Smart Meter

[Davey]

My electricity supplier has recommended a tariff which would save me money over the year, but signing up for it also includes this as part of the T&Cs:

"By signing up to the tariff you are registering your interest for a Smart Meter. This means we may contact you in the future to discuss a smart meter installation as and when you become eligible."

Would this lock me into having to have a Smart Meter? I see no way that I can have this tariff and exclude this clause. I bet they would say that I was eligible as soon as I signed up.

[Andy Burns]

At the moment OFGEM say you can't be forced to have a smart meter, the wording of the T&C sounds so woolly

"Sorry, I've lost interest, I don't wish to discuss smartmeters any further".

[Brian Gaff]

If it was edf, no cos I asked them when I agreed to my new tariff. I said I have nothing against them in principal, but I want one that gives me as a blind person the ability to read my own meter either by a talking display or some kind of link up from a computer. Ofgen told me that the former devices are now available EDF said they were not so I agreed the tariff but had noted on the screen my reasonable adjustments for my disability and they seemed to be happy. One assumes all the problems with the hackability of the uniits has now been sorted and as ofcom are not going to tell lies, its pushed the ball back into their court to purchase some of the new remote units with speech. Brian

[Davey]

It is SSE, not EDF, but they are probably all the same in this regard.

"One assumes...". I admire your faith!

[Davey]

As a matter of interest, do Smartmeters fit in the same physical space as dumb meters? Mine is one of those black boxes with rolling numbers and a flashing red LED. The whole box that holds it, the CUs, etc etc is really cramped.

[Andy Burns]

Electricity ones are smaller than the old mechanical, same sort of size as the electronic dumb ones ... gas are the same size as old ones.

[charles]

my Smart electricity meter is considerably larger than the previous electronic one and a little larger in area than the old mechanical one - but not as deep.

[Michael Chare]

A lady from EDF rang up "When would it be convenient to fit a smart meter" she said, answer "Never".

[Harry Bloomfield]

Andy Burns laid this down on his screen :

The Gas Smart is around the same size as the old mechanical gas meters with the dials, rather than digits. The electric one is around the same size, so a bit bigger than the smallest electric meters.

[John J Armstrong]

I see from your other post that you are in the SSE area. I too live in the SSE area, and I very recently moved to a house with a form of off peak heating called "Total Heating Total Control". When I set up the a/c over the phone, I was given this same spiel, "By signing up to the tariff.....". However the adviser said that because I have a THTC meter, I can't have a Smart Meter.

(I don't wish to teach grannies to suck eggs so if those reading this know this already, my apologies. THTC is a radio controlled off peak system. When SSE has "spare" power, it switches the supply on, so SSE decides when consumers get the off peak power. Obviously, the meter is extremely smart, and the "Total Control" is all on the side of the supplier, so that if the heating is switched on in the property, consumers get heat whether they want it or not.)

[Dave Liquorice]

Not with that wording. You are "registering an interest". They "may contact you to dicuss a smart meter installation". Note "discuss": Them: "When would it be convient to install a Smart meter?" You: "Never", that's a disccusion.

However read all the contract to make sure that having a Smart Meter installed as a condition isn't buried away somewhere else. Or if you refuse to have a Smart meter they can terminate the contract and probably charge any early exit fee as well.

I found a good tarrif the other month but on reading the T&C's you

*had* to have a Smart Meter installed. The wording was still a bit woolly but the read properly was clear.

[Davey]

I'm going to call them and explain my reservations, and point out the 'registering an interest' wording, as you describe. I agree about the meaning of the wording.

[FMurtz]

I would guess that at some time in the future you will have no choice and no say in the matter (if you want supply)(it is coming)

[Max Demian]

By that time they should have sorted out their many deficiencies.

And we'll all have got used to a system that can turn off the supply at the drop of a hat; and won't mind altering our cooking, washing and viewing habits to suit the suppliers; and have got used to soggy food when the supplier turns off the freezer (briefly) and the device to turn it back on fails.

[mb07jeb]

Smart can trun off the supply, (electric and gas) but the suppliers has to meet certain criteria before they do.

[Andy Burns]

With dumb meters they can turn up at your door (opening it by force if necessary) and turn off the supply, likewise they have to meet certain criteria before they do ...

[Davey]

Probably true, but is not what I asked.

[Max Demian]

"Criteria" like accidentally clicking a button, or as the result of an "algorithm" that even they don't understand.

If they have to gain access to my property, I have a chance of arguing the point, possibly in court.

[mb07jeb]

Going back the original question - ALL suppliers are (by statute) obliged t o replace meters every twenty years (or less). Smart meters are the only op tion once a meter is up for replacement and yes I know there are meters out there much older than twenty years. I worked in the industry for over thirty years. Within the industry it's al so acknowledged that the customer gains little to no advantage. Sure you ca n see how much it costs to boil your kettel but unless you're really anal a bout it the novelty soon wears off and you carry on as before. Will they force you to have one? At the moment (depending on the T&Cs) no b ut they will 'strongly' encourage you to have one. They may say that the ra te per kWh they are quoting is dependent on installing one. Again I seem to have wandered away from the original question - sorry

[F]

No, you can refuse a smart meter and insist on a dumb one as a replacement.