British Gas Smart Meters.

SkeeterUK · 10 Jun 2015 at 03:11

Anyone know weather or not i should let em install it. Is it a good thing or a bad thing cos i have no clue. Apparently the government is trying to get everyone on em so probs best to let em but is there extra standing charges etc for having them or any cost at all to the customer? Would it, tho i doubt, help with bills?

Your thoughts if you have had this decision yourself lately?

Aeleys · 10 Jun 2015 at 07:01

It's a load of rubbish, it takes money off you regardless if you're using gas or not you need to keep £5 on there at all times or else it cuts off and you need to phone them up.

I put on about £80 since winter stopped and it's sitter at about £44 so almost half gone from not even using any gas at all

Dave · 10 Jun 2015 at 07:29

Aeleys said:
It's a load of rubbish, it takes money off you regardless if you're using gas or not you need to keep £5 on there at all times or else it cuts off and you need to phone them up.

I put on about £80 since winter stopped and it's sitter at about £44 so almost half gone from not even using any gas at all

That isn't a "smart" meter, that's a regular one in which you pay-as-you-use. A smart meter is one that displays your usage in real-time on a small tablet screen and can show you your instantaneous, 1-day, 7-day etc. usage.

ci_newman · 10 Jun 2015 at 07:43

We have, certainly doesnt cost you any more to have one. You get some pretty graphs with actual usage and no more estimated bills

Trifid · 10 Jun 2015 at 08:26

Aeleys said:
It's a load of rubbish, it takes money off you regardless if you're using gas or not you need to keep £5 on there at all times or else it cuts off and you need to phone them up.

I put on about £80 since winter stopped and it's sitter at about £44 so almost half gone from not even using any gas at all

That's a prepay meter and it's extremely rare not to have a standing charge (and will most likely result in higher bills if you didn't).

I want a smart meter. No more monthly meter readings!

BuffetSlayer · 10 Jun 2015 at 09:27

It is up to you. As far as I know there is a European directive that came into force in 2009ish that is insisting energy providers fit smart meters for all of their customers. I think the aim is to have about 80% coverage by something like 2020.

I can see the benefits of them, but as with anything that is more technical - there is more to go wrong!!

Bensons · 10 Jun 2015 at 09:47

If there is no extra cost and you can easily see what you use then it sounds good to me.

Raumarik · 10 Jun 2015 at 09:50

I'm more worried about them being fairly insecure, I've refused to allow mine to be fitted so far, I'll wait until it's mandatory. It's not me being difficult they've arranged and failed to turn up to do the work at my brothers house on 4 occassions so far, he's self employed so having to stay at home is a huge deal for him.

ron3003 · 10 Jun 2015 at 09:50

Problem with these at the moment is those of us who have solar panels cant have them. Smart meters presently cant distinguish between import and export of electricity and will charge you for your exported kwh's as well as those you import from the grid. The rollout is stalled until they sort this out.

Raumarik · 10 Jun 2015 at 10:27

^^ Wow that's a bit of a glaring mistake to make!

thep02 · 10 Jun 2015 at 10:42

I've read horror stories from the USA about them being rubbish, bills going up massively and terrible customer relations with the utilities, I won't have one.

Leesey · 10 Jun 2015 at 11:33

Is it not just a digital meter with a sim card in so they don't have to come around and read your meter?

do_ron_ron · 10 Jun 2015 at 11:36

The smart meter is not there for your benefit. It is for the supplier. They can see at any time how much you are using and the demand they are need to supply. It also keeps track of what you owe them so they can jack up your monthly payments quicker. The smart meter will need powered - guess who pays.

Cosimo · 10 Jun 2015 at 11:52

Interesting read on smart meters:

http://www.smartofthehome.com/2013/09/british-gas-smart-meters-part-1/

and a Q&A:

http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/smart-meters-explained/

Minstadave · 10 Jun 2015 at 11:58

do_ron_ron said:
The smart meter is not there for your benefit. It is for the supplier. They can see at any time how much you are using and the demand they are need to supply. It also keeps track of what you owe them so they can jack up your monthly payments quicker. The smart meter will need powered - guess who pays.

Crack out the tinfoil hats!

BuffetSlayer · 10 Jun 2015 at 12:03

Minstadave said:
Crack out the tinfoil hats!

Not really.

In terms of who pays it will most definitely be passed to the consumer in one way or another.

Trifid · 10 Jun 2015 at 12:09

do_ron_ron said:
They can see at any time how much you are using and the demand they are need to supply.

That is done by the national grid by very closely monitoring the frequency of the AC current. If they are under supplying the frequency drops below 50Hz.

Minstadave · 10 Jun 2015 at 12:18

BuffetSlayer said:
Not really.

In terms of who pays it will most definitely be passed to the consumer in one way or another.

He was talking about the energy company benefiting from seeing your usage, which they see anyway with meter readings, and the meter being used to "jack up your payments" ignoring the "jacking down of your payments" which will also occur quicker.

He was also complaining about the cost of the power for the smart meter which is going to be tiny just like the current non-smart meters which are also powered.

I agree with you that at the end of the day the consumer will be footing the bill for this rollout of new meters, but that is nothing to do with his post.

BuffetSlayer · 10 Jun 2015 at 12:25

Minstadave said:
He was talking about the energy company benefiting from seeing your usage, which they see anyway with meter readings, and the meter being used to "jack up your payments" ignoring the "jacking down of your payments" which will also occur quicker.

He was also complaining about the cost of the power for the smart meter which is going to be tiny just like the current non-smart meters which are also powered.

I agree with you that at the end of the day the consumer will be footing the bill for this rollout of new meters, but that is nothing to do with his post.

I think part of that is correct. It will allow them to operate more efficiently and therefore is a bigger benefit to them than it is to you. Just think of the cost savings in manpower and fuel from being able to do away with armies of meter readers.

I agree, the way it expressed is a bit CTish, but I think the bottom line is it will indeed benefit the suppliers far more than the consumer in the long run.

Call me cynical but I feel they will find excuses not to pass on the efficiency savings they make as a business because, technically, they are separate from the wholesale cost of energy.

What I do hope, though, is that competition laws make them pass on the benefits in order to win the business and I am encouraged by recent rulings of Ofgem in terms of price/tariff fixing.

Raumarik · 10 Jun 2015 at 12:30

Minstadave said:
He was talking about the energy company benefiting from seeing your usage, which they see anyway with meter readings, and the meter being used to "jack up your payments" ignoring the "jacking down of your payments" which will also occur quicker.

He was also complaining about the cost of the power for the smart meter which is going to be tiny just like the current non-smart meters which are also powered.

I agree with you that at the end of the day the consumer will be footing the bill for this rollout of new meters, but that is nothing to do with his post.

Jack down of payments, ahahahahaha funny.

I'm sure they'd be a huge rush to throw money back at me.