Smart Meters

[Chris38]

Another attempt to con the longsuffering British public! Surely very few people really thought that smart meters were intended to save money, even for those enthusiasts prepared to waste their lives staring at meters. Saving power companies from having to read meters might be one reason for their installation. A more likely explanation is giving suppliers the ability to cut off domestic supplies when our insane dependence on renewables creates outages when there is no wind or sun. Do not agree to have a meter installed - but be prepared to be penalised by power suppliers for not having one. Meanwhile, look forward to eating cold baked beans out of the tin in the dark with no heat when power outages become our way of life!

[woofgang]

Og I live alone. I shower, not bath and my car has never been washed by me...it gets done once a year when its serviced. I honestly don't see why I should pay the same amount for my water as a family of six with a swimming pool.

[Togo]

Worth a read through.(Taken me ages to find it. I first saw the site years ago.)

http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/dont-smart-meter-me-notice-of-non-consent-for-smart-meter-installation/

[gness]

The only way to eat beans is cold....heating just mushes them and destroys the taste...

I like my smart meter....saves an awful lot of faffing to read my meters and there's nothing to stop me being cut off without a smart meter surely? I didn't have a smart meter in the 70s but I recall having no power.

[ladybirder]

I'd love Smart meters but can't have them at the moment because my gas meter is in a hole in the ground. I can't read it because it's in the dark, always covered in condensation, and my eyes aren't good enough. It's a pain in the Rs and I can't wait to get rid.

[Dodger666]

We have had "Smart Meters" for some time now. The original ones were changed recently for the newer ones that transmit readings to our supplier. I can honestly say that since installing the first "smart Meters" we haven't saved a penny. If her indoors wants to use the gas or electricity she uses it! Needless to say she doesn't pay the bills. It's much the same with our water usage which is also metered.

[Peter Pedant]

// (most companies insist that you do this now). //

reading smart meters - some companies can do this by interrogating the main electricity - never understood how.

I have so far refused smart meter installation for the reasons rathe crazily expressed above
and esp if you churn ( change suppliers ) they may not work
which is kinda hinky since you have changed to get a better deal in the first place

[Peter Pedant]

// It's much the same with our water usage which is also metered.//

on average the charge goes UP !

and the utillity croons that the consumer is only paying for the water he is flushing darn the bog and no one else's

[woofgang]

my water charge went down massively...I think the rule of thumb is if you have more bedrooms than people living in the house the charge goes down, if you have more people than bedrooms, the charge goes up.

[hc4361]

The energy companies will NEVER be able to cut your supply except in the circumstances they can already.
They want to sell their energy, not prevent people from using it.

I well remember the power cuts of the 70s. They don't need smart meters to do it! However, one big positive if every property had a smart meter is that those who literally depend on electricity for their life would be assured of a permanent supply should the need for power cuts arise. As it is they would have to go to hospital for the duration.

[hc4361]

Same for me, Woofgang, my metered water costs a quarter of my old water bill and I don't stint on using it.

[Dodger666]

We too halved our water charge when we had water meters fitted. It was probably better to pay water rates until the four kids left home. Since they have all flown the nest out water charges more than halved when the meters were fitted.