bank, post office or post them a cheque. No complicated differing tariffs. It’s a bloody minefield out there now and you have to watch them like a bloody hawk…..turned out I was £370 in credit with ScottishPower and they were still sending me bills for current usage. …..no pun intended.😌 To make things worse Anglian Water have just decided they only now supply water and not charge for drainage and waste water……that’s gone over to ScottishPower as well!!!! Nightmare taking it all in and figuring it out. 😤😵💫 When you sign up or contact them for any reason they often try to swap you over to a new tariff, supposedly one that will suit you better……I often wonder if these people you speak to are on a bonus if they set up the customer with a new tariff that in the long term benefits them not you, despite sounding so frightfully helpful and convincing at the time. Pensioners are particularly vulnerable.🤬
Looking at switching, if you are quoted a price on one of the comparison sites for a fixed 12m deal based on average usage (OVO in this case), can they then change that based on actual usage?
Looking at switching, if you are quoted a price on one of the comparison sites for a fixed 12m deal based on average usage (OVO in this case), can they then change that based on actual usage?
I would have thought so but not sure.
I recently switched to Octopus Energy and the fixed prices I was given changed in my favour when I provided them with 12 months worth of actual usage, the price went down.
Looking at switching, if you are quoted a price on one of the comparison sites for a fixed 12m deal based on average usage (OVO in this case), can they then change that based on actual usage?
as I understand it, the price quoted is per unit of energy + a fixed cost per day (a set fee not related to energy usage), related to the average use of the size of a family allied to the size of the family house... more usage than average of course means more cost, and the cost per unit + set costs is set in the contract. Usually during a deal signed for (say) 18 months, the price per energy unit + fixed cost can't be raised .. as always, the detail is in the small print
Looking at switching, if you are quoted a price on one of the comparison sites for a fixed 12m deal based on average usage (OVO in this case), can they then change that based on actual usage?
You will be charged whatever their unit price is (depending on how many units you use), plus their standing charge. If you enter your normal usage this should show your best deal, which will vary between people due to their different usages. A fixed deal will cost you the unit price quoted, what you end up owing/paying will depend if your usage is greater or less than what you usually use.
So realistically I need to be comparing the unit price on our current deal to the unit price of the potential switch?
Yes, but you also need to take into account the standing charge as well. Standing charges are often similar in which case it's neither here nor there, but they can sometimes be a fair bit more expensive.
If you put the detail into say moneysavings expert, it's pretty much all done for you, as long as you input correct usage or correct payments you make (either annually or monthly).
Was with PFP energy , got an e-mail the other day saying they have gone bust. British Gas have now taken over as my supplier without any warning . Waiting for their tariff but there is no exit charge so I expect to be shopping around very soon . Octopus on my radar already due to recommendations.
We was with Green Energy Network, until they went bust and have been taken over by EDF.
We was paying £190pm for Leccy and Gas and despite my wife doing meter readings for them every 3 months on the app, nothing changed. The wife had asked EDF for a new bill as we hadn't had one for a while but EDF was dicking around.
Imagine our surprise at the start of last week when EDF finally got in touch to say they we were in debt by £1,300 and they wanted to INCREASE OUR DD by £280pm up to the grand sum of £470pm.
Like WTF.
For context, we live in a 5 bed house (3,000 sqft-ish), underfloor heating downstairs and in bathrooms, have a man cave with air con (which is occasionally used) and our 2nd american style fridge-freezer and we have a hot tub (hmm remember me saying in the hot tub thread we hadn't noticed any significant increase in our bill?). We're really careful with lights, we never reboil the kettle (someone stands by it when its boiling to make the tea). Probably only thing we do wrong is put our washing machine on between 9am -12noon. Nothing too extravagant, the wife may leave the tv on when she goes to do something in another room without turning it off but thats about it. To be told we were in debt by £1,300 was staggering.
Green Energy have washed their hands of us, EDF wont budge so we've paid the outstanding debt outright (bad at any time but with the wife on maternity leave thats a kick in the balls we could have done without) and we've agreed an increased DD to around £230pm now, based on a fixed special rate tarriff thats only available for former Green Energy customers.
Now discussing with the wife whether to get a smart meter installed.
Take a look at Octopus, we have just changed and they are great. I have a large 4 bed house, under floor heating throughout the ground floor, second freezer in the shed, 32amp hot tub that is on 24/7, a workshop in my garage that contains every electric tool known to man plus everything else a house has today and not far off what you have apart from the AC.
I am paying Octopus £110.00 per month for gas & leccy and at the moment in credit due to the summer months, I suspect the credit will be used up in the winter but I am not expecting any major bills.
They send me a monthly email to remind me to submit monthly meter readings and you can change how much you pay each month with a couple of clicks, no calling customer services.
Oh, and I forgot to add above, my new supplier - Igloo - actually pays interest if you are in credit. Something like 3% too - so better than most bank accounts.
I have been with Igloo for around 18 months and get 3% interest when in credit. Was thinking of crediting my life savings to my energy account... However, Igloo has just announced a 14% increase taking my initial monthly payment of around £46 to over £70. This is the second increase this year. I belong to Martin Lewis's cheap energy club who email me when my tariff becomes uncompetitive by whatever amount I pre-select. Just been advised its time to switch. Will be a pity as I appreciated the principle of being paid the interest. Hopefully I will find a new supplier who will do the same.
Just a bit off subject but linked. I've been arm wrestling with OVO after messages that my electric meter has not been sending readings to them. This made me check on my gas usage which although my gas boiler is timed to heat my water at the same time each day sometimes varies considerably. I contacted OVO four weeks ago for an explanation and they said there had been a upgrade and asked for meter readings. They emailed me two weeks ago thanking me for sending the readings and my problem would be sorted within the next 45 days. I phoned OVO this morning and they said it was a national problem with all smart meters that were unable to connect meter usage to accounts. Anyone heard this or is it bull shit.
Comments
Both pictures are of tampered meters, both are extremely dangerous, but do work until you are caught. I'm condoning neither!
My last two energy companies have both failed and be taken over - neither of which I had any problems with. However their replacements (Scottish Power and the new bargain basement British Gas Evolve) were/have been a bloody nightmare.
Between 12.30 and 4.30, its about 5p per kw so will only cost a little over a quid to charge my cab.
A smart meter is able to track more than just a monthly or quarterly bill or usage.
They have increased prices as follows.
Electric Daily standing was 18.89p now 22.82p
KW PER UNIT. 14.26. now 19.60
Gas. Daily standing 16.96. now 22.14
KW PER UNIT. 2.57. now. 3.98
These are hefty hikes……
Just started punting around for new deal.
But I've got two smart meters that my current supplier are unable to read so I have to do monthly update reads on line.
Cheap, easy to contact, user friendly web site, monthly meter readings to keep on top of things and the ability to change what you pay each month by logging in and doing it yourself.
Electric Daily Standing 23.3p per day and 19.86 per KW
Gas. Daily Standing 26.59 per day and 5.33 per KW
So they are some way above my existing OVO deal, so looks like I’m staying.
electric 23 p standing charge 19.67p per kw
gas 26 p standing charge 3.73p per kw
It’s a bloody minefield out there now and you have to watch them like a bloody hawk…..turned out I was £370 in credit with ScottishPower and they were still sending me bills for current usage. …..no pun intended.😌
To make things worse Anglian Water have just decided they only now supply water and not charge for drainage and waste water……that’s gone over to ScottishPower as well!!!!
Nightmare taking it all in and figuring it out. 😤😵💫
When you sign up or contact them for any reason they often try to swap you over to a new tariff, supposedly one that will suit you better……I often wonder if these people you speak to are on a bonus if they set up the customer with a new tariff that in the long term benefits them not you, despite sounding so frightfully helpful and convincing at the time.
Pensioners are particularly vulnerable.🤬
I recently switched to Octopus Energy and the fixed prices I was given changed in my favour when I provided them with 12 months worth of actual usage, the price went down.
If you enter your normal usage this should show your best deal, which will vary between people due to their different usages.
A fixed deal will cost you the unit price quoted, what you end up owing/paying will depend if your usage is greater or less than what you usually use.
Standing charges are often similar in which case it's neither here nor there, but they can sometimes be a fair bit more expensive.
If you put the detail into say moneysavings expert, it's pretty much all done for you, as long as you input correct usage or correct payments you make (either annually or monthly).
We was paying £190pm for Leccy and Gas and despite my wife doing meter readings for them every 3 months on the app, nothing changed. The wife had asked EDF for a new bill as we hadn't had one for a while but EDF was dicking around.
Imagine our surprise at the start of last week when EDF finally got in touch to say they we were in debt by £1,300 and they wanted to INCREASE OUR DD by £280pm up to the grand sum of £470pm.
Like WTF.
For context, we live in a 5 bed house (3,000 sqft-ish), underfloor heating downstairs and in bathrooms, have a man cave with air con (which is occasionally used) and our 2nd american style fridge-freezer and we have a hot tub (hmm remember me saying in the hot tub thread we hadn't noticed any significant increase in our bill?). We're really careful with lights, we never reboil the kettle (someone stands by it when its boiling to make the tea). Probably only thing we do wrong is put our washing machine on between 9am -12noon. Nothing too extravagant, the wife may leave the tv on when she goes to do something in another room without turning it off but thats about it. To be told we were in debt by £1,300 was staggering.
Green Energy have washed their hands of us, EDF wont budge so we've paid the outstanding debt outright (bad at any time but with the wife on maternity leave thats a kick in the balls we could have done without) and we've agreed an increased DD to around £230pm now, based on a fixed special rate tarriff thats only available for former Green Energy customers.
Now discussing with the wife whether to get a smart meter installed.
Take a look at Octopus, we have just changed and they are great. I have a large 4 bed house, under floor heating throughout the ground floor, second freezer in the shed, 32amp hot tub that is on 24/7, a workshop in my garage that contains every electric tool known to man plus everything else a house has today and not far off what you have apart from the AC.
I am paying Octopus £110.00 per month for gas & leccy and at the moment in credit due to the summer months, I suspect the credit will be used up in the winter but I am not expecting any major bills.
They send me a monthly email to remind me to submit monthly meter readings and you can change how much you pay each month with a couple of clicks, no calling customer services.
Was thinking of crediting my life savings to my energy account...
However, Igloo has just announced a 14% increase taking my initial monthly payment of around £46 to over £70. This is the second increase this year.
I belong to Martin Lewis's cheap energy club who email me when my tariff becomes uncompetitive by whatever amount I pre-select.
Just been advised its time to switch.
Will be a pity as I appreciated the principle of being paid the interest.
Hopefully I will find a new supplier who will do the same.
I've been arm wrestling with OVO after messages that my electric meter has not been sending readings to them.
This made me check on my gas usage which although my gas boiler is timed to heat my water at the same time each day sometimes varies considerably.
I contacted OVO four weeks ago for an explanation and they said there had been a upgrade and asked for meter readings.
They emailed me two weeks ago thanking me for sending the readings and my problem would be sorted within the next 45 days.
I phoned OVO this morning and they said it was a national problem with all smart meters that were unable to connect meter usage to accounts.
Anyone heard this or is it bull shit.