Smart meters

I think the debate will rumble on. Those with smart meters who previously had to faff around in inaccessible cupboards to take readings will of course be delighted with them. Understandably.

But, like all technologies, when it works - it works. When things go wrong, it's a pain in the butt.

And there are problems with them. Millions of people in the UK have experienced problems. Suppliers can be slow to sort out the issues, too - some have had meter-failure leading to ridiculously high charges which has led to hours on the 'phone, call-backs which don't happen, etc, all time-consuming and irritating.

Not all properties are suitable for the meters, either - communication coverage can be a problem in some areas. If you live in a Grade11 listed property (which I do) the thick stone walls prevent the signal from going through - and the Grade11 regulations prevent a meter from being installed on the wall outside. We are also terraced and have no garage, the only other outbuilding is 60 feet away at the end of the garden.

If you regularly change your provider, that can also cause problems for some.

So it's not clear cut. They work for some, but not for others.

PetraThat article is just alarmist nonsense it is full of coulds and theoretically possibles. Actually this article reminds me of ones published when telephones were first becoming widespread.

By having a telephone someone may be able to keep ringing you, (remember silent calls?) and that way if you didn't answer for several days whoever was ringing would know you were away and could break into your house and steal things. Well, that story was nonsense then and so is your link article now.

Meaanwhile you give information to doctors, your bank, various government departments all very vulnerable to cyber attacks, many of whom have suffered from them. Yet worry about something as possible, but as improbable, as some one using your smart meter to plan break-ins. What do you have that is so valuable that people will deliberately plan to break in. The vast majority of break-ins are opportunist, someone looking for quick money for drugs.

Planned break-ins aren't for the likes of you and me. Those are for famous footballers, known to have lots of money and easily disposable expensive jewellry.

Planned break-ins aren't for the likes of you and me. Those are for famous footballers, known to have lots of money and easily disposable expensive jewellry.

Really?
I don't think that is true, having had three friends whose homes were broken into and it was obviously not an opportunist burglary.

In each case it was obviously not an opportunist burglary

Planned break-ins can be as simply planned as watching for changes in routine.

My neighbour was broken into because she has flowers in her front window, but didn’t whilst she went on holiday. Now she has an ornament.

Smart meter usage tracking is just one step forward in the use of technology and someone will have spotted an opportunity.

If they can hack into banks . . .

I’m not going to lose sleep over someone possibly targeting our smart meter to plan a burglary, I’m sure I can be tracked through my mobile.

Jaxjacky

I’m not going to lose sleep over someone possibly targeting our smart meter to plan a burglary, I’m sure I can be tracked through my mobile.

Me neither, though I don’t have a smart meter except for water, and that was a huge benefit, even before we were all tightening up on water usage.

Callistemon213

^Planned break-ins aren't for the likes of you and me. Those are for famous footballers, known to have lots of money and easily disposable expensive jewellry.^

Really?
I don't think that is true, having had three friends whose homes were broken into and it was obviously not an opportunist burglary.

In what way?

We have had four break-ins, one happened when someone worked along the back of a row of houses that backed on to a foot path. The other 3 were opportunist.

It was planned in the sense that this was a thief with a modus operandi, looking for rows of houses like ours and then work his way along them on Saturday evenings when people were out. There were 5 houses, one was occupied and one was empty and devoid of contents. He didn't bother with those two.

But for people to be going to great lengths to get information from cyber driminals to try and find when we out so that they can break in and steal our tellys, that doesn't happen. That amount of collusion and paying for tips and information has to offer a big return to make it worth the risk - art galleries museums, personal collections of art of great value, footballers with dozens of Rolex watches and their wives wih £50,000 of jewellry

I’m with EDF and have changed tariff - to be told I need to have a smart meter fitted to get the lower price.

It’s booked for July 25th. But it might not happen. I don’t want one but feel like I’m being held to ransom if I want the tariff, which is a bit cheaper than the others.

I know many people whose so-called Smart Meters have failed and they got estimated fuel bills until they resumed sending in monthly meter readings which we have continued to do all along while refusing the propaganda about having one installed.
Remember some people have been switched to pre-payment meters without their consent and others have had forced entry into their property to have them installed - did you see the documentary on TV?
No-one can show me how you can save money by having a smart meter other than by being frightened by the cost of energy and turning off your heating even though it's very cold.

Primrose53

I haven’t met a person yet who has aSmart meter and is happy with it.

I'm happy with mine. I don't use the consumer display as it doesn't tell me anything I need to know, but smart meters send regular readings to your supplier so you never get estimated bills. If the price changes you know that you will be charged the correct amount as they have exact readings for the day of the change.
Obviously there will be some properties where insufficient signal is available to send a meter reading so there is no point in having one there.
Last year there were experimental schemes with some suppliers which gave you bonus points to reduce your bill if you used less power during specified peak periods. Hardly any reduction for us, but I'm assuming that this aspect will eventually be expanded. I don't mind making an effort to use less power in peak periods, at our last house we had a night/day type of meter (once called Economy 7) and saved a decent amount of money by using appliances with a high power demand at night (dishwashers and washering machines for example).
I don't know why some tariffs are only available with smart meters, but in general having a smart meter doesn't actually cost you any more.

The only way they save you money is by showing you how much it’s costing to have various appliances on.

When I get up, I usually have the kettle boiling to make my coffee, the toaster on to make my toast, and the microwave cooking my porridge.

All on at the same time for however long it takes. No idea what it costs.

So what good would a smart meter do by telling me?

“Well, I’ll not have a coffee, won’t bother with toast, can do without porridge today”.

winterwhite

Last time we had a phone call and was told ours 'needed replacing' I asked why, saying I'd lived in houses with meters far older than our current ones, and never heard of one being declared 'obsolete'. Of course if they break down you'd be in their hands, but has anyone come across a well-functioning meter in an ordinary house really being obsolete.

When I asked whether it was compulsory and he said no but they were "mandated offer them".

I think that utility companies often replace the meters when they've reached a certain age, this has happened to us a few times over the years.

Quizzy

Mollygo you were wonderful! Got what you wanted. On the other hand, years ago I had smart meters installed as part of planning for old age forgetfulness mobility problems, etc. All went well for a few years now the gas meter has gone dumb and edf wont mend it though they keep bothering my neighbour to have one. And they had the cheek to suggest I get a neighbour to read the now stupid meter for me.

The smart meter for our electricity supply did fail, but it is obvious when this has happened because you get an estimated bill. The company replaced it very quickly and I was not charged for the electricity used since the meter stopped working.

I’ve had no problems with the smart meters in our current house nor the previous property.
I had them put in this house as both meters are in quite a difficult place to get at and require getting on my hands and knees with a torch to read the meters. The only advantage for me is that I don’t need to submit readings - I can’t see how they help to save money as they advertise - my DH says if you need the heating etc on you need it…….I rarely look at the smart meter anyway.
My brother whose an electrician kept going on about how he’s never have a smart meter (so I kept quiet about ours) that was until he saw a good offer which he couldn’t take up unless he had one installed. Now he raves on about how good they are and how he can’t understand why everyone doesn’t get one.😆

The same happened to us twice.

I've been with Octopus for years (early adopter). I've had a smart meter for about four years and have found it helps me control my energy usage.
However, the script given to Mollygo's caller was poorly conceived.

NO NO NO - another invasion of our privacy! What next ? No way

When I got my house about 3 years ago it had a meter and a smart meter. I read the meter and send monthly readings in and have never bothered to plug in the smart meter.

I fully understand that you objected to the way you were contacted and the person's insistance, but honestly a smart meter is a boon.

I know longer have to be in on three seperate occasions when someone from the electricity company, the district heating plant, and the water works need access to the house to read our meters.

As these were all, and still are, installed in a very small cellar, the announcement of the first person's arrival usually necessitated tidying up in the cellar. Now I can do so when it suits me, rather than when someone needs access.

I can and do still keep an eye on how much water, heat and electricity I use, either by reading the meters, or by accessing the relevant company's home-page, where the details are listed day-by-day.

I am all for any kind of technology that makes life easier - and smart meters certainly do.

I've had one years
It saves me getting to the floor and crawling under the stairs to read the meter
I also find it useful because I can see how much I'm using

We had a meter installed but it only reads the electricity usage when it feels like it and can't manage the gas at all as the meters are too far apart.

I had a smart meter fitted yesterday - hope that is not a horrible mistake! I moved house recently, and the meters are at the back of a little cupboard on the floor - totally inaccessible as far as I am concerned, so I am delighted that I wont have to read the meters myself. I questioned the men who came yesterday quite thoroughly - they said you don't pay any more than you did before. So - hopefully I wont have any problems and if my gas and electricity supplier wanted to fit new meters (the old ones were very old) at their expense, then that is their problem!!

but why would anyone resist having a smart meter? No going into inaccessible spaces to get a reading, and you can see exactly what you’re using. Don’t understand why people resist them

grandtanteJE65
I’m in favour of smart water meters. After installation our water/sewage bill went from £72 pm to £10. Since the recent increase it is now about 1/3 of the pre meter bill and I’m £72+ in credit.
On the other hand, DD received a fuel bill of nearly £500 thanks to her smart meter and is still waiting for it to be sorted out.