OT: meter needs replacing.......

Do you care if the current meter is overcharging you?

I have recently joined Octopus Energy, they are badgering me to make an appointment for the installation of a Smart Meter. E-on fitted one in January before I changed suppliers, but it doesn't work, so I have booked for another installation.

Yes, but it is unlikely. And I do not want to be forced to have a 'smart' meter, it should be at my discretion.

Afraid that the meter is smarter than you? :o)

Please keep fighting. Customers like you subsidise the rest of us.

Tim

Actually, we all subsidise the Renewables Obligation farce.

Yes, but non-smart meter owners are subsidising it more.

Tim

From what I read, the meter is not likely to be as smart as me. I note my meter reading daily, and have no solar or other non-simple systems that would make any difference. It's in a simple flat.

In message <v3nf58$ga8m$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me, Davey snipped-for-privacy@example.invalid writes

Why is that? Are there different rates for smart meters & non smart meters. Genuine question.

Increasingly yes. Because they record energy use in 30 minute slots, suppliers can offer tariffs that require a smart meter, e.g. some which are similar to E7 providing overnight EV charging (and require you to own one) or provide you half electricity on specified sunday afternoons (a bit gimmicky, is there much difference in supply/demand on sundays?) they could just give a (5/(7*24))/2 discount to all customers regardless of smart/dumb, it's just a stick to get people to move for spurious reasons.

OFCOM set up the dichotomy, give the suppliers targets to meet with financial penalties for not meeting them, then allow consumers the right to refuse a smart meter.

I estimate that I will save the best part of £1000 per year by charging my EV at times suggested by my electricity supplier - purely dependant on my having a smart meter,

Do they suggest times that vary day-by-day?

So, we’re all subsidy payers, thanks for clarifying that.

So in 30 or 40 years, your cheaper electricity will have paid for your EV…always assuming things stay as they are…

It currently seems like if I pay £40k for an EV, £20k for solar panels, battery, and inverter, £15k on insulation, and £15k on a heat pump, a total ball-park figure of £90k, I could save £2k pa on electricity, gas, and petrol, with a payback time of circa 45 years. I think I’ll stick with what I’ve got, and keep the investments (that give a better return).

Can I ask why you only do this once a day? You are missing potentially useful information.

Assuming, of course, that you want an EV. Many don't.

Since the meter is in the bedroom, it s easy to remember to read it before I go downstairs in the morning. I doubt that I would learn much from reading it more often, I know how much a laundry run uses, the fact that the electric oven uses lots of energy if just left on overnight, but doing nothing, and other such details.I would not change my living habits if I had more detail. And some things stay on regardless, the CCTV system, the PVRs, and so on.