Smart Meter View

[Maydup]

We had a smart meter fitted yesterday, and I'm just figuring out the little display unit. It has provided 5 minutes of interest and I'm over it already.

I have no desire to reminded how much our electricty is costing us hour by hour, its not good for my soul! Its useful to have the readings send electronically and no more estimated bills, otherwise it can sit in the corner and keep quiet!

Do you have one? What display do you leave yours on? Do you look at it anymore?

[aelmpvw]

mine is unplugged and hidden away in a drawer somewhere

[gingejbee]

Refused to have one...never had an estimated bill because I send readings in every quarter, get a bill, pay it...sorted for another thirteen weeks.

[gingejbee]

....all done online, of course!

[TonyV]

I have one I find it useful but mrs Tony don't like me checking how much energy we are using, but good reminder for turning things off.

[Maydup]

What display do you leave it on as default Tony?

[woofgang]

same as gingelbee except I have a direct debit set up. I live alone and if I have something switched on or charging, its because I want it switched on. Both of my meters are easy to access to do my own readings.

[Prudie]

We have also refused one (which they are miffed about) and send our readings in online.

[woofgang]

Prudie, I told them (electricity) that if they contacted me again about it, I would change supplier.

[goodgoalie]

I categorically refused one, and they (Npower) took me off their list. I phone in a reading for gas and electricity every 90 days and pay by quarterly direct debit, so I know what the bill will be before it arrives. 'Smart' meters are of no benefit whatsoever to the consumer - are we meant to sit there watching it clocking up the cost?

You do NOT have to have one.

[hellywelly4]

I've had one for ages with no trouble. I found the display thingy very useful to advise me what things used more electricity than others, but don't use it now.

[zebo]

We have declined EON's kind but persistant offers, we too send in readings although the other day the man came to do the annual reading. He asked about smart meters and I told him we didn't want one, he told us that even if we declined, EON got fined because we don't have one!

[Maydup]

I'm not against the smart meter, otherwise I wouldnt have one installed yesterday. whats not to like? It confirms what price they are charging me at my fingertips, and how mych I'm using, and it saves me getting the steps and my torch out and sending in the readings.

But I dont think I want to watch it day and night!

[gingejbee]

^^^helly, like a 3000w immersion heater uses twice the power of a 1500w kettle...which uses 15x the power of a 100w lightbulb? That sort of useful?

[anneasquith]

In a drawer,

[goodgoalie]

Maydup, you ask 'what's not to like'?

Well, for a start it means your supplier has remote control over your supply, and could cut it off at any time. It also means that in the future, tariffs could be brought in that change throughout the day according to demand and you would have no real idea about what you're paying at any given time - unless, of course, you sit there watching it.

Smart meters won't work properly if you have a poor signal in your area.

It could make it much more difficult to switch suppliers, especially if you have had one of the duff first-generation meters fitted.

[Cloverjo]

I switched mine off as I thought it was interfering with the WiFi to my iPad. It never worked anyway.

[TonyV]

Maydup the guy that installed it just set it up for us,just shows the amount of power we are using 52 pence so far today lol

[Baldric]

Not a chance of one being fitted here

[EDDIE51]

They are going to be compulsory for ALL customers ! Soon, you will not have a choice ! But, it is estimated that the full change over will take more than 20 years !!! 'Old' Meters are now replaced ONLY ! by 'Smart' Meters when and if they get a fault!

[EDDIE51]

Baldric, you have NO choice ! If your present meter fails or needs repair it WILL be replaced by a Smart Meter ,like it or not ! Meters are the property of the power supply company NOT the user !! You can't tell them what they can or cannot do with their own property !