Smart Meter question

[LizzieW]

They charge us on rateable value (council tax) but with a deduction as there are only 2 of us in the property.  However, it costs much more than when we had a water meter at a previous property.

Sorry majm - I didn't realise you don't live in UK.  The way they charge us is the way people used to pay for water before meters became more common.  Even now there are many properties without water meters.

[Chilternbirder]

I finally gave in, the engineer called. Faffed around for a bit then said because I had storage heaters it was more complicated and the power would be off for longer. Then faffed around for a bit more and told me that it couldn't be installed as there was no consistent phone signal at that location, packed up and left.

The silly thing was that. on booking, when asked for a mobile phone number for contact I explicitly said that I had no signal and gave the landline number instead.

[majm]

They used to use that rateable value in NSW my youth.... my dad wrote letters to our council (shire .... rural NSW) and basically said ... we lived on rain water from out of the sky .... now you put reticulated water in and tell us to take our tanks away ... and we now must pay you for the water ... which is now a percentage of the value of our home in town .... I prefer to bring my own water into town from our farm ...  the council sent him many letters ... and at  last they gave up .... too many had  same thoughts as dad and the council bought in meters .... and promptly discovered everyone used their own water for most tasks and the town water for drinking....  took a generation to sort ...  but basically only NEW buildings needed to have a meter and unless you had a meter your water was not chargeable... but your property could not be sold without a new meter installed...

JM

[Guy Etchells]

My mum has had a smart meter for electricity for some time now. The first was fitted under her previous supplier and the plug-in display had a "traffic light" indicator to show consumption as well as the detailed figures.
It took her new supplier a year to provide a replacement, prompted only by a refusal to provide our own readings, pointing out that all smart meters can be read remotely.
The new plug-in only has an LCD display (no backlight), so gives no hint of usage unless you examine it very carefully.
So the only benefit to her is the remote reading.

As to gas, the last accurate reading is now over four years ago, because the battery for the little digital display ran out. It seems that there is no current model of gas meter, smart or not, which will fit in the same space as the old one.
A complaint to the Ombudsman has prompted yet another engineer visit this coming Monday. Well into double figures now. I suggested that they remove the existing meter and refurbish it. I also suggested that while it was in the workshop they could determine the correct reading and adjust four years' worth of estimated bills appropriately. Knowing what I do about the internals of meters, it is extremely unlikely that they can actually read it, but appearing "reasonable" usually gets you a better outcome. 

I take it the replacement meter is a smart meter, if so why can’t you get accurate online reading on demand I can with both of mine.

Smart meters are not simply about saving money though they can be used to reduce your bills and still live comfortably. The main use of a smart meter is convenience but convenience is not sexy like saving money so it is not stressed.

Smart meters mean the customer can send the latest meter reading in to the supplier anytime they want this allows the customer to adjust their direct debit anytime they want instead of being forced to accept the suppliers review and price increase. The customer can also adjust the direct debits reducing them in the summer and increasing them in the winter if they want to do so, you cannot do that with a dumb meter.

If you have been overcharged a not uncommon occurrence you can request repayment anytime you like, this again cannot be done with a dumb meter.

In addition you no longer have to stay in for the meter reader to avoid an estimated bill.
If you have vulnerable relatives or friends you can check they are heating their homes anytime you like by checking their account only and seeing their gas or electricity use is what would be expected.

Cheers
Guy

[Maiden Stone]

Households in Scotland don't have water meters. Water & sewerage rates are charged with Council Tax.

[stanmapstone]

EU member states are required to implement smart meters under the 2009 Third Energy Package wherever it is cost-effective to do so, with the goal to replace 80% of electricity meters with smart meters by 2020....... But progress has been sluggish, with few countries having completed their roll-outs and a number of nations – most notably Germany – having so far decided against a nation-wide deployment of smart meters. http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n4b/

Stan

[Viktoria]

Gosh Stan,who did you have to bribe or even torture to get that info?
And Germany are not even thinking(well as far as I know)of leaving the common market,note the lower case letters.
And they do as they want.
So it all boils down to each individual country,ours being like a flock of sheep,following they know not why to they know not where.
ANOTHER reason for leaving,well in my book.
I can see myself in the newspapers,”Octogenarian ,protesting against forcible installation of Smart Meter ,in house siege”.Oh well as was said of Davey Crockett at The Alamo:-“He (She) went down fighting”.
Viktoria.

[GrahamH]

The main use of a smart meter is convenience but convenience is not sexy like saving money so it is not stressed.

Smart meters mean the customer can send the latest meter reading in to the supplier anytime they want this allows the customer to adjust their direct debit anytime they want instead of being forced to accept the suppliers review and price increase. The customer can also adjust the direct debits reducing them in the summer and increasing them in the winter if they want to do so, you cannot do that with a dumb meter.

If you have been overcharged a not uncommon occurrence you can request repayment anytime you like, this again cannot be done with a dumb meter.

In addition you no longer have to stay in for the meter reader to avoid an estimated bill.
Cheers
Guy

I suppose we are all different, Guy, but those factors are irrelevant for me.
I do not find it inconvenient to read our meters (under the stairs) whenever I wish.
I can send the latest meter reading in to my supplier anytime I want already. I can also adjust my direct debit anytime I want already (including reducing them in the summer and increasing them in the winter if I want to do so) - so that is perfectly possible with a dumb meter.
If I have a credit balance (whether through overcharging or simply building up during summer) I can already request repayment anytime I like - so that is also perfectly possible with a dumb meter.
I already don't have to stay in for the meter reader; I avoid an estimated bill by supplying the readings myself. Indeed, I can't remember the last time I saw a meter reader.

Graham

[stanmapstone]

So it all boils down to each individual country,ours being like a flock of sheep,following they know not why to they know not where.
Viktoria.

The Government, or Civil Service is well known for "gold plating" EU directives. Other EU countries not so much, including France. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22277927

Stan