I never installed a smart meter and I am happy I didnt

johnloo

johnloo

johnloo

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I just read that starting from end of next year utilities companies will start to change prices, based on the time of the day of their use, doubling the prices on surge times.
I think solar panels installation may be a good idea for those that have smart meter.
Also shops will start to use electronic shelf edge labels in stores, effectively change the price on food stuffs through out the day.

Here is a link to a newspaper article.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...-prices-within-five-years-supermarkets-adopt/
 
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This is new!

Regardless, energy prices go up no matter if you have a smart meter or not. Energy companies who are not part of the Big 6 are becoming just as bad as them now.
 
For the supermarkets, the only change inside a day would be downwards to mark down perishables. They don't want the bad publicity of someone picking up a loaf of bread at one price and paying more by the time they reached the till. Cue the daily mail sad face pic and 3 inch headlines.

I've read similar on energy pricing in the Economist, but ONLY for industrial and other heavy use customers. NOT households.

What was your source ?
 
"I just read..." then doesn't offer the source.

johnloo said:
Also shops will start to use electronic shelf edge labels in stores, effectively change the price on food stuffs through out the day.
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They're already in use in many places, although they don't seem to have become commonplace in the UK yet. I'm not aware of them being used to change prices fluidly throughout trading hours though, it'd cause lots of problems. That's why price changes with paper SELs are (supposed to be) done before the store opens.
 
malachi said:
This is new!

Regardless, energy prices go up no matter if you have a smart meter or not. Energy companies who are not part of the Big 6 are becoming just as bad as them now.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with this this. I have tended to go with smaller firms over the past few changes and there customer service has been poor indeed.

Just moved to Octopus and already they did not take my first payment because of a glitch in the system and did not bother to tell me.
Decided that they were not happy with my initial gas meter reading for reasons they have not fully explained so the reading was upped by 67 units which was then passed on to my previous supplier resulting in me paying for gas I had not used. When I discovered this I was told that there was little I could do as provided the increase did not exceed 150 units then I could not dispute it. And it did not really matter anyway as in effect I would not be paying for gas until the new figure was reached. all perfectly legal I have discovered.

I had another small supplier Daligas who stopped taking my direct debit when the fixed term was up but still supplied me with gas and electricity resulting in an unexpected large bill further down the line.
 
johnloo said:
I just read that starting from end of next year utilities companies will start to change prices, based on the time of the day of their use, doubling the prices on surge times.
I think solar panels installation may be a good idea for those that have smart meter.
Also shops will start to use electronic shelf edge labels in stores, effectively change the price on food stuffs through out the day.
Click to expand...
do they not already do that?? i know after 10pm until 8am my electric is a fraction of the price and thats why i use the tumble dryer etc thru the night as it makes a massive dif to how much it costs
 
iamthenugget said:
do they not already do that?? i know after 10pm until 8am my electric is a fraction of the price and thats why i use the tumble dryer etc thru the night as it makes a massive dif to how much it costs
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From what I read it would be based on time of day, from article it will be base on the hour or when there is a surge prices will rise.
 
johnloo said:
I just read that starting from end of next year utilities companies will start to change prices, based on the time of the day of their use, doubling the prices on surge times.
I think solar panels installation may be a good idea for those that have smart meter.
Also shops will start to use electronic shelf edge labels in stores, effectively change the price on food stuffs through out the day.
Click to expand...
If you have solar panels then smart meters are a waste of time as you still have to manual give meter readings. All smart meters do is put out another wireless single in your home creating interference which is why I refused one. Due to solar panels I see zero benefit and possible interface problems.
 
johnloo said:
From what I read it would be based on time of day, from article it will be base on the hour or when there is a surge prices will rise.
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ah ok i think what i have must be a split set tarif?? i presume the way u mean it would be variable as well??

i take it this can only be done via smart meter???
 
iamthenugget said:
ah ok i think what i have must be a split set tarif?? i presume the way u mean it would be variable as well??

i take it this can only be done via smart meter???
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Yes, because the usage is in real time they can now price it in real time, they have been collecting data over the past 2 years.
 
Another reason not to have a smart meter installed is you may find your smart meter loses its functionality and reverts to being a traditional meter when/if you move to a new supplier. If so, you might have to go back to giving regular meter readings to your new supplier. And if anything goes wrong, some suppliers may have to replace your smart meter with a standard meter because they’re not equipped to deal with your particular model of smart meter.
 
johnloo said:
Yes, because the usage is in real time they can now price it in real time, they have been collecting data over the past 2 years.
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i didnt realise that, was meant to have one fitted about 2 years ago and refused the guy entry seems it was a good call.

will these become a legal requirement at any point in the future??
 
johnloo said:
Yes, because the usage is in real time they can now price it in real time, they have been collecting data over the past 2 years.
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From the article:
Meanwhile energy firms will soon offer new "time of use" energy deals once the Government's smart meter rollout is complete, although it is likely that traditional tariffs will still remain.
Click to expand...
 
I think a lot of people haven't read the article.

So what happens when the price changes between picking it up and getting to the till? Surely that's legally on dodgy ground.
 
Jokester said:
I think a lot of people haven't read the article.

So what happens when the price changes between picking it up and getting to the till? Surely that's legally on dodgy ground.
Click to expand...

He didn't link to it originally. There was a ninja edit afterwards. I pointed out the same thing in post 5 on the supermarkets.
 
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