# Smart Meters



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Having to change suppliers as Yorkshire Energy have gone bust. 
Doing the usual comparisons and what I've noticed is the cheaper deals are all saying you have to have a smart meter fitted to get the tariff! 
Something I'm not bothered about as I'm quite capable of reading a meter monthly and budgeting to pay my bills. Plus had a smart meter fir an hour once until installer realised there is no phone signal up here so it wouldn't work! 

So looks like this will be their latest tactic to get smart meters rolled out.


----------



## Rappy (Oct 2, 2020)

We recently switched to Green Energy.

No smart meter needed


----------



## Peirre (Jun 29, 2015)

When they pester you to make the meter install appointment, knowing that the installation guys generally work mon-fri I usually tell em I work away all week and I’m available Sunday morning


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Rappy said:


> We recently switched to Green Energy.
> 
> No smart meter needed


Green is coming out at 3rd cheapest so not too bad. Cheapest is a Symbio but with warnings about smaller company, less customer service. Not really an issue, I can't remember the last time I had to deal with suppliers customer service. As long as DD is correct and my lights are on there's not much to go wrong. :lol:


----------



## andy665 (Nov 1, 2005)

I check the market every year and have been with Avro Energy for 3 years now. Monthly statements which I like .

I work from home so heating is often on all day through the winter months, 3 bed detached house and currently £170 in credit with a monthly payment of £72 per month for gas / electric


----------



## percymon (Jun 27, 2007)

andy665 said:


> I check the market every year and have been with Avro Energy for 3 years now. Monthly statements which I like .
> 
> I work from home so heating is often on all day through the winter months, 3 bed detached house and currently £170 in credit with a monthly payment of £72 per month for gas / electric


Been with Avro for a few years myself, they started small and do have a few comments about customer service (all related to rapid expansion) - I've only had to contact them once (to reduce the monthly debit when i sold the LEAF) and i got through within 5 minutes so not too bad at all.

I've had no contact about smart meters in the last 5 years (3 suppliers) although i suspect come renewal/change of supplier it might become more of an issue as new suppliers won't want to bare the costs of previous suppliers not upgrading as per the government schedules.

I'm happy to read the meters monthly so the longer i can stay away from smart meters the better, they seem to be nothing but hassle to some of my work colleagues who've had them a few years now.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

andy665 said:


> I check the market every year and have been with Avro Energy for 3 years now. Monthly statements which I like .
> 
> I work from home so heating is often on all day through the winter months, 3 bed detached house and currently £170 in credit with a monthly payment of £72 per month for gas / electric


Looks like Avro only do gas and electric together. We're on lpg so only need electricity.


----------



## chris chappell (Jun 6, 2007)

We are being pushed to have smart meters so there is obviously some benefit to the electric companies.
When they have got us all on smart meters they will have full control over us consumers and will be able to use variable surge pricing etc according to demand. 
Prices could be up when you need to cook your Sunday dinner but cheap at 3.00am when you don’t need it.
A bit generalised perhaps but you get the idea.


----------



## bluechimp (Dec 21, 2017)

I was with Yorkshire Energy but been moved to Scottish Power. Have you had your Scottish Power welcome pack? I phoned them yesterday as I wanted to know what tariff i’d be on as the email I received said it would be similar. Well it definitely isn’t. The unit rate and standing charges are through the roof in comparison, been advised not to switch until my final bill from Yorkshire Energy comes in.


----------



## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

I am not sure I understand why anyone wouldn't want a smart meter. So long as it is SMETS 2 it won't matter which company it was installed for it will work for all.

Have it set to read every hour and your bill will be correct with no estimated bills.

There is a phone network involved and the one used where I am is unreliable hence the hourly reads.

I switched to Avro last year and now the smart I have no longer works as it is SMETS 1 so I have to read the meter. If anyone can't do that, well, just wow!


----------



## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

We had when fitted with E On, misses goes mad watching it go up but as i pointed out to her
The kitchen lights are
Her son has his bedroom light on, left the landing light on, left the bathroom light and extractor on from 2 hours ago
The tortoise tank light and heater is on all the time
The living room lights are on
Her phone is on charge
My laptop is on charge
The tv is on
We have unkown amounts of gadgets plugged in that are the latest must have that get used for about a week and never get used ever again
And of course the heating is on.

I went round turning stuff off and its amazing how it doesnt go up quite so much.
However i'm off the topic somewhat, the point being is that the one we have sets your budget for you and warns you when you reach it.
I did want her to switch and she has but to some energy company i've never heard of who knocked on the door and the meter now works for them. I dont have an issue with it personally, i think they are a handy little device to have IF your monthly expenditure is important to you.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

bluechimp said:


> I was with Yorkshire Energy but been moved to Scottish Power. Have you had your Scottish Power welcome pack? I phoned them yesterday as I wanted to know what tariff i'd be on as the email I received said it would be similar. Well it definitely isn't. The unit rate and standing charges are through the roof in comparison, been advised not to switch until my final bill from Yorkshire Energy comes in.


Hi, no I haven't. I messaged SP last week as no direct debit set up etc and I'd heard nothing. They messaged back saying all was good and DD will be set up once they have final details from Yorkshire! I'll be switching ASAP but faq says don't do it until SP account is up and running.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

muzzer said:


> We had when fitted with E On, misses goes mad watching it go up but as i pointed out to her
> The kitchen lights are
> Her son has his bedroom light on, left the landing light on, left the bathroom light and extractor on from 2 hours ago
> The tortoise tank light and heater is on all the time
> ...


My Mrs has a go at me as I leave the light on in downstairs loo. She has a point I do, for some reason because switch is outside the door and I'm old I forget it a lot. What she doesn't seem to like is when I point out she will walk through, put hall light on, kitchen light on, dining room light on and leave them all on when she goes back to living room! Apparently this is different because it's the main house that we're using:lol:


----------



## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Darlofan said:


> My Mrs has a go at me as I leave the light on in downstairs loo. She has a point I do, for some reason because switch is outside the door and I'm old I forget it a lot. What she doesn't seem to like is when I point out she will walk through, put hall light on, kitchen light on, dining room light on and leave them all on when she goes back to living room! Apparently this is different because it's the main house that we're using:lol:


Isn't that funny how that works like that :lol:


----------



## packard (Jun 8, 2009)

Still submit my reading monthly, takes all of under 60 seconds. I know what power I’m using having a “smart” meter does nothing for me.

Now if everyone was on water meters - that’s one everyone should be be on.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

muzzer said:


> Isn't that funny how that works like that :lol:


She did it this morning. Into dining room, chuck something in wash basket walks out leaving light on and kitchen light on. I bravely(stupidly) told her she'd left them on and it's daytime anyway so no need to have them on. I'm now in my garage until the atmosphere clears. :lol:


----------



## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

I’m with Darlofan with this as I take my own meter readings and budget it myself, I don’t entirely trust them. It has always worked for me doing this method as every time I’ve switched I’ve always got back a healthy rebate as I generally finish off in credit.


----------



## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

I am not with them any more but with BG and a smart meter you can have a "proper" bill and pay for what you have used when you have used it.

This alleviates paying more in the summer to build up credit for the winter or paying less per month than you should and ending up with a big catch up bill.

Getting back a healthy rebate is money that you could have had working for you not the supplier. Wasted money. It shows your estimate was wildly out and should of been reduced.


----------



## bigbrother (Jun 30, 2011)

We have Eon and they send out a monthly bill now and sometimes it's estimated, how does that work?


----------



## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

If you have a smart meter you will get an estimated bill if the meter is read once per month and at the exact time the meter is read there is no connection. That is what used to happen to me.

By having the smart meter reading taken every hour then there is a good chance of having a reading on the day the bill is created.

If you have to read the meter and upload them to a website then you will get an estimated bill if you send the figures on a different day to when the bill is created.

I used to send in the readings when I got a reminder email. I contacted Avro and was told the bill is created on the 23rd of the month so that is the day I send in the readings.


----------



## SadlyDistracted (Jan 18, 2013)

Darlofan said:


> My Mrs has a go at me as I leave the light on in downstairs loo. She has a point I do, for some reason because switch is outside the door and I'm old I forget it a lot. What she doesn't seem to like is when I point out she will walk through, put hall light on, kitchen light on, dining room light on and leave them all on when she goes back to living room! Apparently this is different because it's the main house that we're using:lol:


Ha, you've just discoverd the Mars energy systems vs. the Venus energy one. The venus one is nearer the sun so doesn't use or need as much energy as the mars one which is millions of miles more away from the sun therefor costs more :lol: Never ever ever ever question venus 'logic' :wall:


----------



## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

It's alright for some I keep getting "get a smart meter" letters regularly, and every time I go to set up the installation there are never any dates available!! and Martin Lewis and his change your supplier brigade have been doing a sterling job for me, swapping me to the cheapest tariff automatically. :thumb:


----------



## Tykebike (Mar 27, 2016)

When I switched to Scottish Power just over a year ago I didn't realise that part of the contract was to have smart meters installed, no problem really as they are the SMETS 2 variety so if I change suppliers the new supplier can use them also; well apart from British Gas. When they took over the supply of our gas and electricity a month ago they informed me that the gas meter is not compatible with their system, the electricity one appears to be.
For years I've take my own readings on the same date each month and sent them off to whichever supplier I'm using. I still do this. I also record these on an Excel spreadsheet for analysis to see how much I use per year, per month per day and the associated costs. This makes a true comparison for new deals accurate rather than relying on the price comparison websites that tend to massage the figures to make deals look even better. It also highlights how cheap gas is per kWh compared to electricity.
I quickly dispensed with the in "home display module" as we don't go round switching everything off the second we stop using it; that and the fact the this gizmo uses electricity and takes up a socket which are often in short supply.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Still waiting for my defunct Yorkshire energy account to be switched to SP. Had an email this morning saying its well underway! Already missed 1monthly payment because its taken so long. I'll be switching as soon as its done as well:lol: Part of me says it's taking so long as they want people to get fed up with it and not bother looking to switch.


----------



## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

Suggests this is the first time you have decided to switch.

It takes as little as 7 days to switch a bank account yet it takes several weeks to switch energy supplier. It makes no sense to me at all.

You would think after a payment period has passed you could switch. Make any arrears up and be gone.


----------



## Derek Mc (Jun 27, 2006)

Legislation is changing to demand all installations will have a smart meter, they are standardising on one and it is utter guff! British Gas have been trying to fit a working system at my place since September without success as it cannot read the gas (it is fine with the electricity)

But, sadly, by the end of I think 2021 all homes will require this rubbish!


----------



## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

I think you will find two fairly large groups of people; those that owe a small fortune to the suppliers and those that have unknowingly started using the utility as a bank.

There is no need for it with smart meters. Unfortunately the companies have picked a phone network supplier that doesn't have 100% coverage.

The utilities need to find a way to use the best phone network in any area to make the meters work or perhaps find a way to use the customer's internet connection just like your fridge, door bell or telly.


----------



## SteveW (Feb 21, 2006)

I've been with Bulb (gas and electric) for a while now. No Smart meter. I read the meters every month and submit the reading online and as long as it's within three days of the bill date it is used to calculate that month's bill.

They recently upped our direct debit to £122 from £100 based on some estimates. I just went straight in and changed it back down to £100 :lol: 

Our bill each month is around £80-90 at the mo, so if it doesn't go up any more through the winter months I will reduce our DD even further to claw back the credit we'll have by spring.

For reference, that's in a 4-bed semi detached new build house.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Andy from Sandy said:


> Suggests this is the first time you have decided to switch.
> 
> It takes as little as 7 days to switch a bank account yet it takes several weeks to switch energy supplier. It makes no sense to me at all.
> 
> You would think after a payment period has passed you could switch. Make any arrears up and be gone.


If that's in reply to my post earlier, I've switched God knows how many times over the years and you're right it takes far too long. It should just be a case of, here's my meter reading and that's it.

Mine is switching at the moment because I was with Yorkshire Energy who went bust back end of last year. 
That meant Scottish Power were given their customers.

Why we couldn't be asked first and let us decide I don't know. Anyone they didn't hear from could have then been switched to SP.

Now having to wait until this switch has happened before I can compare suppliers and change.


----------



## SadlyDistracted (Jan 18, 2013)

Andy from Sandy said:


> I think you will find two fairly large groups of people; those that owe a small fortune to the suppliers and those that have unknowingly started using the utility as a bank.
> 
> There is no need for it with smart meters. Unfortunately the companies have picked a phone network supplier that doesn't have 100% coverage.
> 
> The utilities need to find a way to use the best phone network in any area to make the meters work or perhaps find a way to use the customer's internet connection just like your fridge, door bell or telly.


So what if I don't want an internet connection (apart from foe DW:thumb, or want to pay for one for someone else's benefit, just like employers saying work from home and we'll shift network, heating, lighting, water and werar and tear costs to employees for 'work', and all the while employers are now making savings from them and not even decent enough to pass the savings on? Seems like some form of corporated engineered theft to me. 
Then there's radio wave pollution, it all adds up, and even global warming from it all, not to mention my headaches!
Who are all these changes for / benefitting, meter sellers (certainly not the meter readers), the corporations, lobbied mps', meter manufacturers ? 
The last industiasl gas installation i was involved in and from the gas supplier the meter was French! Fortunately pre Dec 31st 2020 and frexit'ed - though I hope it doesn't break down as probably wont be able to import parts to fix it due to frexit again...

Anyone noticed how energy prices seem to drop around Spring/Summer then increase Autumn/Winter? 
I.E, drop the price when usage volume is low, so they don't loose much ££, yet increase the prices when usage volume is high £££££
Shoul go back to a national supplier on a non-proffit basis...:speechles


----------



## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

Non-profit does not bring or guarantee low prices.

Have you passed a Sainsbury's petrol station and notice how they put the price up on a Thursday ready for the weekend rush?

Companies look for ways to automate. It has been happening for so long you may not have noticed?

I cannot do anything for you with working from home. Me in the past I would speak with my company to see what they are prepared to do.

The internet of things is the way a lot of technology is going. I didn't invent it but it is there to be used.


----------

