Smart Meters, yes or no?

I have been phoned several times recently by my supplier offering me this wonderful smart meter. They may get the message eventually that I am not interested:-)

The downside of smart meter installation is, if you switch energy supplier the smart meters will behave like a normal meter. The roll out process is too complex and expensive. Even, there is a lack of security raised by the single line of malicious code causes power cut and exploding meters or house fires in accordance with security firm co-founder, Mr. Netanel Rubin. Moreover, last month SSE customers charged up to £33,000 a day by faulty smart meters.

vswitchusave.co.uk/blog/smart-meter-really-energy-saver

No. Sister had one and ate electricity/gas like she lived in a castle. Totally wrong readings and charges.

What is the point ? we turn everything off if it is not in use, so wouldn't be of any use to us. If you know you waste electricity do something about it and why do think a meter will make any difference in the long term ? of course for the first few days it will be a novelty and you will turn everything off as you will realise how much your waste is costing you, then yo will slip back into your old habits.

We had one fitted when we had an extension built ten years ago. There's a plug in sensor that sits in the corner flashing coloured lights - goes red when we boil a kettle. Perhaps in younger households where lights are left on all the time it might influence the usage, but it hasn't altered our usage habits one iota. Since our supplier doesn't recognise it, and we pay the same monthly amount on an average usage basis anyway, it serves no purpose.

Our neighbour was persuaded by her supplier to have one fitted, but it can't be read from outside the house!

I wouldn't bother at the moment. Current smart meters are only 'smart' for as long as you remain with the same supplier. Our British Gas installed smart meter was 'smart' for precisely 3 months. We then moved to EDF and as each company's smart meter is unique to them, our BG smart meter became an EDF standard meter.

There is a new generation of smart meters coming out in a year or so that will be 'smart' across all suppliers, so I would wait until they are introduced.

As to whether these meters offer any advantage to the consumer, beyond electronic meter reading, if your meter is in the house (like ours) I am really doubtful. We had one of those 'Owl' energy monitors on the kitchen wall for some period before we had the smart meter. All it did was confirm what we already knew that we have always been efficient energy managers. Turning lights and appliances off when not needed and using electrical appliances like washing machines efficiently. We took it out after 6 months as we never looked at it.

I wouldn't have one after all I have heard and read about them.

Had ours fitted today and they found a gas leak above the safe level so nice new meter and no gas! No heating in whole house and no hot water except the shower! They coming tmro to look for the leak - wonde what state the house will be in trying to ring it ?

The engineer fellow came to fit a Scottish Power smart meter a couple of weeks ago. He said that because there was no Vodafone signal here we could not have a smart meter.

I had a letter and a follow up telephone call from our supplier last week and I refuse a smart meter because I'd read this thread.

Won't get one because if I changed my supplier I would have to have a new smart meter, why didn't the government insist on them being able to be used by all suppliers. I don't find it too hard to read the meter every month and email supplier.

How do they get hacked, and what happens if they do?

I intend to refuse, too easily hackable, and I think it would bring divorce to this house, DH is bad enough at turning off things I am using as it is!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08njlmc

Try listening to this item on Radio 4 the other day. I decided after hearing this to ring Eon to discuss the smart meter they wanted to install, and have told them I am opting out and will wait for the newer type of smart meter which will be rolled out in less than 2 years which will be much more secure, and will not interfere with changing suppliers. Hacking is a major problem with the current smart meters.

As someone who generated our own electricity for 20 yrs through solar panels and 2 wind generators I don't need a smart meter to tell me what appliances use.

We're planning to refuse, as we are not profligate with energy and also might want to change suppliers without the hassle of having to change the meter. I don't like the idea that your supplier will be able to tell if you're away from home. None of their business.

We had one with our previous supplier and found it quite interesting (at first) to see how much energy each appliance used.
I recently met a friend for lunch and she was telling me about her 'not so smart' meter - she had apparently clocked up several thousands of pounds in a couple of weeks!

I have had one for a couple of years, no bleeping on mine merlotgran. Initially I looked at it every time I switched something on but now it sits there ignored. My meter is inside the house and I always seemed to be out when the meter reader called, now he only calls once a year. I haven't noticed any difference in my bills as I still use electrical gadgets the same as always.

We had one fitted yesterday. The monitor is in the kitchen and it took me about twenty minutes to work out how to turn off the annoying bleep.

It does make you think about what you're using though.

We've had one for a couple of months, it was interesting to see how much different electrical items used, the little unit now sits in the corner largely ignored!

I had something similar once before and found it a good way to keep control of my fuel use. Then I changed suppliers, for some reason which I now forget.
I am hoping that I get one of these new meters very soon as they are undoubtedly helpful in controlling my wild wanton use of electricity.

We're having them fitted today! Looking forward to seeing how much we spend on different things - like leaving chargers on!

We wanted one (having had one in our previous house) but our new energy supplier does not have them. I just wish we'd known that before we changed suppliers but it wasn't an option that was mentioned on the comparison website that we used

I didn't realise there were other threads on the subject, should have checked

We declined one as we could see no advantage to us at all and as had been pointed out on previous threads it gave the power company leeway to interfere with our supply should they so wish.