[mrs bouquet]

I am not sure I fully understand this.   

My utility company wants to fit one.  I have said "NO", as I don't believe it is compulsory.  They said Ok.

But a friend says she has one, which she bought.   

I actually know that if all the lights are on and the kettle and the washing machine the meter is going to nearly fly off the wall.  So where is there an advantage for me to have one.

Can you advise me through this murky area.   Thanks   Mrs Bouquet

[mumofstig]

I wouldn't bother tbh, as you say we know when we're using gas and electric, you only need some common sense to turn things off if you aren't using them.

I had one fitted cos I thought meter readings would be easier ( plus they offered a cheaper tariff)  but no! Often, mine doesn't communicate with the company properly so my reading still has to be done manually. Laughable really!

[jaydig]

We find ours useful because, although we're careful with our usage, it does give us a nudge when perhaps we could put on a sweater rather than turn up the heating.  We keep an amount in mind that we know we can afford to spend each day, and make sure that where possible, we stick to it.
Everyone looks at them differently, and some people find them useful while others prefer not to have them.

[JayG]

The smart meters need to be able to connect to a mobile phone signal to send their readings, so if you live in an area with weak signals they may well not work.

Also, I have read that there have been cases where the meters can be incompatible with a new energy supplier's systems (although it would still function as a 'dumb' meter.)

Apparently the energy savings people are achieving in the real world are far lower than predicted, which is not surprising given that there will be no savings if you don't change your usage based on the information they provide (which is something you could do anyway just using common sense.)

I've not got one, and don't intend to get one unless they become compulsory - the cynic in me suggests that if the government and the energy companies are so keen for me to have one it's probably more in their interests than mine!

[greenjay]

recently my meter stopped working, so the company came and fitted a new one. I had to stay in for him to change it. the installer moaned that we were too far out in the country and the road was very steep to get to us.  in my opinion that was their opportunity to put in a smart meter. they did not. as to collecting meter readings no mobile phone signal so no read.

[John]

There was talk about linking smart meters with smart appliances and variable charging for electricity according to supply / demand ratios. So in busy times the cost of power goes up but the freezer stops working until the price drops or temperature goes above some level.
I reckon that's a techie dream that won't work in the real world and by the time it can be done other developments will have made it unnecessary.
There are apparently now 2 types of smart meter which are incompatible and the ones that have been installed and are often installed now are effectively obsolete and will need replacing. In other words, a typical government operation.

[Goosegirl]

I was emailed to say my elec company was in the area and wanted to arrange a date to fit a smart meter. I said no thanks because of all the problems I'd heard about them and it isn't compulsory anyway. We use only what we need so don't think we'd make any savings.

[Aidy]

We have one, It now enables me to justify screaming at the kids for the lecky they use when NOT in their room, like tv on while they eat down stairs, they now receive a fine so its making our energy bills cheaper!!

[John]

We have one, It now enables me to justify screaming at the kids for the lecky they use when NOT in their room, like tv on while they eat down stairs, they now receive a fine so its making our energy bills cheaper!!

Have you managed to teach them to tidy their room or shut a door? LOL - so happy to be free

[Lardman]

Too be avoided at all costs. There are so many negatives for the consumer with the only positive being monitoring usage. For the supplier however - the possibilities are endless and half hourly pricing based on demand is a major goal.

There will be a point where we'll be forced to upgrade but until then I'll not be having one.

[DanielCoffey]

The other benefit to the consumer (assuming the 3G signal allows it of course) is automated meter readings so you don't get estimated bills any more.

At the moment, "Smart" meters are just auto-reading and most have some sort of tabletop/wall gizmo that shows current usage against a target. That is about all.

It is the Smart Meter 2.0 ones that *may* allow time of use billing. The idea here is that freezers can be told "only come on at night" or that an appliance can be told "it is peak time, can you switch off for a bit please". Whether this means we need new appliances to make use of this, I have no idea. The cynical part of me says we will.

In the (very) long run, we will all be on something like Economy 10 where 'leccy costs more or less throughout the day depending on time, wind power and so on and we will be charged differently for exactly when we use it.

[Growster...]

We've got to rearrange our electricity suplier in a month's time The quote we have from our supplier is about 90% higher than what we're paying now!

Isupply, (our 'provider' - ha') although a chosen change a couple of years ago have been abysmal in their trading. They kept mucking up the online readings and making excuses, but lo and behold, reduced our monthly payment to £107.00 a few months ago!

So now, they're doubling that, and I take it as a cynical ploy to wrench more cash for exactly the same 'service' we have already! Time to switch methinks, and we're on the case!

I won't want a smart meter, as I make just four calls from my mobile each year - why? Emergency only - cheaper that way!

Like said above, if the gummint want it, it's certainly a con.

[Christine]

I get an email reminder each month a few days before my supplier wants the readings. I do the readings one day and submit by email, they take the direct debit the next and issue the bill on receipt of direct debit - the day after the reading. Why do I need a smart meter? I'm smart enough.

[oldgrunge]

I get an email reminder each month a few days before my supplier wants the readings. I do the readings one day and submit by email, they take the direct debit the next and issue the bill on receipt of direct debit - the day after the reading. Why do I need a smart meter? I'm smart enough.

This is just where things went wrong for us. I wanted to e mail in my readings to avoid estimated bills, trouble is, British Gas kept forgetting to e mail me. I then got an estimated bill!
After multiple complaints, decided to have a smart meter fitted. Mistake! They fitted the meter, and found there was no connection for the electricity meter. After several engineers visits, they declared they would have to fit another meter, but they couldn't do it because the box where power enters the house would have to be opened to connect another smart meter, and they couldn't do that as it was the province of Scottish Power. They handed the task to Scottish Power. That will be 2 years ago, next November, and we're still waiting! Incidentally, I can't get an answer from British Gas on the question of, if they can't change the smart meter we have, how did they fit the first one?
Sorry, rant over. Incidentally, I believe smart meters are to be fitted in all homes by 2022 - should be extremely interesting.

Edit to fix quote - Yorkie

[Yorkie]

Others have already mentioned things such as automated billing and potential ability in the future to charge according to time of day usage.

The current crop of smart meters are SMETS 1.0.  They only provide updates to the company that was supplying your fuel when they were installed, so when you move suppliers they go 'dumb' and you have to provide manual readings again.

The government had put a deadline for suppliers to stop installing SMETS 1.0 and start installing the new SMETS 2.0 meters by this summer.  That was put back a few months, I think, and is likely to slip further.  I think there is also a deadline for all houses to have been offered smart meters by 2020 (don't quote me on this).

SMETS 2.0 works differently; it communicates with a central hub via different technology (I think), so that
it is not dependent on who your supplier is.  If you move supplier, the meter doesn't change.

If you want to have a smart meter, don't bother until you can have a guarantee it will be a SMETS 2.0.

The companies are legally obliged to offer you a smart meter but you are not obliged to agree, as noted earlier in the thread.