British Gas Smart Meters.

[Glaucus]

Jack down of payments, ahahahahaha funny. I'm sure they'd be a huge rush to throw money back at me.

They do, nothing to do with throwing money at you.
Estimate bills are to high or to low. Smart metres allow for much better fixed monthly estimate payments.

So much tin foil hat rubbish in this thread.

It's not utility companies behind the roll out, they don't cost you any more.
You are already paying for them, as well as the old style one, all metres are included in the price of power.

 

[BuffetSlayer]

You are already paying for them, as well as the old style one, all metres are included in the price of power.

The cost has to be met somewhere as installing circa 100+ million smart meters UK wide is a huge outlay.

Cue everyone's bills being increased to cover it. It is hardly CT rubbish, just highlighting how energy companies (and most other service providers) operate.

Their costs increase - so the price the consumer pays for their 'product' increases.

Simple economics really.

 

[Glaucus]

The cost has to be met somewhere as installing circa 100+ million smart meters UK wide is a huge outlay.

Cue everyone's bills being increased to cover it. It is hardly CT rubbish, just highlighting how energy companies (and most other service providers) operate.

Their costs increase - so the price the consumer pays for their 'product' increases.

Simple economics really.

Did you muss the bit U said cost is included, and already is.
And over the years it'll be balanced out, by substantial reduced man power from power companies, both in estimating bills and metre readers.

Most stuff people are saying is CT rubbish,

 

[BuffetSlayer]

Did you muss the bit U said cost is included, and already is.
And over the years it'll be balanced out, by substantial reduced man power from power companies, both in estimating bills and metre readers.

Most stuff people are saying is CT rubbish,

So there will be absolutely zero increase in cost of energy to anyone in the UK to help providers meet this EU directive? Nil, nada, zip?

Interesting.

 

[Glaucus]

So there will be absolutely zero increase in cost of energy to anyone in the UK to help providers meet this EU directive? Nil, nada, zip?

Interesting.

Did I say that?
No don't think so.
A) we already pay for installation, maintenance and replacement of existing metres.
b)everybody pays for smart metres, weather you have one or not.
C)in the long run costs will be off set by savings in several areas.
D) this isn't implement by utility companies but be the EU.


So you wont see any cost increase in fitting one, as everyone is paying for it.
They arenot fitted so energy companies can spy on you.
They aren't fitted because energy company want it.

So yeah carry on sprouting rubbish.

 

[Raumarik]

They do, nothing to do with throwing money at you.
Estimate bills are to high or to low. Smart metres allow for much better fixed monthly estimate payments.

So much tin foil hat rubbish in this thread.

It's not utility companies behind the roll out, they don't cost you any more.
You are already paying for them, as well as the old style one, all metres are included in the price of power.

If they've overcharged you've to pursue them to get it back, even OVO Energy who are one of the easier ones to get money back from require the customer to initiate it. This isn't about estimated bills, those would go out the window with this sort of meter, it's about how poor these companies are at refunding cash they've already taken.

More accurate bills - brilliant, but from the experience my brother has has I'm not taking time off work to let them fit it when they can't even turn up.

 

[Glaucus]

If they've overcharged you've to pursue them to get it back, even OVO Energy who are one of the easier ones to get money back from require the customer to initiate it. This isn't about estimated bills, those would go out the window with this sort of meter, it's about how poor these companies are at refunding cash they've already taken.

More accurate bills - brilliant, but from the experience my brother has has I'm not taking time off work to let them fit it when they can't even turn up.

I didn't day estimate bills, I said estimates on fixed monthly bills.

That's funny, first utility dropped my monthly dd as I was paying to much, now I'm paying to little and my credit is going down.

 

[BuffetSlayer]

Did I say that?
No don't think so.
A) we already pay for installation, maintenance and replacement of existing metres.

Indeed, but let us be honest - the energy companies have not fitted 100m of them in the last 5 years though have they? So their current tariffs will not accurately reflect their running costs and with such a large undertaking, financial forecasting is only going to be so useful. So whilst it is true the cost of installation is included in our bills (presently), it is not really reflective of the huge hike in costs to the energy provider in order to conform with this EU directive. Ergo - bills are likely to have to go up to compensate.

b)everybody pays for smart metres, weather you have one or not.

I never said otherwise?

C)in the long run costs will be off set by savings in several areas.

I have no doubt there will be some offset, but I believe the energy providers will do as much as they can to not pass on those savings. They are, afterall, a business who want to make profit. Which is why I said I was encouraged by Ofgems stance in recent years regarding the underhanded tactics used by energy suppliers in price fixing and convoluted tariffs. My hope is that they will be instrumental in maximising savings for consumers.

D) this isn't implement by utility companies but be the EU.

Again - I never said it was. I have said all along it is an EU directive that came in 2009ish

So you wont see any cost increase in fitting one, as everyone is paying for it.

Yes, and everyones bill is likely to be increased in order to facilitate the cost to the supplier of fitting so many new meters. So we end up covering at least some of the cost, whichever way you choose to cut it.

They arenot fitted so energy companies can spy on you.

I never said they were? I said they were fitted to create efficiency savings (and to help better regulate the industry).

They aren't fitted because energy company want it.

Again - I didn't say they were?

So yeah carry on sprouting rubbish.

What parts of what I have said thus far are rubbish? (IE untrue).

 

[Ilikeitblackplease]

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.

not only that they can cut you off remotely with those new smart meters. plus the ability to load limit.Energy suppliers have committed not to use load limiting without notifying Consumer Focus and Ofgem

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18407340

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/8860866/Smart-meter-users-face-hidden-charges.html
Oh yer you pay for the smart meter

Households will not be charged for smart meters, but the cost is passed on indirectly through higher energy bills.

.


Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...id-smart-meter-sales-trick.html#ixzz3cfE5Mamw
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Smart technologies and possible future uses of appliance control This means they shut down for short periods when electricity demand is at its highest, without (in theory) any effect on performance or the freshness of food.


Consent'

A spokesman for Energy UK, which represents gas and electricity suppliers, said: "Consumer privacy is key to the introduction of smart meters and will be built in from the beginning.

"Customers will be able to get real-time information on their energy usage, but that will not be sent to their energy supplier.

"Only if they give their consent will more granular information be sent to the data communications company."

 

[Minstadave]

Jack down of payments, ahahahahaha funny. I'm sure they'd be a huge rush to throw money back at me.

This happens all the time If you overpay between meter readings your DD goes down, if you underpay it goes up. Smart meters will just allow this to be done much more accurately.

 

[Werewolf]

This happens all the time If you overpay between meter readings your DD goes down, if you underpay it goes up. Smart meters will just allow this to be done much more accurately.

Aye, I worked this out 20 years ago, when I was in my teens before I'd even moved out (although i'm not sure if it was DD or standing order).

Mind you, you really want to let your credit build up a bit over the warmer months to offset the increased use in the colder months (so the bills stay roughly the same month to month).

 

[dirtychinchilla]

It's a great idea to get one. In the UK we're absolutely awful at wasting energy, so the ability to monitor what you're actually doing, and to maybe set yourself some targets, is fantastic!

 

[LeeUK]

No point in getting a smart meter until the industry agrees on a standard. At the moment all the suppliers have their own smart meters which are not compatible with other suppliers. Which means it won't work anymore if you change supplier.

Also having a smart meter is going to allow them to remotely cut you off in the future if you are day late paying your bill, or charging you extra at high demand periods. No thanks.

 

[itchy]

It's a great idea to get one. In the UK we're absolutely awful at wasting energy, so the ability to monitor what you're actually doing, and to maybe set yourself some targets, is fantastic!

If I pay for it! I will use what I like when I like. Who is anyone to dictate my power usage !

Screw smart meters!

 

[doofer]

If you're unsure I always find to go the complete opposite to Glaucuses opinion is always a good 'rule-of thumb' to use here at OCUK.

And if the Govt. wants you to have then that usually is also a good sign you should avoid at all costs, they are definitely not interested in making things easier/cheaper for YOU, just whatever makes most profit for THEM and their Corporate puppetmasters.

 

[Glaucus]

No point in getting a smart meter until the industry agrees on a standard. At the moment all the suppliers have their own smart meters which are not compatible with other suppliers. Which means it won't work anymore if you change supplier.

Also having a smart meter is going to allow them to remotely cut you off in the future if you are day late paying your bill, or charging you extra at high demand periods. No thanks.

Except that isn't the case at all.

Can I still switch energy supplier if I have a smart meter?

Yes. Ofgem has created regulations to ensure that smart meters do not present an obstacle to consumers wanting to switch suppliers.

There really is little reason not to get one, you aren't getting charged more. Makes you life easier and off course gives you power info you can possibly use to help reduce your bills.

And it's not in there interest to do such stupid things. No company is going to but you off for paying one day late. Not only will they not make any money while it's off, you'll move to another company and never move back.

Again so much BS in this thread.

They also world with solar panels, unlike someone else said in this thread.

Do smart meters work with home generated renewable energy?

Traditional meters are only capable of recording consumption and consequently don’t take into account any energy generated by a household.

If you have or are planning to install solar panels or any other renewable energy generating system in your home, a smart meter will enable you to measure how much energy you produce. The smart meter will also calculate whether or not there is a surplus which you could sell back to the grid.

 

[Arthur Hucksake]

Forget what you read in tabloids. The only information you need is here.

http://www.smartdcc.co.uk/

Welcome to the Data and Communications Company (DCC). On the 23rd September 2013 the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy and Climate Change granted Smart DCC Ltd (DCC) a licence to establish and manage the smart metering communications infrastructure, governed by the Smart Energy Code.

One unified system that is being used by all of the energy suppliers in the country. The current "smart" meters being used will all be replaced if they cannot be retro-fitted to meet the new standards.

I won't go into any more detail than what's on the site.

My hunch is that there won't be cost passed to the home user, if anything bills will drop because of the admin savings and the fact you can switch supplier faster and without fuss. More competitive.

 

[el_dazza]

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!

I can recommend a supplier that's good for smart meters although we do specialise in prepayment.

 

[el_dazza]

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.

Ours do, we have many customers receiving payments through the FITs scheme. To be brutally honest, I'm not 100% on the whole process with solar panels but we certainly have customers benefitting from those working with a smart meter.

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

As above

 

[LeeUK]

Glaucus, having the smart meter won't prevent you changing supplier, what I meant was that not all smart meters are compatible with all suppliers. Which means you'll no longer get usage info and the fancy monitor gadget will become a useless door stop. Until all suppliers use the same meters/standards.