Smart Meters.

[Caran]

Just watched Watchdog where they were featuring smart meters.
Very unsettling the number of fires that have been caused by them.
They mentioned there was a target to get everyone on a smart meter, I can't remember the date.
Will we be forced to have one. I would rather not have one due to the uncertainty of the safety of them.

[Mamyalynne]

2020 is the target date, whether that will be achieved we'll see.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/gas/retail-market/metering/transition-smart-meters

[Baldric]

We get an almost weekly 'phone call asking us to have one, always tell them the same thing, when I legally have no choice I will have one, until then forget it. Having a Smart Meter will give your power provider the option to cut you off remotely, at times of excessive usage, without one they can't do it without a home visit.

[trt]

I saw that Caran, but its like everything, just a small chance of danger.

I thought you had a choice.
Mine is supposed to being fitted next month, but couldn't careless if I have one or not.

[goodgoalie]

Watchdog tonight only confirmed my resolve never to have one of these infernal things - and they stressed that, no matter what your energy provider might tell you, you do NOT have to have one installed.

[Caran]

Missed that bit goodgoalie. Good to know I can't be forced to have one.

[Arksided]

I've had mine fitted for about four years now and never no trouble even with the alleged interference due to it being mobile technology.

[goodgoalie]

Yes, Caran, they don't seem to be installed by a Gas Safe engineer/registered electrician - only a City and Guilds certificate needed! The only people who stand to benefit from their installation are the energy companies, who will have remote control over your supply.

[hc4361]

They certainly can cut supply off to homes without visiting, Baldric, smart meters or not.

The meters belong to the energy companies and if they say your meter must be replaced there is nothing you can do to stop it. You can refuse to have the smart functionality operational until 2020, however, but that won't make much difference to the safety aspect.

At the moment smaller energy suppliers do not fit smart meters so you could switch to one of them to delay matters. Who knows, the government could do a U turn

[Mamyalynne]

It's looking unlikely they will achieve the 2020 target and suppliers will be given some leeway.

[paddywak]

I enquired about smart meters a couple of years ago and was told that the meters that they were currently using were not compatable with solar panels. Don't know if they have a new system yet but if they've all got to be online by 2020 they've got to get their fingers out as an awful lot of people have solar panels now.

[douglas9401]

Yup, we'll all have smart meters by 2020, and electric cars along with a high speed railway at the bottom of the garden, high speed broadband and a moat for every home.
Summers will once again be warm and long and the common cold will be cured.

Again.

[Georgiesmum]

Well Ive had my smart meter about four years now and I think they are brilliant, such clever technology.. They are even capable of reading my meter in my garage from abroad
. They make you aware of which items in the home are high energy users. and how much you have spent each day on gas and electricity

[Cloverjo]

I've got one, and it's useless. When I look to see how much electricity I've used today it says 0 despite the telly and oven being on.

[donny48]

My main gripe is if the goverment want us all to have one why are they incompatible between power companies.
I had mine fitted by British Gas but when I changed to SSE I was told that I would need a SSE smart meter to continue. I now read the meter manually.
With some people changing suppliers annually this would seem to be rediculous.

[hc4361]

If you have a smart meter you control how the data is shared with the supplier - it can be as often as every half hour or as little as once a quarter. That is your legal right.

[hc4361]

donny, they should all now be standard - it's a disgrace that the earlier ones weren't.

[donny48]

Hc4361, thanks for that info. I will now check my supplier.

[dannyk13]

You do NOT have to have a smart meter if you do not want one.I enquired with my energy supplier(E-on) about having one fitted and was informed that,because I had my gas meter on the floor in the garage, a smart meter would not work.At the same time I was informed that having a smart meter fitted was my choice.

[emmie]

i have one and it seems pretty safe, at least so far.

[hc4361]

As I said earlier, Danny, the energy suppliers will deem your meter to be outdated and say it must be replaced. They will replace it with a smart meter but turn the functionality off.
Not everyone can have a smart meter.

An expensive waste of time by the government.