Smart meters

Simondi · 4th November 2020, 22:49

So Smart meters for gas & electricity. Are they any good and do they help to save money on energy bills?

solarsailor · 4th November 2020, 23:42

No, the meters don't save you money. All they can do is display how much energy you're using at any given time and it's then up to you to change your usage habits to try and save money.

Heddy · 5th November 2020, 06:32

Apart from making you watch them all the time and dashing around turning stuff off, they automatically send your readings for billing purposes. Personally, I don't mind taking readings and submitting them online, so I don't have one.

BoroRover · 5th November 2020, 06:59

After five appointments, and five no shows from my energy company to fit a Smartmeter, I don't want one. 40 hours of my life wasted sitting waiting for them to turn up, and no apologies for not doing so until I made my opinion on them known.

All I did get was a spotty youth in a white van, ( no signage written on it ), that was in a pretty diabolical condition, knocking on my door and just saying " gas meter".

I ain't having that. I'm not naming the company other than to say they have six letters, and no capital letter at the start of the name.

planenut · 5th November 2020, 07:31

I have said it before but nothing can help tight fisted me save any more fuel/energy. I don't think it's wise for information on my useage and therefore my presence at home to be broadcast .

Lancpudn · 5th November 2020, 08:08

We have Gas & Electric smart meters fitted when we changed supplier, We don't save any money with them, We have good Wi-Fi here & get messages from the company on the tablet, They're read remotely so we never have to be at home to have them read any more.

trikey · 5th November 2020, 15:46

We had a smart meter fitted at our last rental property, the electric bill went from £20 per week to £180 per week!!

No hike in usage and this was at a time where I was working away from home 5 days a week, I queried the meter with the supplier several times only to be fobbed off.

It eventually went to court where I was ordered to pay the increased amount.

I’m still angry about this to this day.

wraymond · 5th November 2020, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikey

We had a smart meter fitted at our last rental property, the electric bill went from £20 per week to £180 per week!!

No hike in usage and this was at a time where I was working away from home 5 days a week, I queried the meter with the supplier several times only to be fobbed off.

It eventually went to court where I was ordered to pay the increased amount.

I’m still angry about this to this day.

That's horrific Andy. Did you get any explanation for the hike such as the tariff costs?

Saga Lout · 5th November 2020, 18:47

I've told EON to stop pestering me about a smart meter, I told them that the next time they do I'll change my supplier the minute I hang up, things have been OK until today when a letter came telling me they're ready to fit my smart meter. I'm now looking for a new supplier.
I had issues with British Gas too, knocking on the door to do a safety check on my Gas meter, "where's your Corgi card then" I asked him, his reply was " I don't have one but I've been trained to check your meter to see if it's safe". He was told that he wasn't checking my meter for`safety` without a Corgi card, it's now Gas Safe by the way. It was basically ticking a box that allowed a meter reader to check you're not fiddling the meter and meeting a lawful target. I didn't let them in until they sent a qualified engineer, I had a paper written for the meter readers that made them responsible if they checked it and then something went wrong, none of them would sign it so they kept on going away, I also covered the meter so that only the numbers were visible, it wore them down in the end.
A meter reader cannot inspect a meter for safety unless qualified, it's that simple.

SCP440 · 5th November 2020, 19:42

I had an argument with a guy on the phone recently from my supplier, he was trying to tell me it was law I had to have a smart meter. I asked him to send me the details of when it was made law. Funny enough nothing has arrived.

I have many friends and relatives who have had problems with these meters, a work colleague had some very high bills once he had one installed. The meter was replaced and it carried on so he switched his fuse box off and it was still clocking up charges. He has since gone back to a conventional meter.

4th November 2020, 22:49	#1
Simondi Regional Secretary MGTF, MG ZS EV Exclusive Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kilwinning Posts: 14,046 Thanks: 1,460 Thanked 3,563 Times in 1,857 Posts	Smart meters So Smart meters for gas & electricity. Are they any good and do they help to save money on energy bills? __________________ Simondi FAQ How do you do that? Club Flyers Looking for a car seen in a film or on TV? Fancy a change in colour or wheels - paint configurator OBD - Trip Meter Ultimate Buyers Guide Post YouTube videos

4th November 2020, 23:42	#2
solarsailor Posted a thing or two 75 Saloon 1.8T Club SE Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Colchester Posts: 1,225 Thanks: 87 Thanked 653 Times in 344 Posts	No, the meters don't save you money. All they can do is display how much energy you're using at any given time and it's then up to you to change your usage habits to try and save money. __________________ This vehicle was born on Wednesday June 4th 2003 @ 08:24:38 This vehicle was the 73,905th 75 to run off the production line, out of 112,381 This vehicle was the 1,862nd 75 1.8 T Club SE to be made out of 3,980 This vehicle was the 6,856th 75 in Wedgewood Blue to be made out of 7,515 Wedgewood Blue 75s

5th November 2020, 08:08	#6
Lancpudn This is my second home MG ZS EV Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 15,587 Thanks: 4,591 Thanked 3,427 Times in 2,565 Posts	We have Gas & Electric smart meters fitted when we changed supplier, We don't save any money with them, We have good Wi-Fi here & get messages from the company on the tablet, They're read remotely so we never have to be at home to have them read any more. __________________ Blessed are the tea makers. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3b...auto-2000_auto

5th November 2020, 15:46	#7
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,773 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	We had a smart meter fitted at our last rental property, the electric bill went from £20 per week to £180 per week!! No hike in usage and this was at a time where I was working away from home 5 days a week, I queried the meter with the supplier several times only to be fobbed off. It eventually went to court where I was ordered to pay the increased amount. I’m still angry about this to this day. __________________ Lest we forget..

5th November 2020, 18:47	#9
Saga Lout This is my second home MG ZT and Rover 75, Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Wigan Posts: 3,276 Thanks: 2,556 Thanked 2,685 Times in 1,037 Posts	It's a No From Me. I've told EON to stop pestering me about a smart meter, I told them that the next time they do I'll change my supplier the minute I hang up, things have been OK until today when a letter came telling me they're ready to fit my smart meter. I'm now looking for a new supplier. I had issues with British Gas too, knocking on the door to do a safety check on my Gas meter, "where's your Corgi card then" I asked him, his reply was " I don't have one but I've been trained to check your meter to see if it's safe". He was told that he wasn't checking my meter for`safety` without a Corgi card, it's now Gas Safe by the way. It was basically ticking a box that allowed a meter reader to check you're not fiddling the meter and meeting a lawful target. I didn't let them in until they sent a qualified engineer, I had a paper written for the meter readers that made them responsible if they checked it and then something went wrong, none of them would sign it so they kept on going away, I also covered the meter so that only the numbers were visible, it wore them down in the end. A meter reader cannot inspect a meter for safety unless qualified, it's that simple.

5th November 2020, 06:32	#3
Heddy This is my second home None Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: None Posts: 5,556 Thanks: 465 Thanked 1,161 Times in 924 Posts	Apart from making you watch them all the time and dashing around turning stuff off, they automatically send your readings for billing purposes. Personally, I don't mind taking readings and submitting them online, so I don't have one.

5th November 2020, 06:59	#4
BoroRover Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Middlesbrough Posts: 1,518 Thanks: 1,861 Thanked 723 Times in 471 Posts	After five appointments, and five no shows from my energy company to fit a Smartmeter, I don't want one. 40 hours of my life wasted sitting waiting for them to turn up, and no apologies for not doing so until I made my opinion on them known. All I did get was a spotty youth in a white van, ( no signage written on it ), that was in a pretty diabolical condition, knocking on my door and just saying " gas meter". I ain't having that. I'm not naming the company other than to say they have six letters, and no capital letter at the start of the name.

5th November 2020, 07:31	#5
planenut Regional Secretary Rover 1.8T Tourer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Heathrow Posts: 6,955 Thanks: 1,551 Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts	I have said it before but nothing can help tight fisted me save any more fuel/energy. I don't think it's wise for information on my useage and therefore my presence at home to be broadcast .

5th November 2020, 19:42	#10
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	I had an argument with a guy on the phone recently from my supplier, he was trying to tell me it was law I had to have a smart meter. I asked him to send me the details of when it was made law. Funny enough nothing has arrived. I have many friends and relatives who have had problems with these meters, a work colleague had some very high bills once he had one installed. The meter was replaced and it carried on so he switched his fuse box off and it was still clocking up charges. He has since gone back to a conventional meter.