Smart meters

[Daggers]

Our meters have another good ten years in them, but we have this persistent bloke door knocking, telling us to get a smart meter.

 

From what I can work out (in addition to anyone knocking on our door getting to fvck), is that over 4 million smart meters are faulty.

 

Can’t say I am inclined to get one.

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 minute ago, Daggers said:

Our meters have another good ten years in them, but we have this persistent bloke door knocking, telling us to get a smart meter.

 

From what I can work out (in addition to anyone knocking on our door getting to fvck), is that over 4 million smart meters are faulty.

 

Can’t say I am inclined to get one.

Tell @Raj to sling his hook.

Edited 13 September by Trav Le Bleu

[Globalfox]

You are correct hold out as long as possible. OFGeM says they are safe. The report from GCHQ into are they hackable especially by the Chinese sits on the fence it says that as far as they can determine they are OK not an outright OK. They tell you they mostly come from a Spanish company but follow the money they are all sourced from China. What better way to mess with a country than have the ability to remotely turn off the power.

[Bellend Sebastian]

We've had two for ages, and one is fine and the other is a waste of space as it hardly ever works and I still have to do manual meter readings, which I hate as it involves braving spider cupboard and hauling out half of the shite that's stored in there.

 

My father-in-law feels strongly about a lot of things but especially about smart meters although I've never worked out why.  My best guess is that the utility providers can quietly cut you off remotely if you don't pay the bills, and he much prefers the possibility of bailiffs doing some sort of forced entry about which he can make a massive fuss

Edited 13 September by Bellend Sebastian

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, Daggers said:

Our meters have another good ten years in them, but we have this persistent bloke door knocking, telling us to get a smart meter.

 

From what I can work out (in addition to anyone knocking on our door getting to fvck), is that over 4 million smart meters are faulty.

 

Can’t say I am inclined to get one.

 

We've got a smart meter from EDF. It doesn't send readings to EDF so I have to supply manual readings.  EDF won't provide us with a remote meter (for use indoors) either. When I contact them all I ever get is a bot which repeatedly tells me that there's a meter upgrade happening. Well, it's been "happening" for at least 3 years now.

 

I'm resigned to just giving meter readings when they ask for one and checking the comparison sites, which tell me we are on the best tariff. 

 

Smart meters seem a bit sh1t AFAIC. Maybe it's just EDF. 

[Daggers]

I do love a bit of confirmation bias. Keep the negativity going people.

Edited 13 September by Daggers

[Parafox]

6 minutes ago, Daggers said:

I don't love a bit of confirmation bias. Keep the negativity going people.

Well, you did ask. 

Edited 13 September by Parafox

[jgtuk]

14 minutes ago, Daggers said:

I don't love a bit of confirmation bias. Keep the negativity going people.

To go against the narrative, I had a new 3 phase connection and had no meter choice. They fitted a smart meter with an in house display unit and it’s been brilliant. I can scroll through the display to see current use, daily or weekly use etc. 

It sends readings daily and my online account is updated accordingly so I can see what’s in my account and the charges involved. 
 

I’m with Ovo

Edited 13 September by jgtuk
Addition

[Free Falling Foxes]

16 minutes ago, Parafox said:

 

We've got a smart meter from EDF. It doesn't send readings to EDF so I have to supply manual readings.  EDF won't provide us with a remote meter (for use indoors) either. When I contact them all I ever get is a bot which repeatedly tells me that there's a meter upgrade happening. Well, it's been "happening" for at least 3 years now.

 

I'm resigned to just giving meter readings when they ask for one and checking the comparison sites, which tell me we are on the best tariff. 

 

Smart meters seem a bit sh1t AFAIC. Maybe it's just EDF. 

It isn't. Our British Gas meter has been misbehaving for 3 or 4 years.

Like you, we were supposed to get a replacement. However, last time I contacted them re this, they said it was out of guarantee and wouldn't be replaced.

Guarantee? It's their fecking meter, I haven't bought the bloody thing.

 

With regard to the OPs point. A university in the Netherlands I think it was, tested all the main smart meter brands and they all gave conflicting readings on useage.

[Robo61]

Sorry to go against the narative, but my Smart meter fitted some 3 years ago works perfectly sending meter readings to Octopus every half an hour. As a result I am savings hundreds a year by taking advantage of smart tarrifs. If all the other pensioners were to do the same most wouldn't miss the WFA😉

[Daggers]

2 hours ago, Parafox said:

Well, you did ask. 

Autocorrect. Yet another tech thing going wrong.

[Molson Canadian]

Everyone here in Vancouver had the old manual reading smart meters on the exterior of the homes removed and replaced by smart meters.  We have a crown corporation BC Hydro which supplies and bills for Hydro.  There was some opposition at first by some individuals who blocked access to the meters being replaced (some still do)  the smart meters have been in operation for around 10 years and have improved efficiency of readings as now an employee doesn't have to go house to house to read the meters.  The readings have never been off at my house when i compare the numbers on the bill that comes and what's on the meter.

 

You can download an app to track your usage, pay bills, and also participate in hydro saving challenges.  For example if you can bring your hydro use down during certain hours you get a monetary credit on your account which bring the price down on your next bill

 

 

There are now talks about how the smart meters can somehow be linked to provide city wide free wifi. 

Edited 13 September by Molson Canadian

[martyn]

My electricity smart meter doesn't work which is a pain as it needs to work to be able to change to an Octopus tariff, which ive wanted to do for ages. Probably missed out on over £1000 worth of savings thus far.

 

Have called my supplier a couple of times but they aren't bothered about it getting fixed.

Edited 13 September by martyn

[fox_favourite]

14 hours ago, Globalfox said:

You are correct hold out as long as possible. OFGeM says they are safe. The report from GCHQ into are they hackable especially by the Chinese sits on the fence it says that as far as they can determine they are OK not an outright OK. They tell you they mostly come from a Spanish company but follow the money they are all sourced from China. What better way to mess with a country than have the ability to remotely turn off the power.

If you're worried about hacking then I'd live a hermit life. Anything connected to the internet in some way can be hacked. Your phone you use every day, your car that needs an app, email address, work systems. You get my point.

 

China can potentially get into a lot of different things, meters just being potentially one of them. 

[fox_favourite]

15 hours ago, Daggers said:

Our meters have another good ten years in them, but we have this persistent bloke door knocking, telling us to get a smart meter.

 

From what I can work out (in addition to anyone knocking on our door getting to fvck), is that over 4 million smart meters are faulty.

 

Can’t say I am inclined to get one.

Personal choice. I live I a new build and have one. Never an issue as in failed, but I can see your reluctance to get one. I wouldn't be rushing to get one if I didn't need to. 

 

I do meter readings manually anyway as I'm never too sure how accurate it really is. 

Edited Saturday at 07:02 by fox_favourite

[Daggers]

2 hours ago, fox_favourite said:

Personal choice. I live I a new build and have one. Never an issue as in failed, but I can see your reluctance to get one. I wouldn't be rushing to get one if I didn't need to. 

 

I do meter readings manually anyway as I'm never too sure how accurate it really is. 

Our's is a 10yr old new build. I think my main objection is the door-2-door cold calling. I'm never buying or signing up to anything I haven't researched and hunted out. We've not had a letter about it, just bloke stopping me living my life.

 

If you'd asked me if cold calling was still legal I'd have put money on it not being. It's been so long since anyone did it before him, I'd have sworn on anything someone banned it.

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, Daggers said:

Our's is a 10yr old new build. I think my main objection is the door-2-door cold calling. I'm never buying or signing up to anything I haven't researched and hunted out. We've not had a letter about it, just bloke stopping me living my life.

 

If you'd asked me if cold calling was still legal I'd have put money on it not being. It's been so long since anyone did it before him, I'd have sworn on anything someone banned it.

I think cold calling got shelved during Covid but it's back baby cos moneh!!

 

This might help ...

 

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/nuisance-calls/#:~:text=You can report nuisance calls,take action against those responsible.

 

ICO is the information commissioner's office, the official governmental body for this kind of thing.

Edited Saturday at 11:46 by Trav Le Bleu

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, Daggers said:

Our's is a 10yr old new build. I think my main objection is the door-2-door cold calling. I'm never buying or signing up to anything I haven't researched and hunted out. We've not had a letter about it, just bloke stopping me living my life.

 

If you'd asked me if cold calling was still legal I'd have put money on it not being. It's been so long since anyone did it before him, I'd have sworn on anything someone banned it.

Tbh, as it's a 10 yr old new build, I'm shocked it's still standing.

[FoxyPV]

On 13/09/2024 at 16:55, Daggers said:

Our meters have another good ten years in them, but we have this persistent bloke door knocking, telling us to get a smart meter.

 

From what I can work out (in addition to anyone knocking on our door getting to fvck), is that over 4 million smart meters are faulty.

 

Can’t say I am inclined to get one.

Tell them to get fvcked as they've been proven to surge charge at peak times 

[hebangsthedrums]

23 hours ago, Robo61 said:

Sorry to go against the narative, but my Smart meter fitted some 3 years ago works perfectly sending meter readings to Octopus every half an hour. As a result I am savings hundreds a year by taking advantage of smart tarrifs. If all the other pensioners were to do the same most wouldn't miss the WFA😉

same, smart meter from octopus - works well and not had any probs. having one was a mandatory for the ev tariff we have

[FoyleFox]

For 2 years our Octopus smart meter had been great. 

The last 3 months, the cost shown on the smart meter for our usage for the month and, the actual bill, are very different. 

The customer service response is that it's only a rough guide. Last month the bill was double the cost shown on the smart meter.

The bills are around what is expect, it's not that we're actually paying more but, it's annoying I can't see our correct charges during the month. 

[Mike the Metal Ed]

1 hour ago, FoyleFox said:

For 2 years our Octopus smart meter had been great. 

The last 3 months, the cost shown on the smart meter for our usage for the month and, the actual bill, are very different. 

The customer service response is that it's only a rough guide. Last month the bill was double the cost shown on the smart meter.

The bills are around what is expect, it's not that we're actually paying more but, it's annoying I can't see our correct charges during the month. 

I'm on Octopus Agile, and my smart meter (technically the smart monitor, my meter sends the readings just fine) just can't keep up to date with the rate changing every half an hour, it's not designed to do it, I just have to use the app instead.

Edited Saturday at 23:35 by Mike the Metal Ed

[MPH]

On 13/09/2024 at 13:53, Parafox said:

 

We've got a smart meter from EDF. It doesn't send readings to EDF so I have to supply manual readings.  EDF won't provide us with a remote meter (for use indoors) either. When I contact them all I ever get is a bot which repeatedly tells me that there's a meter upgrade happening. Well, it's been "happening" for at least 3 years now.

 

I'm resigned to just giving meter readings when they ask for one and checking the comparison sites, which tell me we are on the best tariff. 

 

Smart meters seem a bit sh1t AFAIC. Maybe it's just EDF. 

 

it doesn’t sound very smart to me..

[Daggers]

Why do I want to know my spend minute by minute?

 

I've lived a life paying monthly direct debit and not giving gas or electricity usage a second thought. I turn off lights like a true Dad, but I'm not going to ban showers to save some pennies or cook at 3am.

[LanguedocFox]

On 13/09/2024 at 21:30, martyn said:

My electricity smart meter doesn't work which is a pain as it needs to work to be able to change to an Octopus tariff, which ive wanted to do for ages. Probably missed out on over £1000 worth of savings thus far.

 

Have called my supplier a couple of times but they aren't bothered about it getting fixed.

Have you tried just switching to Octopus? They would then give you a new smart meter.

 

I’m with Octopus and I’m impressed with their customer service. Their pricing also seems good (I do nerdy checking via the Money Saving website every six months or so).

 

I don’t have an issue with smart meters. There’s more in life to worry about, if worrying is what you’re into. I’m too old!

Edited Sunday at 06:51 by LanguedocFox