[chrismahon]

As i mentioned earlier, the meter sends the readings daily back down the electricity supply lines, so a mobile signal is unnecessary. I would however be very concerned about the practice (as documented on TV) of switching people onto pre-payment without telling them and without good reason. I can see that making people pay in advance will have major cash flow advantages for the supply companies, so they will want to do that.

[Glencairn]

I had been resisting getting a smart meter installed for years.

The old meter was installed in 2004 and when I looked it up had a twenty year accurate service life.

At some point in recent years the ability to switch providers disappeared, my supplier went bust and I ended up with eon next as the supplier of last resort.

Standard variable tariff, with ridiculous projections if I opted for a fix.

Until my wife received the money saving expert newsletter advising to try and get on the price cap fixed rate that they offered for about two days.

The slight drawback was the condition of getting a smart meter fitted, but as energy firms selling electricity to customers at the price cap rate are effectively selling it for less than the market rates, it seemed churlish not to.

For a few months we ignored their emails and letters, until someone phoned up and directly asked us to book an appointment, at that point the game we had been playing for years was up and it was obvious they weren't going to simply forget about us.

A fitter from morrison data services came round at the allocated time. The only slightly different thing in our case is we have a switch fitted to bypass mains and have a generator supply in the absence of the grid.

The mobile phone network can be a bit patchy where I live, the best network is O2 and fortunately this is the one the meter uses.

I find the IHD pretty useless, yes if its on KWH then it shows if the household is using more than normal. But watching pennies creeping up on a display is just a recipe for making people worry.

What I might do is attempt to do is try and get involved in their switch event to stop using power between 17.00 and 18.00 as I'm sure there are things I could switch off with no disadvantage to the day to day workings of the house.

Being remotely converted to pre-payment meter - I'm hoping to stay in credit, especially as the government is in the process of putting my account £400 in credit. I would have expected there would be many many warnings and safeguards in place that the energy suppliers would have to adhere to before they could legally do this.

[doganjo]

I undestand that the concerns about smart meters in the UK is the poor regulation (quelle surprise - welcome to Tory Britain). Energy companies can automatically and remotely convert customers to prepayment plans,.

That is exactly my worry - the tone of the letter is just very much that I MUST do this, when it is not compulsory... The electricity companies are making millions at the moment, you are unable to switch and even without ever defaulting on any payment by me they can increase the direct debit payment to whatever they like!


I think I will just quietly ignore them, from what I have read they queues for smart meter instalments are quite long, so they will not be in a hurry to come round to us anyway... and currently they cannot disconnect you.

Change to Octopus!

It is nigh on impossible to change provider at the moment... and I am not unhappy with E-on as such (and when we changed last time it was a real struggle with missed bills etc etc), just don't want a new bit of tech in my house when it is not necessary and won't give me any advantages. I would be all for it if there was a) a system like in the Nordic countries so I can use cheaper electricity during the night but b) the only thing it would be advantageous for me would be for an electric car - which I won't have for at least a decade as they don't build good electric vans ... yet.


So we will see if they persist, but hopefully not for a while...

Nope, easy to change to Octopus - their rates are the same as anywhere else but they're a not for profit organisation and invest in the environment. Both reasons to stay with them as long as in my view - and they still give £50 to new starts and their recommender if they use the customer's own link.
This is you mine if you want to try - https://share.octopus.energy/linen-ant-47

[Possum]

There is no law in the UK that says you have to have a smart meter. I believe there is a law that says the leccy companies have to offer them, but that is not the same thing. If your company persists ask them which law, and which specific part of the law they believe applies. They will not be able to give a sensible reply.

[Rupert the bear]

An engineer said  to someone who was asking, they will be free until 2025, then the funding stops, so when they become compulsory,  we will have to pay. But nobody else had heard this.

More BS , Smart meters are not compulsory unless installed where the consumer cannot have a credit account on direct debit ie owes money or has no acceptable credit rating.
some one on here said "  have read they queues for smart meter instalments are quite long "  tell that to the chap down the road, currently is getting 3 or 4 jobs a week, good thing he has other employment.

[Buttermilk]

My meter broke a few years ago.  I suspect that it was not giving a proper reading for a couple of years previous.  As the readings were low I mentioned it to the meter reader but did not persue it with the company.  When the meter stopped turning completely, despite a phone call to the company, nothing was done and they just billed me for the average for the previous year. 

Two years later I got a letter saying I could have a smart meter.  I rang and said no I wanted a replacement dumb meter.  It took a further two years before I got my replacement dumb meter and that was a refurbished one, as they have stopped making them, according to the fitter.  The fitter also told me that he would not have a smart meter fitted to his house. 

Two weeks later I got a letter with an appointment to fit a smart meter the following day.  Another phone call and the appointment was cancelled.  This has happened twice since but now they are leaving me alone.