Smart Meter Anxiety

I found that too but discovered that it wasn't working and that fitting it had disconnected our heating system. Big palaver but eventually the old meter was refitted and I was given compensation by the company (EDF)

We drove 180 mile round trip to have a smart meter fitted at our holiday let, we also had to book it out to keep it free for the day.
Bulb energy hounded is with phone calls, emails and texts to make sure we were there.
The time slot was between 9 and 2.30.
I spent my birthday twiddling my thumbs waiting, it was a no show, not a single call to let us know.
So we read the meters, emailed bulb and demanded a refund on their extortionate estimates, we were paying over double the estimated cost.
No smart meters for us now!

I had a smart meter a few years ago, didn’t like it at all and asked the company to come and remove the “ thick” meter which they duly did. I am with octopus energy and send my readings in monthly. Personally I use what I use and seeing it every day is not going to help me one little bit.. so I will stick with my conventional meter

I’m the opposite. I really didn’t want a smart meter at all and it ended up with half my drive having to be dug up because the original meter wasn’t safe!
I had the smart meter located in the garage and when DH was ill I was horrified to see I was using £10 or more every day in gas alone.
Now on my own and the heating off, I’m quite smug that I’m barely using £3 a day, so I’m confident my new (ridiculously high) direct debit more than covers it.
Don’t forget we’ll get our £400 in 6 payments of £66ish from October through to March.

When ours was fitted I established from the fitter that the small box with the constant digital reading was not necessary for it to function. So it was unplugged, put back in its box and into a cupboard.
I don’t need virtual nagging, we’ve cut back where we can.

Just put it in the cupboard Sparklefizz. I have a smart gas and electricity meter for remote readings, but don't have the tiny gadget on the worktop.

It is making everyone more mindful of their usage, which can only be positive. When I walk my dog late in the evening I am now seeing houses with one light on, rather than a light in every room. My neighbour opposite seems to be watching tv with the light off, a scary effect!

I have been getting emails every other day pressing me to get smart meters but I will get them when it suits me. I have heard so many people complain about them.

I am grateful for my smart meter because I am partially sighted and could not read the meter accurately so no worries there now. I am another who cannot really cut down unless I stop showering and washing clothes but my small box is a reminder.

I’m with Ovo and can access daily smart meter readings on my phone if I want to. I find this very useful for staying within my own set limit.

Don’t have one don’t want one. As I’m doing as much as I can I can’t cut down anymore if I want to stay clean and warm so why have a meter to tell me I ought to be worrying.

I don't have a nagging box in the house, but I do have online smart meter readings so I usually check on my phone in the evening to see how the previous few days have been. Although I can see the positives of all of us cutting our energy usage, no more lights on all over the place, it is important that houses are heated and aired properly for the sake of the structure of the building as well as our own health. Sitting watching a smart meter is not a good way to live.

I don't want one - I can switch things off without being told. However, the power company kept nagging so they're coming to fit one next week.

I shan't be watching it constantly but I might take a look now and then to see if I can learn anything. That's if it will work - the phone signal here is pretty poor.

The personal monitor has never been put of the box. My smart meters are quietly doing their job in the cupboard sending readings to Ovo. They have improved my life in that I no longer have to get into the cupboard to send readings or let a meter reader in. I can access the readings on my phone if I wish but I just carry on as usual and check that my Direct debit will cover the extortionate cost.
I'm not an expert but I don't think phone signal matters as they use their own frequency...I may be wrong.
It's the standing charge that is crippling and there's nothing that we can do about that.

I agree with you Pittcity about the standing charge. I posted on here a few weeks ago to say that my latest bill from Octopus showed that my standing charge for electricity had jumped from 19p per day to 45p per day. Nothing we can do to cut that down.
I have a smart meter because the way the gas meter had been sited outside the property meant that it was almost impossible to read. It does rest on my on my kitchen worktop but I tend to ignore it most of the time.

tanith

Don’t have one don’t want one. As I’m doing as much as I can I can’t cut down anymore if I want to stay clean and warm so why have a meter to tell me I ought to be worrying.

same here. I get they could be useful in houses where there is a family with kids and stuff can be on without the bill payer's knowledge, but there is only me and if something is on, I know its on and want it on.

I am glad to have smart gas/electric meters. It is just able to connect remotely to be read by your energy company, using wifi. Smart meters have replaced the humans that used to come round to physically read your meter.

The tiny 'worktop' gadget that shows your use is optional, and doesn't have to be used.

I do not see the problem with smart meters, it doesn’t have to be looked at, the income display unit does not have to be plugged in and most meters are in a cupboard or somewhere not easily seen.

Readings are read automatically and you can check that it is correct if you want to.

I'm too scared to have one as I think it would send me over the edge. At 61, I'm working two, sometimes 3, jobs and still don't have enough income to cover my monthly expenditure whereas before I managed to scrape by. I work from home, seldom have visitors, don't drink or smoke and live in a small first floor flat. I really cannot cut back any further and dread the future. I'm surviving, not living, and see no way out. I know you don't have to have the box that tells you what you've spent plugged in, but the temptation would be there and I seriously think I'd simply give up.

Was advised against having one in spite of supplier's pressure. Very happy to still be without one.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202206/medium-801802-20220603-120757.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202206/medium-497303-20220603-120743.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202206/medium-293258-20220603-120757.jpg

There does seem to be a bit of confusion about smart meters.
The first photo is my smart meter for gas.
The second is unnecessary and stays in the box. This display isn't the smart meter, nor is it needed for the setup to work. It has to be plugged in thus using extra electricity! Put it away!

The gn photo gremlin struck again (I yearn for an edit button)
The SMART METER is the middle photo.

I have resisted all the nagging for what seems like years then because my eyesight is poor and reading it was getting a problem even with a torch I succumbed
I had to have a four hour window free so I moved my days around and they booked it about three Saturdays ago They arrived on time and worked for about an hour then got word that their system was down so it would have to be aborted He then had to put his hours work back together again
I ve never heard a peep since
My daughters little portable thingy went straight in a drawer she doesn’t use she said itwas two depressing watching it go round and out of her control

I had a smart meter fitted on 4th May and have been surprised that my bill has dropped and I've done nothing to reduce my usage as I thought the best thing to do was carry on as normal and see what happened and I would be able to cut back where necessary once I was fully informed. So far I'm really happy with the meter.

EDF.. Attempted to put on in.. Total palaver.
Fine sorted easy for electric but this installer wanted to check my cooker by pulling it out, then as he could not clearly open the front of the boiler (sadly in the kitchen) due to it catching on the top of the overhead plinth he wanted to condemn it. Only had a service that month, not a problem with the "Gasman" who came.
Kitchen replaced 2 years prior and boiler just before that, didn't want that muppet to start wrecking my kitchen.
Told to politely get lost, and disappear.
So meter that was left, thrown in a cupboard, back to the old fashion way, and make sure the lights get turned off.