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Energy Meters
Derek1952
Posts: 779
Just had email from my energy supplier saying the need to replace my Gas and Electric Meters because of their age.Is this they way of trying to get me to have a Smart Meter.
I know you can legally refuse S/M. Any one else had the same emails(E.D.F)
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I’ve had exactly the same message. It’s bollocks, ignore it. We had a new (not smart) meter fitted when we had building works done about 4 years ago. It’s just a way of them trying force a smart meter on you.3
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No. But in the past I have had regular meters replaced with new regular meters citing the age of the old ones. The problem right now is that hardly any non-smart meters are being made because it's not viable for the manufacturers. So, in time, and maybe that time is now, smart meters will be the only option available I suspect.
Edited to add: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/can-i-be-forced-to-have-a-smart-meter/
This article kind of suggests you will not have a choice.0 -
I get that stuff.
Ask the energy company the serial numbers of your meters, the date they were installed, the date of the last time the meters were inspected and a copy of the inspection report,
Then ask if the readings can be remotely accessed and what is to stop falsification like with the horizon system,
If you’re on the phone and they ask for your date of birth because of some obscure verification procedure ask the person on the phone for their date of birth,5 -
You can easily work out when your meter was manufactured . For example you normally have a letter at the beginning of your Meter Serial Number the next two numbers could be 13 or 14 so the Meter was made in 2013 / 14. Gas Meters metric ones are pretty easy but every type of Meter especially LCD display has a life span.0
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There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.10
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Agreed, but they are of far greater benefit to the suppliers than the consumers.valleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.
A consumer can very easily do what a smart meter does by turning off unnecessary appliances and lights.
The suppliers just tap a keyboard to charge the consumer rather than send someone out to read it. Oh, and the consumer pays for it, smart meter or no.0 -
Yes. Like any app for online shopping, banking, travel tickets etc.TellyTubby said:
Agreed, but they are of far greater benefit to the suppliers than the consumers.valleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.
A consumer can very easily do what a smart meter does by turning off unnecessary appliances and lights.
The suppliers just tap a keyboard to charge the consumer rather than send someone out to read it. Oh, and the consumer pays for it, smart meter or no.
it’s petty to resist it on my view.0 -
Resisting smart meters is like asking for a faster horse when they invented the motor car.
Fucking stupid.4 -
Without our smart meter we wouldn't have realised just how much it was costing to have our gas heating on.4
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Exactly, seeing live the difference having the heating on for 3 hours a day vs 6 hours, you can work out life the differences. Idiots wills say "look at your bill" but a smart meter is the difference between viewing once a quarter and reviewing once every 30 minutes.ME14addick said:Without our smart meter we wouldn't have realised just how much it was costing to have our gas heating on.3 - Sponsored links:
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Exactly. The upside being you can actually track what you're consuming and it prompts you to turn heating down. Can't really see why anyone would turn it down if it's being offered for free.valleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.7 -
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I've always looked at my bill and noticed the difference between summer and winter.
I can look at my account online and see the daily cost.3 -
Much easier to compare use daily.Covered End said:
I've always looked at my bill and noticed the difference between summer and winter.ME14addick said:Without our smart meter we wouldn't have realised just how much it was costing to have our gas heating on.0 -
One downside is the buggers expect you to clear the cupboard for ease of removal and installation.
With my back? Feck that.3 -
I don't need to look at your bill, but I'd guess you use more gas in the winter than the summer?Covered End said:I've always looked at my bill and noticed the difference between summer and winter.
I can look at my account online and see the daily cost.
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They can keep their smart meters.
It would top up becoming an obsession.
It's only 8.30am and we've spent £1.47 already or oh look by not leaving that light on for 20 minutes I've saved half a penny.
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yes there is, but I won’t go into detail on herevalleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.3 -
Nonsense. There is no conspiracy.R0TW said:
yes there is, but I won’t go into detail on herevalleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.It’s a means of more accurate billing and you can see easily what you have consumed.No more intrusive than any other app or service.Keeps costs down for the energy companies. Good for the environment etc.3 - Sponsored links:
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You don't have to have the in-home display connected. In fact, not doing so will save you around £1.00 per year!clb74 said:They can keep their smart meters.
It would top up becoming an obsession.
It's only 8.30am and we've spent £1.47 already or oh look by not leaving that light on for 20 minutes I've saved half a penny.0 -
You forgot the other but:ME14addick said:
Much easier to compare use daily.Covered End said:
I've always looked at my bill and noticed the difference between summer and winter.ME14addick said:Without our smart meter we wouldn't have realised just how much it was costing to have our gas heating on.
”I can look at my account online and see the daily cost.”0 -
I thought water meters would be bad, but they actually charge you for what you use and I have saved loads because of it.
Never washing or flushing the bog helps.
The incentive for a smart meter would be if it saved money over the present arrangements, but the risk would be an intrusive bit of technology that can go wrong (like the Horizon system), and the energy companies getting an insight into the pattern of your life, like when at home or out, or when the place is empty because you’re away.
What saves money is less energy use isn’t it?2 -
valleynick66 said:
Nonsense. There is no conspiracy.R0TW said:
yes there is, but I won’t go into detail on herevalleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.It’s a means of more accurate billing and you can see easily what you have consumed.No more intrusive than any other app or service.Keeps costs down for the energy companies. Good for the environment etc.
Scottish Power send me an email when it's time to read the meter - I pop out, jot down the numbers, log on to my account and hey presto, my accurate bill is calculated in seconds. If I want to see how much I'm using on a daily or weekly basis I can always read the meter at any time and calculate the cost.
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I notice how some posters come up with all sorts of righteous justifications for not fitting a smart meter. Personally I think they’re just fiddling their old meters with magnets.6
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or just over-read before a price increase and under-read before a reduction. Not that i would ever stoop so low, of courseSantaClaus said:I notice how some posters come up with all sorts of righteous justifications for not fitting a smart meter. Personally I think they’re just fiddling their old meters with magnets.
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Harder that way though and you are increasing the cost base at Scottish Power by it not being fully automated.bobmunro said:valleynick66 said:
Nonsense. There is no conspiracy.R0TW said:
yes there is, but I won’t go into detail on herevalleynick66 said:There is no meaningful downside to a smart meter.It’s a means of more accurate billing and you can see easily what you have consumed.No more intrusive than any other app or service.Keeps costs down for the energy companies. Good for the environment etc.
Scottish Power send me an email when it's time to read the meter - I pop out, jot down the numbers, log on to my account and hey presto, my accurate bill is calculated in seconds. If I want to see how much I'm using on a daily or weekly basis I can always read the meter at any time and calculate the cost.Your previous employer had an app - same principal 😉1 -
Not sure I get the "I dont need one, coz if I really want to know how much Im paying Ill just ask the gas/electric company" argument. It's like stubbornly refusing to install a banking app on your phone coz you can just ring the bank to get your balance.6
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Some tariffs were slightly better with a smart meter.seth plum said:I thought water meters would be bad, but they actually charge you for what you use and I have saved loads because of it.
Never washing or flushing the bog helps.
The incentive for a smart meter would be if it saved money over the present arrangements, but the risk would be an intrusive bit of technology that can go wrong (like the Horizon system), and the energy companies getting an insight into the pattern of your life, like when at home or out, or when the place is empty because you’re away.
What saves money is less energy use isn’t it?If you think it’s intrusive more than most aspects of modern day life you are mistaken- I could for example claim Khan is monitoring your driving patterns beyond the aspiration of clean air 😉0 -
That is exactly the USP of my bank First Direct.CAFCTrev said:Not sure I get the "I dont need one, coz if I really want to know how much Im paying Ill just ask the gas/electric company" argument. It's like stubbornly refusing to install a banking app on your phone coz you can just ring the bank to get your balance.
You can call them up.
For me it is a way better system than getting confused using a telephone appliance.
There have been several occasions where I have been able to do a payment out loud over the phone whilst the recipient is listening in to make sure it is happening.
First Direct use voice recognition as part of their security, and I have tried speaking differently, pitch, pace and loads of different accents but I can’t fool it, they always know it’s me.
As an early changer from the National Westminster Bank to First Direct when they started out, it is one of the few decisions in life I don’t regret.0
