Smart meters

I’ll let you know in a few weeks time! I’ve finally agreed to have a Smart meter because I’m with Eon and the only way I could have a better value fixed rate tariff was to agree to have one. It was one of the tariffs that Martin Lewis recommended.I rather wish I’d shopped around and switched supplier at the same time but I’m stressed enough about the new meter. I’ve heard so many scare stories about them but I’ve only got a 12 month contract. I decided to go for it because of losing the WFA. I’ve read that if you change supplier you have to have a new meter each time but not sure if this is correct. I’m currently away from home and trying not to think too much about it!

We have had an electricity smart meter for years, without any problem and I am awaiting a gas smart meter. No more meter reading, no more estimated bills.

Refused one for years then they talked me into it They came took the other meter out and started to put the smart meter in,they got a phone call half way through to abort it. Took the smart meter out put the old meter back in and that was at least two years ago and not heard another word
Suits me fine I ll stay as I am reading my own meter, thanks

Posted too soon Its a two minute job once a month so not too taxing 🤣🤣🤣

Had for gas and electric for years, no problems.

There’s a huge long thread somewhere on GN about smart meters. They seem to be a bit ‘Marmite’ as the saying goes.

I’ve been with Octopus for years and have a smart meter - however, I keep an eye on my usage and charges through their App. They occasionally have offers of free electricity during certain hours and during the winter months they reward for limiting use during at certain times.

There are a number of previous threads on this. If you do a search, they will come up.

After two faulty smart meters, when we allegedly used £7000 worth of gas over two months in the summer and Scottish Gas wanting to take £700 a month from my bank account, to pay my debt, I now am back to having an old fashioned one. They had the cheek to offer us debt counselling, when we challenged it!! 😡😡😡😡😡 and only investigated, when we said we were going to the Ombudsman

I have refused to have another smart meter. If need be, I will chain myself to the meter box.

I did a search but nothing came up. I’ll have another look-thank you

We just changed to Octopus after being with Scottish Power for 11 years. We were offered a fixed rate tariff until October next year which is cheaper per unit and standing charge and more importantly there is no exit fee whereas there was an exit fee of £50 for gas and for electricity. We didn’t have to have a smart meter, if we choose to have one later there are benefits but my DH is against smart meters so we won’t opt for one. Our older son has been with Octopus for some time and is happy with them, he does have a smart meter.

Mollysuki

I did a search but nothing came up. I’ll have another look-thank you

www.gransnet.com/forums/chat/1338356-Smart-meters?pg=2

Had ours for both g and e since we moved here 8 years ago.....absolutely fine, never had an issue....pay exactly what we use every month....no hassle of sending in readings

I’m with Octopus, don’t want a smart meter, but the only fixed contracts look like you have to have one to benefit.

I feel cross with myself, a few weeks ago could have had a fix without the need for a SM, but looks like that has now changed.

Am staying as I am for now. We had to change to Octopus when they took over Shell Energy, and I really don’t fancy changing suppliers again.

Jane43

Which tariff are you on? It must be the one that I missed out on.

I’ve been with Octopus a long time now and I’ve just fixed for 15m no exit fees starting in November. I’ve had nothing but good service from them.

Sorry meant to add I’ve not got a smart meter don’t want one.

My sister has one with British Gas and has no complaints. She takes advantage of the occasional offers of cheaper electricity between certain hours, but it’s not an every day thing.

We've had a smart meter for over two years and never had any issues. We're on Intelligent Octopus Go which I think costs us about 7p per kw for about 6 hours overnight. Have a look at the tariffs available to you on their website. We have an electric vehicle and have a charger which obviously works well for us.

Been with Octopus a few years now, absolutely no complaints about them at all
Don’t have a smart meter, don’t want a smart meter, won’t have a smart meter 🤓

I’ve just had a letter to say my electricity meter has to be changed because the radio service that supports it is being switched off, and a smart meter is the only alternative. It is legitimate, I checked on CAB, the radio service is being terminated in June 2025, so I will be without power if the meter isn’t changed.

We finally had a smart meter put in when the solar panels were installed earlier this year. Without it we don't get paid for electricity we send back to the grid - not that it's really worth it as we get next to nothing for it, but we were concerned about possible future arguments with the power company about our low grid usage. At least they can't argue with their own smart meter. So far it's made no difference to us and seems to be working okay.

Shinamae

Been with Octopus a few years now, absolutely no complaints about them at all
Don’t have a smart meter, don’t want a smart meter, won’t have a smart meter 🤓

You may, eventually like us, be forced to have one. Our electricity meter had apparently reached the end of its life, it was the old type with dials where one read clockwise and the next anticlockwise. We refused to have the gas meter changed, there's nothing wrong with that one. We've been with Octopus for a few years and I've found them very good. We didn't want the remote display unit and just use the app which according to Octopus is more reliable.

We had the original British Gas smart meters for gas and electricity. They didn’t show any screen readings except to say whether items were high, medium or low usage. No cost was indicated. A few years ago we received a letter from them asking us to read the ,meters as they were no longer able to receive our readings. Since then we have read the meters and when I asked via the app about a new one the reply was that there was a shortage but we were on their list!!!However we had a phone call a few months ago from another company employed by BG to”mend” our meters. As I had just seen a report on the news about “mended” meters causing a lot of trouble I said I would have a new one but not a mended one. As I heard they were not reliable and also the old one gave me no payment information. We are in our eighties and the last thing we want is aggravation about possible errors.

We are with Ovo and are told that our meter’s time limit has expired. Looking into it I find some regulation of 2014, no doubt introduced for the express purpose of making money for meter manufacturers. So we’ll prob be forced to have one.

I dread a problem like Mary doll’s or being told Oh dear we find you’ve been underpaying since 2014. Meters were introduced for the convenience of providers, not consumers and I resent being fobbed off with a twopence halfpenny reduction if I do the laundry in the middle of the night.

I'm with BlueBelle on this. Can't find a single hardship in the five minutes it takes me to read meters and transmit the findings on line. Also keeps me alert to any unexplained jumps in consumption.