Smart Meter
Comments
-
@hostahousey until we had a leak in our original standard water meter I was also unaware of "smart water meters". When they came to fix the leak I was told they were fitting a smart meter which I had no objection to. I think smart meters often get a bad press from those feel they are in imposition. Those who welcome technology tend look at things differently? The way I look at it is that if technology can make life a bit simpler, ie no manual readings I am personally all for it.
David
0 -
Ours has been in around 3 years now. Initially there was an issue, before installation, as our house is old, and the meters needed upgrading. That was done, (no charge, and as they are outside, no inconvenience to us) and Smart Meter sorted. We went from sending in monthly readings via email to Octopus, to not having to do anything at all. Our little display unit is on a shelf in kitchen, and we occasionally glance at it and watch as different appliances are in use, but we don’t obsess about it, haven’t set any targets, and more importantly, our relatively low bills haven’t fluctuated. On the plus side, we now get emails from Octopus telling us about “free” energy hours, where we use our appliances more. So for us, it’s been positive. Mum has the same, via British Gas. Again, no issues.
We don’t have a water meter, and not in a hurry to get one to be honest. Mum does, under sink. Never been read as far as I know, can hear it whirring occasionally.
0 -
The trouble with water supply viz a viz meters or not is that if you don'y have a meter how much you pay is based on the old rateable value of the house. Until we changed, many years ago, we were paying far more under the old system and our water bills reduced quite a lot once we had the meter installed. Its possible that many older properties have lower rateable values which might make switching to a meter less attractive?
David
2 -
DD recently got new smart meters, and an IHD was supplied, she has not set a budget on it, and is just using what she needs, but it comes with an unrealistic, for them, “built-in budget”. Callum , who loves these sort of gadgets, keeps watching it and telling her that they are exceeding the budget and must turn things off!
I think it will be hidden in a cupboard soon. 🤣
1 -
Our IHD had a very unrealistic budget on it. We were given it when our failed smart gas meter was replaced the first time. The gas meter has been replaced twice more since we moved here 41 months ago. It still does not send readings. Apparently the one that went blank after 9 months ish after we moved here didn't either. I gaily assumed it did. I failed to notice, online bill, that gas reading had estimate note to it. I much prefer paper!
The IHD was been consigned to the cupboard about a week after we were given it. A) it uses power! B) we are lucky enough - at least at present 🤞not to have to worry. As OH is on lots of meds and blood thinners our usage is for his comfort. (That doesn't mean everything is on and pumping out heat or light I'm of the generation who was taught to be mindful of all things.
Our electric smart meter was refitted recently after a false start. This will be its first reading on a bill. It too went blank. Lovely young engineer came out. Apparently he replaces lots of whatever that make was - unreliable 🤐.
I said to him gas doesn't report, he said I can see that and showed me a red light above the word gas on the electric meter. Oh said I that's flashed since we moved in. See I do notice things. I asked could he sort? He explained that we already had an additional aerial next to the electric meter. That's the booster apparently. Nowt else can do. I should add the electric meter is in what was built as the attached garage, converted into rooms soon after build and another garage erected elsewhere. There was no gas in the village in the 1970's when the house was built. The gas was brought to the property at some point and the gas meter fitted on the external wall on the opposite side of the house. So in effect it has 2 outside walls and 2 internal walls before the electric meter and aerial.
I read my meters, and note readings in a book, weekly and send in both readings on their website on the last day of the month now.
0 -
B2….you need what our daughter has, a gas meter with its own sender. Her meters are about 15m apart, gas outside, electricity inside at other end of house. House is from early 1920s, very thick walls , at least 2 of which are between meters.
She recently changed supplier and requested they sort it out, hopefully now working correctly.
We are lucky here, 1980s house, both meters outside right next to each other, so all works fine.
0 -
@KjellNN the engineer that came out said about it needing it's own sender, but apparently as we have an aerial that's it. It's either or. I didn't bother to question it or pursue further as I don't have the time or energy. What I do works fine. So much of modern life is stressful compared to how it used to be.....
Just getting the electric meter changed took ages. A wait of 5 weeks. They cancelled an hour before the end of their fitting window. I was an hour on the phone to sort the new date and get an offer to compensate. They would charge me over £60 for cancellation within 48 hours! I got an offer of £20, I got it upped to the £40 compensation after pushing hard. It's not how it should be, but battles need to be picked...... 2 1/2 years ago they had 3 gas new meters fitted. It's exhausting on top of caring for OH and sorting out, almost there, the house and it's renovations....
0 -
You did well getting them to double the original offer @Bakers2 as one can only push so much without serious consequences to your sanity. Hope all is finally sorted.
0 -
Spot on @DavidKlyne we are still on the rateable value from when we bought our house a very long time ago.
0 -
That’s good Ocarmax, but at what price does all that cost .I am with Octopus and I can’t say their cheap . Mind you I won’t have a Smart Meter !
0 -
we are with octopus like oscarmax smart meter solar battery full ev car. At this time of the year nearly all our electricity is at night in the five hours cheap I.e. less than 9 p a unit and that rate is not changing with price rise. Only available because we have smart meter. Son uses Octopus Agile which prices every 30mins. Sometimes it is a minus price. Electricity pricing according to when you use is the future, like it or not. Flat rates are on their way out.
0 -
@Hja perhaps you misunderstand and how fixed (not sure what flat is - A "flat tariff" for energy is a misleading term, as energy tariffs are based on a unit rate and a standing charge) tariffs work but if you mean fixed then like it or not the numbers have actually increased significantly from 2024 to 2025 and so does not appear to be on their way out:
As of the most recent data in August 2025,
37% of customers in the UK are on fixed energy tariffs, a significant increase from 15% in April 2024, as customers are switching to them to gain protection against potential price rises under the energy price cap.
Also I'm a little confused as you appear to be on a fixed price: less than 9 p a unit and that rate is not changing with price rise
No matter of course as long as you're happy.
0 -
ok yes should perhaps have used fixed tariff instead of flat tariff. What I meant was one price throughout the day. Not sure why you are confused about our less than 9p a unit tariff not changing. Electricity prices rise from today. For us the cheap rate of 9 p will remain and not rise. We pay that price for each unit of electricity used in the night time 5 hour period and a different rate during the day. Actually the day time rate is staying the same but can’t remember what that is. Those charges are not classed as fixed rate tariffs. Our standing charge will rise slightly from today.
0 -
@Hja If it's not changing then it is fixed - for the night time one?
Mine isn't of course changing today.
0 -
We are also with Octopus, may not be the cheapest right now, but we are on one of their regular fixed rate tariffs, so no increase here either.
We do have solar panels, which have long since paid for themselves, no batteries though, we sell our excess production to Octopus, which requires us to have a smart meter. We also get a FIT payment every 3 months, which covers all our electricity and gas bills, so the panels have been a good investment.
0 -
With Octopus, and some other suppliers, if you have an EV, you can have a special EV tariff which allows you so many hours overnight at a lower cost, not just to charge the car , but for anything, if we had an EV, we would go for a tariff like that. Then there are tariffs for those with electric heating, and heat pumps, and tariffs that vary by time of day, lots to choose from if you have a smart meter.
0 -
I have a friend who has just purchased a PHEV and is with Octopus (aren't we all?) and he is having issues with the charger recognising his car model which is fairly new which indicates to me that the EV charging rate is car specific as Peedee says. Mind you they do other reduced rates for battery charging overnight.
David
0 -
Not seen those and I was only looking this morning because I have just had to change my battery charge settings for the winter. They are in the loft and they require a trickle charging overnight to keep them in good condition in the cold. Such a tariff might be very useful.
peedee
0 -
(aren't we all?)
Errr, no!
0 -
Solar panels £4500 March 2022 to date our electric cost have been zero that includes charging up the PHEV, I motoring cost are minimal, we only use petrol for towing, the rest of the time is electric.
We also charge the battery off peak 8.5p/kWh or excess from the solar panels, we export more per year than we import 15p/kWh as stated above our electric bill is zero including the standing charge and charging up the PHEV
Octopus Go rate 8.5p/kWh 5 hour off peak 26.81p /kWh peak rate
0 -
Likewise!😆
2 -
I believe you need to have an EV first and declare its details to get these special tariffs. Not sure about what else you can use it for, but we have a friend with an EV on a special tariff from Octopus and she says she can use it for other appliances too during the hours allowed, she does not have any PV panels or batteries though.
0 -
Are all the above tariffs on Smart meters?
0
