Smart meters (again...)

Colin Brenton · 14 Jan 2021

Hi,

SSE keep badgering me to replace my meter with (I assume) a smart meter.

I don't particularly want one, as I don't see any advantage to me in having one.

However, they are becoming quite insistent, and, looking at the current electricity meter it looks to have been installed in 2008 (I can't see any labelling on the gas meter), so I wonder how often these things 'need' to be replaced? Are they able to insist on doing this? Does anyone know?

Thanks,
Colin

winston1 · 14 Jan 2021

You do not have to have a smart meter if you don’t want one.
SSE have a right to replace their meter. It is up to you to insist it is replaced by a non smart meter. If the person replacing it turns up with a smart meter deny him access.

Guitarguy · 14 Jan 2021

IIRC meters should be replaced every 20 years to maintain accurate readings so 2008 isn’t old for a meter. Theres plenty of much older meters about. You don’t have to accept a smart meter though

AndyPRK · 14 Jan 2021

SSE are the worst for nagging customers for Smart Meters .
Thankfully I left them

BS3036 · 14 Jan 2021

They're pretty bad. We keep getting cards saying 'We will be fitting your new smart meter on Wed Thur or Fri next week, please let us know which is most convenient'.

milgo123 · 14 Jan 2021

Why not have the smart meters installed and then just treat them as you currently do your non smart meters...?

narkeybee · 14 Jan 2021

I got my smart meter fitted in 2018, then changed supplier so now it is dumb, ,If you can get a cheaper tariff so be it.
they are nothing to worry about, just wish I had asked them to fit an isolating switch at the same time.

Old Salt · 14 Jan 2021

The original government target for the suppliers was completion by end of 2020 to install smart meters in domestic properties. Not sure how big the supplier has to be but certainly goes on the number of customers probably around 50K.

Failure to achieve the target could result in fines by Ofgem so that is why they are keen to be seen trying to achieve the target. I believe the phrase used is best endeavours which they will be able to demonstrate by letters, emails and text messages sent to customers.

sxturbo · 14 Jan 2021

Guitarguy said:
IIRC meters should be replaced every 20 years to maintain accurate readings so 2008 isn’t old for a meter. Theres plenty of much older meters about. You don’t have to accept a smart meter though

i'm sure my current meter says mid eighties, i'm gonna check when i get home

SUNRAY · 14 Jan 2021

sxturbo said:
i'm sure my current meter says mid eighties, i'm gonna check when i get home

One of mine is 83. IME this is not unusual.

winston1 · 14 Jan 2021

milgo123 said:
Why not have the smart meters installed and then just treat them as you currently do your non smart meters...?

Because the supplier won't treat it as a non smart meter.They will still have and possibly use their control, such as cutting you off or grossly increasing your tariff at supper time.

JohnW2 · 14 Jan 2021

winston1 said:
You do not have to have a smart meter if you don’t want one. SSE have a right to replace their meter. It is up to you to insist it is replaced by a non smart meter.

That is often said, but is it actually true? Is the supplier not free (quite possible per the contract) to install whatever metering/monitoring equipment they chose to install?

Deryck Tintagel · 14 Jan 2021

JohnW2 said:
That is often said, but is it actually true? Is the supplier not free (quite possible per the contract) to install whatever metering/monitoring equipment they chose to install?

I had the company installing smart meters for my supplier ring me about 6 weeks ago wanting to make an appointment to change my meters. I refused on the basis that there is no benefit for me at the moment. They were quite insistent that I gave them a reason for refusal. I reckon that they need to achieve government targets. They tried the "it's 20 years old and could be inaccurate" line to get me to change

I thought about it after the event and, with working from home, it is not convenient to have the electricity off for any period of time at the moment. Possibly when I have a good reason the chnage then I will reconsider.

JohnW2 · 14 Jan 2021

Deryck Tintagel said:
I had the company installing smart meters for my supplier ring me about 6 weeks ago wanting to make an appointment to change my meters. I refused on the basis that there is no benefit for me at the moment. They were quite insistent that I gave them a reason for refusal. I reckon that they need to achieve government targets. They tried the "it's 20 years old and could be inaccurate" line to get me to change .... I thought about it after the event and, with working from home, it is not convenient to have the electricity off for any period of time at the moment. Possibly when I have a good reason the chnage then I will reconsider.

I sympathise with all that, and am sure that it relates to 'government targets' (but see ** below) but still wonder what you may have agreed to (explicitly or implicitly), contractually, in terms of their changing their equipment.

[ ** I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that the 'government targets' relate to how many people have been 'offered' smart meters. If that is true, then a particular consumer counts towards the target even if they 'decline the offer' ]

It potentially gets particularly difficult when they deem that a 'routine meter change' is required. In the ~34 years I've been in my house, there have been four (I suspect mainly 'unnecessary') 'routine meter changes' (all to non-smart meters) - and, if (rightly or wrongly) they deemed such a change to be necessary, I doubt that I could have refused to have it done, despite the inconvenience that it caused to me.

If they do decide that (for whatever reason) the time has come when the current meter 'needs to be replaced', I am not sure to what extent I can have any influence over what they decide to change it to. Arguments about 'non-convenience' obviously don't apply if they are going to change the meter, anyway, even if to another non-smart one.

Kind Regards, john

Old Salt · 14 Jan 2021

I dont honestly believe suppliers will turn off your supply via a smart meter or change your tariff at supper time unless it is in the small print of the contract.
That is fake news as far as I am concerned.
If your concerned tell them you have reliance on medical equipment 24/7 and they will put you on the vulnerable customers register.

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Smart meters (again...)

Similar threads