Smart Meter (Again) !

[burlyshirley]

I've been resisting with all my might getting a smart meter and ignore the many phone calls I get from my provider by just letting them go to answerphone, but today in the post I have had a card telling me to book a smart meter appointment ! Do I have to ? They don't say that it's compulsory anywhere on the card. Be grateful for any assistance. Thanks.

[teacher1]

No ..... They are not compulsory !

[-SharonA-]

But you've got nothing to lose. They don't raise your utility bills and you get accurate readings.

[burlyshirley]

Thanks.

[burlyshirley]

I get accurate readings anyway Sharon and they do meter readers out of jobs.

[barry1010]

On every comparison site I got offered cheaper fuel if I had a smart meter, so I did.
You don't have to have one but you could be paying more if you don't.

[davebro]

Apart from readings the monitor you get with it will tell you how much gas/leccy you are using so it 'might' help you to economise.

[bobbinwales]

//they do meter readers out of jobs.//
Just like mechanisation or tractors or computers put people out of jobs ?.NOT.

If the job can be dome more efficiently and keep down costs then why waste money on meter readers. Theres a labour shortage, we need people to do lots of other more important jobs like deliveries or work in care. Jobs change

[gingejbee]

Well, I don't have a smart meter nor have I seen a meter reader for over three years - I provide the readings myself online (and Octopus Energy never mention smart meters).

[teacher1]

Anyone with common sense does not need a smart meter ...... I know when I need a light on, how much water to put in a kettle or when to turn the heating down. I also send off meter readings to my power supplier on my pc without any problems ....... what do I need a smart meter for?

[bobbinwales]

Saying we need to have people coming round to read meters to create/keep jobs when we can do it automatic via a meter or read it ourself and tell them is like saying we should get someone to come to read our mobile phones so they can work out the bill or we should employ someone to add up are shopping bill manually instead of scanning items.

[andres]

We won't need our brains in a while. They will shrink and die.

[barry1010]

teacher - common sense told me it is a very easy way to save money on my gas and electric bills. Not because I adjusted my usage, all the cheaper deals required a smart meter.

[gingejbee]

^barry...they are SO MUCH cheaper deals, aren't they? Not.

[barry1010]

ginge, they certainly were very much cheaper when I changed supplier last December.

[burlyshirley]

Thank you all (except bobbinwales). I just needed to know if they were compulsory because even though my provider didn't say so, it certainly was implied ! I don't want one and will not have one until forced to do so (lol). I'm sure one day the government will make them mandatory.

[davebro]

//Anyone with common sense does not need a smart meter//

I think "common sense" may not be all that common!

[youngmafbog]

The problem with Smart meters is you have no idea what they will be able to do in the future.

Without doubt they will be used to extract more money from us, it would be easy for instance to put the price up at premium times. And dont for one minute dont assume they havnt thought of that.

[Fibonacci]

It could be that when you signed up with the company that one of the terms of the deal was that you agree to have a smart meter fitted; before the current situation it was often a condition on some fixed deals.

[teacher1]

Too true davebro. lol

[burlyshirley]

I liked teacher's no nonsense 'tell it like it is' approach, which is why I awarded her/him BA !