Smart meter question

[TheOstrich]

I guess pretty much all of you will have had smart meters installed by now - being a Luddite, I'm still ignoring our energy provider's bleatings that they want to come fit one.
I'll probably change my mind the day after they announce that it you don't get a free one fitted by a certain date, they'll start charging for it ....

But my query to you folk who have them is - does your in-house console actually work? We know of several people who have had a meter fitted, but the console doesn't properly display, presumably because it can't pick up a Wifi signal from the meter itself? I have seen it said brick walls can be a problem .....

[Workingman]

I don't have one, but the ex does. Her meters, gas and electric, are in cabinets accessible from the outside. They protrude in to the house under the stair void. Her console / reader or whatever it is called, is in the kitchen and works fine.

I just tried to get smart meters to get from the pre-pay system and the installation was cancelled at short notice - Scottish Power. When I complained I was told that the signal in my area was too weak for SMs to work. This applies to all providers and all local properties. However, they will not provide "dumb" meters as they are no longer allowed to be fitted!

[Kaz]

I think ours works fine - so far

[saundra]

I'm with Scottish power
They have been telling me for a few years I need one
If resisted latest letter I have to have one because my meter is now obsolete
I they eventually fit one I shall unplug it and totally ignore it it won't make the slightest difference to me
It's for their benefit
To read meters

I had one and just unplug it
Just my opinion
I seem to think it's also hard to change your supplier of you have a smart meter but I might be wrong

[JoM]

Our meters are outside, one on the wall by the front door and the other in a box in the floor to the side of the front window. I have the display in the kitchen so there’s a room and a few brick walls inbetween but the display works fine. We’ve had no problems with it.

This one is a replacement unit thought. The first lost connection at times, especially in poor weather, but I put it down to the distance from the meters and brick walls but it failed completely one day and it was quickly replaced by EDF. They sent a different model with more features and it’s been a big improvement.

[meriad]

I have one and am having issues and wish I had held off. The cost of my energy seems to have sky rocketed since having it installed and I queried it with e.ON and they said that my usage during the past few months wasn't much more than previous months but that energy prices have been rising; which is a fair point but surely not by that much!

As for the in-house display - for some reason mine shows the gas just fine, but there is an issue with the electricity display so I can't see that. Apparently (according to e.ON who installed the meter last November) it's to do with a software issue. I've just the other day switched to Sainsbury's for my dual fuel but as they provide via e.ON (but have a different tariff) so still having the same issue. But before said alleged software issue it was working just fine.

I'm still not convinced my meter is faulty though

[Workingman]

I have done a bit of reading up on this.

1st your SM needs to be able to connect to the mobile network via a Smart Meter Wide Area Network (SMWAN) to give correct readings. If your phone signal is bad so will your SM signal.

2nd your monitor needs to be able to connect to your smart meter without interruption. Same floor and as near as possible.

If either of those things are not working properly your bills can go haywire. The old energy saving light bulbs and dimmer switches can also throw things out of kilter.

Research at Twente University in the Netherlands shows that these problems can lead to higher than expected bills.

Apparently about 30% of all UK homes fail the tests so cannot, as yet, get a SM. I am in that position. And according to Citizens Advice you should take manual readings every so often and keep a log of the running total in case of disputes with your supplier. You know, just like you did with your dumb meter. Go figure.

[TheOstrich]

Thank you, all - that makes interesting reading.

Meriad, we're also with Eon ..... so I've definitely taken on board your problems with them.

1st your SM needs to be able to connect to the mobile network via a Smart Meter Wide Area Network (SMWAN) to give correct readings. If your phone signal is bad so will your SM signal.
2nd your monitor needs to be able to connect to your smart meter without interruption. Same floor and as near as possible.

1 - our mobile coverage here is poor; we have both EE and O2 phones, and whilst the O2 is better (2 bars), for EE reception we have to go into the garden on occasions ....
2 - our meters are on the far outside wall of the (integral) garage. That means the width of the garage and two brick walls would separate the smart meter(s) from the nearest place we could put the console (the kitchen).

I think you've all stiffened my resolve to keep away from them for the present ...

[cruiser2]

I have had an email from my supplier to sya my gas meter needs changinging and they are going to fit a smart meter. I am with Octopus Energy.
Have told them I am not having a smart meter for either gas or electric. Will continue to send meter readings as I have done for several years.

There could be problems if I ever want to change suppliers.
Have got a water meter and the water supply company. United Utilities, can read this without having to come into the house.