I've had the same offer from Octopus, except it's the gas meter that's "expired". They specifically state that non-smart meters are not an option but don't mention the possibility of not actvating the smart functionality. I suppose it won't count towards their target so the customer must know ask.
I'll be following this thread.
They contacted me twice during the lockdown period, but I haven't been nagged since them.
I've had another communication from our current electricity supplier (EDF) saying that they are legally obliged to change our meters are they are at the end of their lifespan. This may well be true as we've had the same meters for a very long time. I think it is only the electricity meter is actually past its use-by date, but they want to change the gas meter as well "free of charge" - as if that is a bonus.
I last heard from them a few months ago but at the time I said that if this involved disconnecting the gas and electricity for any time at all, which it did, then I would refuse to have it done during cold weather. That excuse clearly worked, but probably can't be used again.
It seems that we do have a choice of smart meter or not - except that as far as I can gather if you opt for a non-smart meter what you get is a smart meter with its smart functionality disabled. How much of this is disabled I haven't yet been able to find out. Like many others on this group, I suspect, I have been refusing regular blandishments from the company to get a smart meter, as there seem to be no advantages to the customer and many potential drawbacks.
But what I don't know is whether having smart meters which is dumbed-down would be better or worse than having a genuine smart meter. Does anyone else have any experience of this?
And the drawback are what?
I’m kinda amazed that it’s still optional. Compulsory in Spain (and no doubt other countries) I believe.
Tim
'They' can disconnect you.
and they can do that with a dumb meter.
If you have a smart meter installed, but in dumb mode, are you sure they still can't remotely disconnect? It'd only require a SIM card to allow that.
it isn't, it's just a sales pitch
they get paid, you get screwed
you don't need an excuse. Just don't arrange a replacement. If they get pushy say no.
correct
refusal to permit it to have any smart functionality is a bit better for you. Not getting one fitted is even better, as you won't get wildly overcharged for reactive current, and won't have an unfused fire hazard aka surge absorber.
I chose to get smart meters at the end of last year, hoping that suitable EV tariffs will become available again soon, but around 18 months ago both my gas and electricity meters were changed and I requested not to have smart meters ... both replacements were pure dumb meters, not smart meters with facilities disabled. It is worth finding out for certain what they would fit if you declined smart meters.
Not without an order to enter the premises.
They can also remotely switch smart meters to pre-payment mode.
It will be a lot easier to shed load by switching off premises, where smart meters are present and they don't have to switch off a whole area, possibly including a hospital.
All UK domestic electricity supplies are billed for real power, not apparent power (a smart meter can probably measure the latter, but it isn't used for billing)
Meter calibrations do expire and they are obliged to change the meters for freshly calibrated ones.
If the meter calibration period has expired, they can force a change.
While smart meters may be able to measure reactive load, the currently are only set to produce the same readings as the old disk meters.
???
My CU has an SPD. That is before any MCBs, is there a problem with that?
I can think of several:
With a smart meter the customer is sharing a lot of data, e.g. about whether you are at home or on holiday, what your regular habits are in terms of arriving home at the end of the day. Many burglars would give a lot to get their hands on such data, and I've no idea how well protected it is. Since the power company has no particular incentive to keep the information private, I expect it isn't at all well protected.
You can reduce your bills only if you make use of the information - and I can anyway read me meter at any time I want to to see how much power I am using by going to the meter cupboard. The smart meter just saves a few footsteps.
It's still not clear whether smart meters are truly portable between power companies, so you might go to all the trouble of getting them installed and then lost the functionality quite soon.
There are claims that your electricity can be cut off remotely if they think you are seriously in debt. Even if not, can you be sure that nobody will ever make a mistake and cut off the wrong customer? Energy companies seem to make lots of mistakes in metering as it is - just look at the consumer complains columns of any weekend newspaper.
Although I gather that the smart electricity meter is self-powered, the gas meter in most meter cupboards (including ours) has no mains supply so it must rely on a battery. What happens when this runs out and needs to be replaced? I'll bet that is done at the expense of the customer. The remote unit that they tout shows you your instant consumption also needs a battery - who pays for that?
I've already been told that the gas and electricity will be disconnected for a time while they are installing the smart meter - maybe only half-an-hour if all goes well, but when did you last come across an electrical or gas job which didn't encounter problems?
Regards
if it's SMETS2, then the meter isn't read by any your supplier, it's read by DCC, from where the data can be passed to any supplier, to you, or (with your permission) to a 3rd party.
Clutching at straws here. How ever did burglars rob so many houses prior to smart meters?
Is that a drawback? Without too much effort you can also see your daily/monthly/yearly consumption. You can see your current spend without having to get out a calculator or spread sheet.
It was only the first generation that seemed to be non-portable.
Yes, but they can also cut you off with a dumb meter - it just takes a bit longer.
Debt doesn't go a away if you choose to have a dumb meter.
Even if not, can you be sure thatYes and look at the number of complaints made when everyone had a dumb meter
Have you any evidence for this statement? Replacement batteries are the responsibility of the supply company and they have said "free", but you are already paying for this service in your standing charges.
The remote unit that they tout shows you your instant
Mine plugs into the mains. Wouldn't you just throw yours away as you would still be manually reading the meters? Having no remote display with a smart meter is no different to having no remote display with dumb meter so where is the drawback?
Clutching at straws again. Both my meters were replaced within an hour. The gas was off for around 10 minutes and the electricity a bit longer because the tails were replaced as well as having an isolation switch installed. There is also the gas safety check for leaks, to make sure the lines are purged afterwards and to check that gas appliances are working. In general it's a like for like swap, just with a different meter. If there is a problem the same problem must exist with the old meters.
The OP was suggesting that his replacements may not be smart meters and the replacements are required because the calibration has expired. Wouldn't the risk of having a problem with a replacement dumb meter be the same as a replacement with a smart meter?
For those people serious in debt or do you think the debt goes away if you stick with a dumb meter.
Except, of course, that those on a standard credit meter can spread the winter peak across the year, while those on a prepayment meter may not be able to afford what they need at the time of that peak.
One of my satellite channels is set to the Southern Irish region because all the adverts are for things like Irish supermarkets* or discounters and the prices are in Euros. One of the fairly regular adverts is for an Irish utility company promoting all the benefits of prepayment tariffs :)
(snip)
We do - and then some... See below
The drawback is paying for something we don't want, don't use, and don't need. You seem to forget that the smart meter installation programme across the country is costing £11 billion. Well, that's the original figure; does anyone know what the figure is so far, and what the final figure will be? You can now add to that the cost of replacing all the meters in south and central England that use 3G for their communications. Do you really think that smart meters and their installation costs grow on trees, or that the utility companies will pay for it? Let's assume there are 25 million properties in the UK. The approximate cost to each is £440 (£11 billion / 25 million). So the "smart meter" programme is costing every household £440. I've no objection to those who want a smart meter paying £440 to have one installed; I just don't want to pay it. The smart meter programme is almost entirely something for the benefit of the utility companies.
Only by breaking into your property and pulling the main fuse, they can't do it remotely.
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