Are Smart Meters Worth It?

[DarceyK123]

British Gas have contacted me today about getting a smart meter installed.

Was thinking it might be a good idea but was wondering if anyone has one and if they are worth bothering with but mostly are there any negatives?

Many thanks

[david small]

At this juncture. Not a smart option.

[Atheist]

I think that smart meters might enable you to keep an eye on your consumption and realise that turning your room stat down a degree or two can substantially reduce your energy use.

[New Judge]

//I think that smart meters might enable you to keep an eye on your consumption and realise that turning your room stat down a degree or two can substantially reduce your energy use.//

Anybody not smart enough to realise that turning the heat down will save you money and who is reading this knows that now. For those not reading this, all the energy companies need to do is send them an e-mail or drop a note through their letterbox. Why do they need to spend £11bn (and rising) to inform people of that?

[Vagus]

We’ve had one since they first came out about five years ago.
No negatives.
Two positives...you don’t have to read the meter. And if you’re that way inclined, you can monitor your usage.

[woofgang]

I know a couple of people who still get estimated bills even though they have smart meters.

[rccatnap]

Some years ago when I was with British Gas, I was offered the installation of so called 'Smart Meters' It was said that they would help the consumers lower their costs which I immediately thought was disingenuous twaddle. I could understand the benefits (to BG) in being able to read the meters remotely and it was a convenience to me.
If you wanted to know how much gas/electricity was being used you didn't have to have smart meters, but it was convenient to use the tap-in monitors. If one wanted to save money, you just had to be assiduous in which power sources you left running.
Some people got it into their heads that the power companies could cut off their supply remotely, but in reality they could do that with or without smart meters, and it could be extremely dangerous when it came to switching back on. Nevertheless I did have them installed.
My problem came when I wanted to change suppliers, the bills were lower but the new supplier could not read the BG meters, so I was back taking readings myself once a month. I found a third supplier who said they would be cheaper still. and supply a second set of meters, again subsidised by the companies/government.
Madness!
The promise of a 'universal' smart meter was promised repeatedly, but a further two years elapsed before my new supplier could actually 'read' both meters remotely. It's now settled down and I pay a regular amount monthly by direct debit with a single payment that is adjusted once a year. Oddly edging up. Surprise! surprise!
My considered opinion is that overall, no, they're not worth it, given the shameful waste of money installing two sets of meters.
We will all have to pay for them in the long run and now any rising costs will be hidden in the chaos surrounding the world currently.

[Hopkirk]

I've been with British Gas for two years. I have a smart meter.
It doesn't work.
BG aren't interested.
They request I read my meter every month.

[DTCwordfan]

Total Energy don't even know if they have a defunct smartie or normal meter in my mother's shop, the tricity turned off since last Feb, the meter to be replaced by them in 2 weeks - eventually. I'll be fair, they haven't pushed for their £1495 bill at all, just the hassle of being spammed monthly - our estimate £2-£5 max as we have paid the standing charge and the power has been off, save for a day for some repair work.

[DTCwordfan]

If we have an electrician on here, surely if it was a smart meter, they would know to the watt, therm, Johnson or whatever - and even if a recently new meter, they would have a memory-chip in there....the meter totally effed it seems, nothing showing if the power is switched on?

[DarceyK123]

Thanks all for you input and views

[New Judge]

//I found a third supplier who said they would be cheaper still. and supply a second set of meters, again subsidised by the companies/government.//

Er..no. Subsidised by all other customers (of all suppliers) via their energy bills.

The so-called smart meter programme has been a monumental con-trick of epic proportions. It has been sold as a way for the consumer to save money. This is absolute tosh. The only way to save money is to turn things off and you don't need a smart meter to do that. If you're daft enough to leave things on when not needed you will not be smart enough to realise what's on an what's not when you're meter shows high usage.

The "estimated bill" is a non-issue. All suppliers provide facilities either online or by phone to provide regular meter readings. I take mine every month and have done so for about twenty or more years. I have been submitting them for about ten years. I cannot ever remember receiving an estimated bill and if I did I would soon have it corrected. I know to within +/- £1 or so exactly how much my bill should be. The energy companies still insist on taking readings a couple of times a year but that's their problem.

I wouldn't mind if the government or the energy companies simply came clean and said that they are installing smart meters so that they can introduce differential pricing. But all this cobblers about "reducing your bills" is just that - male cattle droppings.

[davebro]

It's voluntary now (tho' heavily touted) but once it gets over a certain threshold I suspect there will legislation to fit them everywhere. Just a matter of time.

[ichkeria]

"I have one and have no negatives. Positives mean no meter reading needed, no estimated bills and if you’re that way inclined, the ability to monitor your useage as it happens. "

I second that. A bit of a no-brainer IMO

[dannyk13]

Had one for three years,No problems.

[Zacs-Master]

We've had one around two years. It allowed us to swap to Octopus and have cheap rate overnight which allows us to charge our cars much cheaper.

[Peter Pedant]

// BG aren't interested.//
yup agreed text
dont give a curse

[Peter Pedant]

// I second that. A bit of a no-brainer IMO//
One email from BG's Karen McClintock and you will think " Hmm I think this must be a Putin plant who is trying to destroy the British gas industry from within ! " - starting with ME