Smart meters - good choice?

[morqthana]

I have smart meters, the main reason is, once I get down to read it, I cant get up again!

I solved that problem by reaching down a hand with a mobile phone and taking photos of the displays. You may need to experiment with zoom settings and additional lighting, but once you've got that sussed it works a treat.

 

[morqthana]

I will make it very clear that once they have installed an SM, there is no way that I am ever going to 'give them a meter reading' - so if they want readings, they'll have to send someone to read the meter

And if they just start "estimating" your readings and taking more and more DD payments until you end up '000s in credit?

 

[JohnW2]

I solved that problem by reaching down a hand with a mobile phone and taking photos of the displays. You may need to experiment with zoom settings and additional lighting, but once you've got that sussed it works a treat.

In a property I used to own, I used a similar technique to read a meter which was too high up for me to easily read without finding something to stand on.

 

[JohnW2]

And if they just start "estimating" your readings and taking more and more DD payments until you end up '000s in credit?

That's a good reason for avoiding DDs for such things wherever possible, although it often isn't (possible), at least for many/most tariffs, and also prevents 'evening out over the year'payments.

In any event, I believe that Ofgem requires them to repay credit balances 'on demand' if they exceed some minimum(I think fairly modest) figure.

 

[ericmark]

I think the idea is you over pay in Summer, and under pay in Winter, but I had expected Smart meters to allow one to pay just what is owed? I watched my British Gas app show more and more in credit, to the point where it hit over the £1000, so I asked for some back, it seems they were just showing what I have paid in, and it was not showing what they should have taken for electric supplied. We were in credit, but not the amount it was showing.

With Octopus, my wife asked yesterday why we are using £20 a month in Summer, she showed me the bill

I had to point out the - before the £117.82, she pointed out it does say consumption, she studied English at University, and she said we have not consumed that amount, it should say generated, and it does not really make sense to me, the 15p/kWh showed it was export, but it still seems like half a statement, as no standing charge, I expect to see another saying how much we have used. It says estimated annual usage 2700 kWh, my solar software shows so that is for 22 months, so 5000 kWh is my estimate. But still not bad going when only been with Octopus for two months.

 

[JohnW2]

I had to point out the - before the £117.82, she pointed out it does say consumption, she studied English at University, and she said we have not consumed that amount, it should say generated,

She's obviously right!

and it does not really make sense to me, the 15p/kWh showed it was export, but it still seems like half a statement, as no standing charge, I expect to see another saying how much we have used.

Agreed, there presumably should be another 'statement' (for import, even if zero), given that this one relates to "Energy Exported for Meter" (and you might want to ask your wife about the grammar of that ), and that other statement presumably would include the Standing Charge (even if import were zero). It would obviously be wrong, and 'bad news' for you, if they added a Standing Charge for both import and export!

 

[morqthana]

It would obviously be wrong, and 'bad news' for you, if they added a Standing Charge for both import and export!

But who, honestly, would be very surprised....

 

[SUNRAY]

Does anyone know when the law changed preventing more to be charged for the standing charge than the usage?

 

[JohnW2]

But who, honestly, would be very surprised....

Little surprises me these days!

Looking at eric's statement makes me wonder - what happens if the owner of the intsallation is a VAT-registered company or individual- do they have to charge VAT on their 'sales' (exports) of electricity to the grid and, if so, how on earth is that achieved?

 

[Scally-Ho]

Does anyone know when the law changed preventing more to be charged for the standing charge than the usage?

Has it been announced yet? All I know is that unit rate and SC has now to be the same for prepayment customers and those on the variable tariff and that came to me from the supplier who supplies all of my rental properties.

 

[JohnW2]

Does anyone know when the law changed preventing more to be charged for the standing charge than the usage?

What do you mean? Standing Charges are (and have always been) 'fixed', whereas usage charges obviously depend upon usage.

I would imagine that (in the absence of local generation) very few people pay less for electricity usage per day than the daily Standing Charge, do they?

 

[JohnW2]

Has it been announced yet? All I know is that unit rate and SC has now to be the same for prepayment customers and those on the variable tariff and that came to me from the supplier who supplies all of my rental properties.

I don't really get that. Ofgem's 'caps' are different for usage and Standing Charge - the cap for Standing charge currently being about double that for 1 kWh of usage for electricity, and about 4.5 times that for 1 kWh usage for gas.

 

[ericmark]

Ofgem have been reviewing the standing charge reading what they say, it seems there are problems getting a balance.

One of the main problems is those with money, like me, can install solar panels and batteries to reduce their bill, but those in rented accommodation often have no option, and not all homeowners can afford them as well, so the standing charge is to provide the option of a grid supply whether used or not.

I can't see why the charge should vary, but it does.

 

[SUNRAY]

What do you mean? Standing Charges are (and have always been) 'fixed', whereas usage charges obviously depend upon usage.

No no it was mandated that it could not be more than the cost of energy.

I would imagine that (in the absence of local generation) very few people pay less for electricity usage per day than the daily Standing Charge, do they?

I discovered this when I purchased my first house back in 1983, I didn't move in straightaway while I reburbished and paid the estimated bills for gas and electricity 2 or 3 times before they read the meters (at the time the gas meter was in a poly bag and the supply pipe covered with an aerosol cap), my total bill for that early period was well under £1 for both services.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I can't see why the charge should vary, but it does.

SC is charged by the day, might the two periods have a differing number of days included?