Smart Meter

[MichaelZZ]

I am being pestered by my energy supplier (Ovo) to have my electricity meter replaced with a smart meter.  They have now told me, without asking, that they have made an appointment for this to be installed in a fortnight's time.

I am perfectly happy with my present arrangements whereby I send monthly gas and electric meter readings each month and pay my combined bill by monthly direct debit.

I have heard stories about problems with smart meters and I would be obliged if someone could answer the following questions:

Can I refuse to have a smart meter fitted or is it a legal requirement?

Do I need two smart meters, one for gas and one for electricity?

How easy will it be to change supplier in the future?

If I can change supplier, do I have to go through the disruption of having their smart meter fitted?

 

 

[barry1010]

You can refuse but if the company says your meters are old and have to be replaced they will be replaced with smart meters

If you want to change supplier the offers are often conditional on you having smart meters unless it is impossible to install them.

I had 18 months of problems 5 years ago when my old meters (not smart meter) went haywire. I am still £100s out of pocket

With my smart meters I can easily see if there is anything wrong without having to empty my cupboard and scramble around on my hands and knees 

[barry1010]

Don't blame the energy suppliers. The government and Ofgem have set targets for the installation of smart meters.

[ToraToraTora]

Can I refuse to have a smart meter fitted or is it a legal requirement? - Yes, it's not a legal requirement, they will try an brow beat you into it.

Do I need two smart meters, one for gas and one for electricity? - Yes if you choose to have them, they link to one display box.

How easy will it be to change supplier in the future? - very, if you have smart meters, not if you don't

If I can change supplier, do I have to go through the disruption of having their smart meter fitted? - Yes but only because they will make it a condition of joining.

[DDIL]

No they can't force you to have one but if your meter is old and needs replacing you will end up with one anyway.

There have been claims that companies will cut you off without notice etc etc but I have never heard of this.

For my MIL it has been an absolute life saver - she was no longer able to provide readings due to her eyesight and where her meters were - she ended up getting into a lot of debt!

Now she is on a smart meter we are happy that her bills are paid and the readings up to date.

[Bazile]

What a 'con' 

I thought things were supposed to be easy to change suppliers .

However if you want to change suppliers you have to go through the disruption of having to have the new supplier' s meter fitted .

Why not have a standard meter for all suppliers ?

 

[davebro3]

I think the SMETS2 meters will work if you change supplier - the SMETS1 meters may need to be upgraded (but mine still works having switched from Shell to Octopus).

Non-smart meters are on the way out & all the objectors will eventually be dragged, kicking & screaming...

[barry1010]

Bazile, the new smart meters are standard and are used by all suppliers.

When I had my smart meters fitted it looks less than half an hour. I've changed supplier twice since then without problems 

[wolf63]

I received an email from OVO advising me that my meter had to be changed to a Smart Meter.  I ignored it and their followup emails.

Then I read the next one.  My off peak heating works with radio waves, after an upcoming change to radio waves my meter would be unable to work properly.

I got a smart meter installed and have had no issues with it.

 

[alicewatson12]

1. No, it is not a legal requirement to have a smart meter. Energy suppliers are required to offer them as part of a government rollout, but you are not obligated to accept one.

You can decline or defer the installation. Ovo (or any supplier) cannot force you.

Making an appointment without your consent is pushy, but you can cancel it—just contact them and state your refusal.

2. Yes—you would typically get two meters if you have both gas and electricity.

The electricity smart meter sends readings directly.

The gas smart meter is usually paired with the electricity meter and sends data via that link.

They’re part of a "dual-fuel" smart setup, but again, you can opt out.

3. Smart meters (especially the newer SMETS2 models) are designed to work across all suppliers, so switching should be just as easy as with traditional meters.

If you have an older SMETS1 meter, it may go "dumb" (lose smart functions) when you switch, but many have been or are being upgraded remotely.

You can always manually submit readings if needed after switching.

4. No—you don’t have to get a new smart meter every time you change supplier.

If you already have one, the new supplier will try to use it (especially SMETS2).

If you don’t have one, the new supplier may offer to install one, but again, you can refuse.

[Old_Geezer]

Companies can make as many unagreed appointments in their book as they like.  It's to their own disappointment if they actually turn up and no one answers.

[Cloverjo]

I have a smart meter installed, but I still send in my own meter readings when I think about it. I switched off the little device that is supposed to be the great thing about it because it interfered with my wifi. 
You can still change suppliers as before.

[New Judge]

"Companies can make as many unagreed appointments in their book as they like.  It's to their own disappointment if they actually turn up and no one answers."

Agreed.

For that reason alone I would make sure I was out at the appointed time. If companies are daft enough to unilaterally arrange appointments that's their misfortune.

[Quenched]

Biggest mistake we ever made was having our pre payment meter taken out and having a smart meter fitted and charging it to a monthly direct debt. 

 

And by the way this was after a lot of bullying from the provider. But I found out afterwards that we should have resisted the pestering. 

[davebro3]

I've never used the home display unit. I only use what gas & leccy I need to and I'm not going to waste my time continually monitoring it.

[barry1010]

Quenched, you will be paying less for your energy now you're shot of the pre-payment meter.

Just put money in a tin every day and bank it once a month 

[ladybirder]

Quenched @ 14.44.  Why was having a Smart meter fitted the biggest mistake of your life?

[pastafreak]

Quenched, you can still have prepayment with a smart meter. 

[calmck]

A good alternative for internet dead zones is Starlink. I know its Elon Musk but the service is good. One off payment and the set up is sent to you pre programmed to your post code. It comes with its own small satellite and router etc. Very easy to set up. Not reliant on any infrastructure. 
We often see the starlink flying over

[pastafreak]

Barry, iirc, prepayment has been the same as direct debit for several years.

[barry1010]

Since July 2023