Smart meters, less smart companies

E

Ex Libris

Member
A while back Southern Water were hassling us to install meters. I carefully pointed out that it is a steel framed building, and tennis ball sized devices in the proposed locations would be screened by water tanks. I can only use a mobile by the window during a power cut when the cordless base station is off.
Now Scottish and Southern want to replace my electricity meter with “the latest generation of smart meters” because “the radio network it uses will be phased out across the UK”. I presume (?) they are referring to a switching signal on 198khz. If so I hope all nuclear submarine commanders have got the email. If we survive the ensuing holocaust, there is no chance a cellular signal will get out of the meter cupboard, I will still be supplying readings online, and no doubt also spending hours on the phone trying to get them to explain why they want me to pay £4m a month.
 
I was with Eon for many years before they started to only offer their best deals if you agreed to have a smart meter. When I could not avoid them any longer I booked a fitting but they failed to turn up to fit the meter quoting inability to park near enough without bothering to notify me, I was forced to make a second appointment where 2 fitters would be sent so 1 could be dropped off by the other, 1 turned up and said he could not park nearby and was not aware about a second fitter until I told him, he called the office and said I was correct and he had to wait for other guy to come from another job, 2 hours later he came back to tell me the other was not coming now and a third appointment would need to be made. I hit Eon with a compensation claim and received a little over £100 from them and arranged the third appointment for the day after my contract was due to expire. I then arranged a switch to Green Network Energy for the earliest date before then that avoided any cost. They have one of the best customer service records and I now pay 25% less a month than Eon's best deal and unlike all the big companies none of their deals require you to have a smart meter fitted.
 
Scottish and Southern have been o.k, although their computer has only recently been convinced that I use less electricity at night, for some reason. I know there is going to be some sort of drama over the fitting, can't park, lift not working.. and an eventual bill several orders of magnitude higher. I actually switched from Seeboard (now EDF) to SSE, for the Air Miles which were then good for Eurostar. A year afterwards I received an estimated bill which took weeks to sort out. It was, of course, a computer error for which I got some compensation in the end. I really can't face switching again, but it's the suggestion that Radio 4 Long Wave is going off the air that really annoys me. There would surely have been a highly audible outcry from the cricket fraternity amongst others.
 
The change was completely painless, all I had to do was give my details and a meter reading and the rest was done by them, all done online. A quick check on Martin Lewis's (The money saving guy on TV) site may convince you. https://clubs.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub
You could be in for a big saving and never have to worry about your smart meters batteries dying leaving you with more hassle in the future.
 
I got no savings with a smart meter. Plus, it only works with one firm.

I got substantial savings by switching to smart thermostats, in my case, Tado. I can schedule heating in each room, and, additionally, Tado does something special when we both leave the house.

All the smart meter does is tell you what you are using without doing anything about it, plus, I still have to read the meters. Even at its best, it never told me the meter readings. I had to go into the garage and press 9 on each meter. With dumb meters, they displayed that information without having to press 9. Plus, they worked with all suppliers.
 
Switching energy suppliers saves loads of money, though, I agree with trog. Just switched to British Gas Evolve. Smartless!

Now, if only we could switch water supplier.
 
Mike2 said:
Plus, it only works with one firm.
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Not true for the second generation smart meters, which is why I wouldn't have a smart meter if it is only first-generation (and as they still have stocks to use up, I wouldn't trust even if they assured me they would fit a second generation).

Also, there have been so many tales of woe in the financial pages that even the financial agony uncle says he wouldn't have one fitted, plus they have the technology inside to disconnect you remotely (and if it can go wrong, it will).
 
Mike2 said:
Switching energy suppliers saves loads of money, though,
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No it doesn't. It can save you a bit of money on an already 'cheaper' tariff, and can save you loads if you are on your current suppliers default tariff.
As I am on my supplier's cheaper' tariff, although I compare.com etc every year, I can't save much at all, so don't bother switching.
 
I am being threatened with a second generation meter. Tales of woe include boilers being trashed and no liability accepted. I don't have a boiler but it looks as if they just don't care about collateral damage or eventual billing errors.
I found some 9 year old references to valve stocks for the Long Wave transmitter running low, but no recent reports suggesting shut down was imminent. As Black Hole says, anything that can go wrong will. It looks as if potential savings from switching might be five pounds a month. After last time frankly I would prefer the status quo.
They haven't got back to me about reception. Does anyone know what the lights on the boxes indicate? Can I confirm if my neighbours actually have a signal? It seem highly unlikely in the middle of the building. I don't know if the SHINE issue was ever resolved, or if it affects anything other than broadband (the tenants' "Wi-fi"). I was persuaded to upgrade to FTTC.
 
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It only saves loads of money the first time you switch, if you were on a standard tariff. After that, it's chasing pennies (unless you can get a fixed price deal - which you won't when the market is volatile). And it won't be long before giving "new" customers preferential rates is outlawed.

Neither is there much benefit chasing customer service. Like insurance, you have no idea how good a policy actually is until you try to claim. The individual energy companies are powerless - if some repair needs to be done, the action request will end up with the same organisation whoever originated the request.

I have always been sceptical of a "free" market where the commodity is the same whoever you buy it from and the delivery is by the same infrastructure. I accept competition is a means to drive efficiency, but competition also reduces economy of scale and adds its own costs. It is not a panacea.

I'm with Bulb, and so far although I have received many emails inviting me to book a smart meter fitting, none have been compulsory (and please note it is not legal to make it compulsory). Previously I inherited Eon, who sent me emails saying I had an appointment to have a smart meter fitted - which I simply ignored (if somebody wants to waste their time turning up uninvited, that's up to them and they will find me out or be turned away).

Bulb doesn't offer multiple tariffs, it just offers one tariff, the best it can do. Seems like a good plan to me.

My electricity meter is reasonably accessible, but good luck with my gas meter - and if you're not including that I'm not interested anyway. What about the water meter?

My solution (not yet implemented) is to fit webcams so I can view the readouts from my PC/tablet/phone.
 
Black Hole said:
It only saves loads of money the first time you switch, if you were on a standard tariff. After that, it's chasing pennies (unless you can get a fixed price deal - which you won't when the market is volatile). And it won't be long before giving "new" customers preferential rates is outlawed.

Neither is there much benefit chasing customer service. Like insurance, you have no idea how good a policy actually is until you try to claim. The individual energy companies are powerless - if some repair needs to be done, the action request will end up with the same organisation whoever originated the request.

I have always been sceptical of a "free" market where the commodity is the same whoever you buy it from and the delivery is by the same infrastructure. I accept competition is a means to drive efficiency, but competition also reduces economy of scale and adds its own costs. It is not a panacea.

I'm with Bulb, and so far although I have received many emails inviting me to book a smart meter fitting, none have been compulsory (and please note it is not legal to make it compulsory). Previously I inherited Eon, who sent me emails saying I had an appointment to have a smart meter fitted - which I simply ignored (if somebody wants to waste their time turning up uninvited, that's up to them and they will find me out or be turned away).

Bulb doesn't offer multiple tariffs, it just offers one tariff, the best it can do. Seems like a good plan to me.

My electricity meter is reasonably accessible, but good luck with my gas meter - and if you're not including that I'm not interested anyway. What about the water meter?

My solution (not yet implemented) is to fit webcams so I can view the readouts from my PC/tablet/phone.
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A goon from Southern Water called on his mobile from downstairs. He went away when I used the word "harassment". I have ignored a couple of previous communications from SSE about smart meters. One of the points I made with them was that there was no indication in their letter that is not compulsory to have a smart meter. I await their comment. They have acknowledged my contact ("I would like help with my smart meter"). I couldn't get through by phone, which suggests even more unhappy customers.
Do you have a source for "not legal" I can quote? Is it the OFGEM website?
Bulb: £3.84 cheaper.
 
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Ex Libris said:
Do you have a source for "not legal" I can quote? Is it the OFGEM website?
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A quick google produced this, it seems clear and authoritative enough (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/...y-meters-ofgem/smart-meters-guide-your-rights):
While we and the government think that all consumers will benefit from smart meters, they aren’t compulsory and you can choose not to have one installed.

Choosing not to have a smart meter may mean you don’t have access to all the available tariffs on the market, some of which could be cheaper.

If you don’t want to have a smart meter now, you will still be able to have one installed for free at a later date.
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What do you know: email from Bulb this morning inviting me to book a Covid-safe smart meter installation. Dead right I will be Covid-safe!
 
Better turn off Google tracking, BH.

1st gen meters: It only became transparent later that they would not be transferable , when you found out your supplier was about to overcharge you in subsequent years. The only advantage I can see with a smart meter is not having to read it myself.

Switching suppliers: I do this regularly, with substantial savings. Also, another tariff may suit your usage better, eg, with a large gas usage, a lower unit price is better than a low standing charge. I check the Which? switching service to check, as my fixed tariff comes to an end.
 
I moved to Octopus a year or two ago - partly price, but they aren't the cheapest, and partly on service recommendations, notably a Which? one. I've had no hassle - just give them readings each month and check the bill.
I don't think they've ever offered me a smart meter, but they do have them as they offer some clever time-off-day tariffs that need that functionality. I'm just on on a flat rate one.
 
MikeSh said:
I moved to Octopus a year or two ago - partly price, but they aren't the cheapest, and partly on service recommendations, notably a Which? one.
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I find their TV advert suspect: how could there only be one company Which? recommend, unless they haven't looked very hard!
 
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