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Anyone Here Got A Smart Meter?
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Just wondering how much your electricity costs per hour when your house is 'resting', that is, using nothing other than what is plugged in overnight.
Mine seems to be 1p or 2p an hour.
Mine seems to be 1p or 2p an hour.
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I needed a new boiler anyway as the old one was kaput.
But out of interest, my annual gas usage decreased by about 6,000 Kwh following the installation of the new boiler. At the price I currently pay this would cost me around £140 a year, so about twenty years to entirely pay for the boiler. The calculation is slightly complicated by the fact that a few years after the boiler I had a new gas hob installed which I believe also uses less gas. But as I said, all academic because I had to have a new boiler anyway.
But out of interest, my annual gas usage decreased by about 6,000 Kwh following the installation of the new boiler. At the price I currently pay this would cost me around £140 a year, so about twenty years to entirely pay for the boiler. The calculation is slightly complicated by the fact that a few years after the boiler I had a new gas hob installed which I believe also uses less gas. But as I said, all academic because I had to have a new boiler anyway.
This is from Ofgem
We are responsible for regulating suppliers’ compliance with their smart metering obligations, and we fully believe that smart meters have the potential to bring significant benefits to consumers.
https:/
We are responsible for regulating suppliers’ compliance with their smart metering obligations, and we fully believe that smart meters have the potential to bring significant benefits to consumers.
https:/
//..its been well documented that smart meters create more accurate bills than a normal meter,//
How do they? What does this documentation actually say?
Whether the reading is provided by a smart meter or by the user (or a meter reader) the bill should be exactly the same. Or are you suggesting that non-Smart meters are inaccurate? Or are you suggesting that people without them are more likely to end up with estimated bills? If the last then the fault lies with either the user or the supplier, depending who is responsible for gathering the readings. All suppliers, as far as I know, provide facilities for readings to be provided either online or by phone.
// also I might add a recent survey has indicated that suppliers are actually putting people who refuse to have a smart meter on higher tariffs, you'll be on one of them!!//
That isn’t quite correct. What five of the biggest energy suppliers have done is to make the provision of their cheapest tariffs conditional on having smart meters fitted. That is not the same as putting existing consumers on to a higher tariff should they refuse a smart meter. If consumers are savvy enough they can secure a far better deal away from the larger suppliers. Whilst some of the smaller concerns encourage their customers to have smart meters installed, there is no penalty for not doing so and their best tariffs are not restricted to those with smart meters.
//I was advised by a plumber to hang on to my old boiler for as long as possible as the new ones are designed to last about 10 years.//
That's not the only reason:
https:/
This lunatic scheme envisages the end of gas boilers and them to be replaced by either "hydrogen ready" boilers or heat pumps. Both these schemes will need large amounts of electricity (to either produce the hydrogen of power the pumps) and nobody seems to have satisfactorily explained how that additional power will be produced.
How do they? What does this documentation actually say?
Whether the reading is provided by a smart meter or by the user (or a meter reader) the bill should be exactly the same. Or are you suggesting that non-Smart meters are inaccurate? Or are you suggesting that people without them are more likely to end up with estimated bills? If the last then the fault lies with either the user or the supplier, depending who is responsible for gathering the readings. All suppliers, as far as I know, provide facilities for readings to be provided either online or by phone.
// also I might add a recent survey has indicated that suppliers are actually putting people who refuse to have a smart meter on higher tariffs, you'll be on one of them!!//
That isn’t quite correct. What five of the biggest energy suppliers have done is to make the provision of their cheapest tariffs conditional on having smart meters fitted. That is not the same as putting existing consumers on to a higher tariff should they refuse a smart meter. If consumers are savvy enough they can secure a far better deal away from the larger suppliers. Whilst some of the smaller concerns encourage their customers to have smart meters installed, there is no penalty for not doing so and their best tariffs are not restricted to those with smart meters.
//I was advised by a plumber to hang on to my old boiler for as long as possible as the new ones are designed to last about 10 years.//
That's not the only reason:
https:/
This lunatic scheme envisages the end of gas boilers and them to be replaced by either "hydrogen ready" boilers or heat pumps. Both these schemes will need large amounts of electricity (to either produce the hydrogen of power the pumps) and nobody seems to have satisfactorily explained how that additional power will be produced.
//...and we fully believe that smart meters have the potential to bring significant benefits to consumers.//
Well they would say that, wouldn't they? In fact, what they say is this:
"Smart meters give consumers near real time information on energy use – expressed in pounds and pence – so that they will be able to better manage their energy use, save money and reduce emissions. Smart meters will also bring an end to estimated billing, meaning consumers will only be billed for the energy they actually use, helping them budget better."
They do not say how giving "... consumers near real time information on energy use – expressed in pounds and pence" will enable them to "...better manage their energy use,". Nobody making a case for smart meters ever has. If you find out how much it costs to run your washing machine (and you'd struggle to do that by simply looking at a smart meter because you would have to unravel everything else you have running at the same time) will you use it less? How many people use a washing machine simply for the fun of it?
I couldn't care less how my gas and electricity usage is measured. As long as I can read my total cumulative usage whenever I want that is all I care about. I'll have a smart meter if it becomes inevitable. They are not currently compulsory but I've no doubt when my meter needs replacement a smart meter will be the only alternative. I just hope they overcome the problem which British Gas had when they came to install one a couple of years ago and failed, but I'll not bore you with those details now. I only wish they would not fool consumers into believing that having one installed will save them a shed load of cash, because it won't.
Well they would say that, wouldn't they? In fact, what they say is this:
"Smart meters give consumers near real time information on energy use – expressed in pounds and pence – so that they will be able to better manage their energy use, save money and reduce emissions. Smart meters will also bring an end to estimated billing, meaning consumers will only be billed for the energy they actually use, helping them budget better."
They do not say how giving "... consumers near real time information on energy use – expressed in pounds and pence" will enable them to "...better manage their energy use,". Nobody making a case for smart meters ever has. If you find out how much it costs to run your washing machine (and you'd struggle to do that by simply looking at a smart meter because you would have to unravel everything else you have running at the same time) will you use it less? How many people use a washing machine simply for the fun of it?
I couldn't care less how my gas and electricity usage is measured. As long as I can read my total cumulative usage whenever I want that is all I care about. I'll have a smart meter if it becomes inevitable. They are not currently compulsory but I've no doubt when my meter needs replacement a smart meter will be the only alternative. I just hope they overcome the problem which British Gas had when they came to install one a couple of years ago and failed, but I'll not bore you with those details now. I only wish they would not fool consumers into believing that having one installed will save them a shed load of cash, because it won't.
"How many people use a washing machine simply for the fun of it?"
How many folk put in two half-loads rather than a single full-load?
How many folk have things on standby when they don't need to?
They might save only pennies a day but multiplied by the millions of users, the saving of money and resources soon add up.
How many folk put in two half-loads rather than a single full-load?
How many folk have things on standby when they don't need to?
They might save only pennies a day but multiplied by the millions of users, the saving of money and resources soon add up.
Joe @ 13.53 Why would you think I need a chill pill? is it because I don't agree in having a smart meter? Any how it looks as if NJ as done all the explaining for me while I've been out, so have a read of those posts.
I will however add, that before I retired my job involved going into lots of peoples houses, and the abuse and wastage of energy I saw in those homes was off the scale. TVs left on all day long upstairs and down, lights/lamps left on, and heating, most times with no one in, only me. Its these sort of people that are fooled into believing a smart meter is a magic wand that will allow them to continue wasting, opposed to them using their brain.
I will however add, that before I retired my job involved going into lots of peoples houses, and the abuse and wastage of energy I saw in those homes was off the scale. TVs left on all day long upstairs and down, lights/lamps left on, and heating, most times with no one in, only me. Its these sort of people that are fooled into believing a smart meter is a magic wand that will allow them to continue wasting, opposed to them using their brain.
New judge what are you spouting on about???
Nobodys said they will be on a higher tariff have they, ofgem states the new lower tariffs would not be open to those who did not avail themselves to having a smart meter, thats in black and white cant you see that?
Coupled to that, old people and vulnerable people do not read or send meter readings, its too much trouble or they cant get down to see the meter or are old and infirm, or they send incorrect figures you do these people an injustice by thinking everybody's like yourself!! You are also not seriously telling me that people do not send lower readings off are you?? I have been told that goes on as well so that the next bill is lower, sure its only a matter of time before they find out, but by that time the arrears have got way out of control, are you naive enough to believe that doesnt happen??
If you think that the government (whoever it is) will not push this through by the next 2/3 years then you are kidding yourself, I also know that suppliers will change your meter anyway because what will happen in future is any faulty meters they change it will be to a smart meter, eventually they will tell you your meter is faulty that will be their way to get you to change.
Nobodys said they will be on a higher tariff have they, ofgem states the new lower tariffs would not be open to those who did not avail themselves to having a smart meter, thats in black and white cant you see that?
Coupled to that, old people and vulnerable people do not read or send meter readings, its too much trouble or they cant get down to see the meter or are old and infirm, or they send incorrect figures you do these people an injustice by thinking everybody's like yourself!! You are also not seriously telling me that people do not send lower readings off are you?? I have been told that goes on as well so that the next bill is lower, sure its only a matter of time before they find out, but by that time the arrears have got way out of control, are you naive enough to believe that doesnt happen??
If you think that the government (whoever it is) will not push this through by the next 2/3 years then you are kidding yourself, I also know that suppliers will change your meter anyway because what will happen in future is any faulty meters they change it will be to a smart meter, eventually they will tell you your meter is faulty that will be their way to get you to change.
We are on our providers lowest tariff EON and we don't have a smart meter. They said when we renewed our tariff that they had to offer us a smart meter but we didn't have to agree to have one. I told them I may consider one when all the niggles have been sorted out with them. I know of a few people who have had them and they had problems which I told my supplier and they didn't argue with what I said to them including my late mother's who's meter kept tripping the electric as it had been fitted wrongly and another where the meter was going backwards. Most of the problems have either been with the fitting or they were the older ones and my supplier couldn't guarantee that I would be given a newer type.
joeski53, they did fix it for her. A different fitter came and found that the new meter was placed too close to something else and that was causing it to trip the elecric. She did carry on with it but don't think she ever really looked at it just carried on paying the same amount to them each week and ended up being in credit by quite a lot.
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