Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Varche on 03 August 2017, 12:19:56
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Just had our bi monthly visit from the meter reader. It must cost a fortune in rural areas like ours of Spain. Anyway we are all going to get Smart meters whether we like them or not. We had our blanket notification a few months back. Then they just turn up and do the work on the external meter.
They haven't been a roaring success where they have been introduced here. A few people have noticed them over reading and when they complained they were told " well if the engineer visits and there isn't a problem you will have to pay" Lo and behold they visit and do something. No charge, and the overcharging stops. No apology either or refund. Some also have a trip switch non accessible by the home owner and so a call out is required after tripping in bad weather. I think that model was dropped from rural areas here pretty quickly.
Has anyone on the forum had one? What do you think about them? I think in the Uk they are optional.
Just found an article with six reasons NOT to have one! GRR
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/six-reasons-say-no-smart-meter/
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Every home in Blighty should have a badly fitted smart meter (according to Watchdog) by 2020. :y
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I will resist them as long as I can! :y
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I will resist them as long as I can! :y
Same here. I get bombarded with stuff about them. The critical issue for me would be the ability to switch, and I see no hard info on this, just platitudes. If I was a supplier and the government offered me a way to tie customers in on a long term basis, I would also want all customer to have a smart meter.
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Keep getting letters asking me to phone them and arrange for one to be fitted.
They can Foxtrott Oscar. Why should I get off my @rse to arrange something whose only benefit is to make it more convenient for them to read my meter? ;D
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Yup, switching is a known issue (covered on MoneyBox a few months ago).
I won't be having one until the absolute death. We don't even have a water meter.
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Until such time that ALL suppliers in the UK can read them, it is not a good idea for UK users. I change to the cheapest supplier every year and it would not suit me. :y
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Keep getting letters asking me to phone them and arrange for one to be fitted.
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I keep getting emails requesting the same. It says to click on the link on their website and type in post code to make an appointment. Typing in my post code gives me the message 'You are not eligible for a smart meter at this time'. ;D
So, there's clearly no rush in this area. ::)
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I had a thread a few months ago on my experience with the clots from SSE trying to get me to have a meter. Total 100% farce.
Basically, at the end of the 'conversation', told them to foxtrot oscar!!! >:(
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Keep getting letters asking me to phone them and arrange for one to be fitted.
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I keep getting emails requesting the same. It says to click on the link on their website and type in post code to make an appointment. Typing in my post code gives me the message 'You are not eligible for a smart meter at this time'. ;D
So, there's clearly no rush in this area. ::)
Not that I have knowledge about the pieces of shit ::), but its the government pushing them, and the energy firms have to be seen to be onboard.
For the most part, the energy companies don't want them, as they get free meter reads from us anyway.
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Keep getting letters asking me to phone them and arrange for one to be fitted.
....
I keep getting emails requesting the same. It says to click on the link on their website and type in post code to make an appointment. Typing in my post code gives me the message 'You are not eligible for a smart meter at this time'. ;D
So, there's clearly no rush in this area. ::)
Not that I have knowledge about the pieces of shit ::), but its the government pushing them, and the energy firms have to be seen to be onboard.
For the most part, the energy companies don't want them, as they get free meter reads from us anyway.
Mine pays me to read the meters for them ;) :)
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Keep getting letters asking me to phone them and arrange for one to be fitted.
....
I keep getting emails requesting the same. It says to click on the link on their website and type in post code to make an appointment. Typing in my post code gives me the message 'You are not eligible for a smart meter at this time'. ;D
So, there's clearly no rush in this area. ::)
Not that I have knowledge about the pieces of shit ::), but its the government pushing them, and the energy firms have to be seen to be onboard.
For the most part, the energy companies don't want them, as they get free meter reads from us anyway.
Mine pays me to read the meters for them ;) :)
?
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I had a smart meter fitted at my business premises a few years ago since then I have changed my electricity supplier a couple of times when I have told my new power suppliers that I have a smart meter they have told me that they are unable to read it as the SIM is locked to British Gas WTF >:(
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They are fun. If badly fitted or made in a far Eastern sweatshop. On a cold winters evening, you can come home to a real fire as a built in no liability feature. ::) ::) ::) :o :o :o :-[ :-[ :-[
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I had a smart meter fitted at my business premises a few years ago since then I have changed my electricity supplier a couple of times when I have told my new power suppliers that I have a smart meter they have told me that they are unable to read it as the SIM is locked to British Gas WTF >:(
All suppliers are incompatible with each other which should be sorted out with a universal standard smart meter circa 2020ish, so they can all then be replaced with new compatible ones, maybe. :o :o :o
The government is happy with all of this as consumers are paying for them through their bills. :( :( :(
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I had a smart meter fitted at my business premises a few years ago since then I have changed my electricity supplier a couple of times when I have told my new power suppliers that I have a smart meter they have told me that they are unable to read it as the SIM is locked to British Gas WTF >:(
All suppliers are incompatible with each other which should be sorted out with a universal standard smart meter circa 2020ish, so they can all then be replaced with new compatible ones, maybe. :o :o :o
The government is happy with all of this as consumers are paying for them through their bills. :( :( :( Correct >:( >:( >:( >:(
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Hmm, smart.
Good thing or just something else that one day will bite us!
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So the Smart Meters have a sim card and transmit the meter readings via the mobile networks? ???
So how do you know that your meter is on the cheapest tariff or even if it's on pay as you go or on contract? :-\ ::)
Or what happens if the mobile company that provides the sim for your smart meter has no coverage in your area? ::) ;D
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Last time we had a new meter fitted the electricity board lorry tried to reverse into our drive & took down a lamp post, arrived home that evening to cranes & flashing lights
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So the Smart Meters have a sim card and transmit the meter readings via the mobile networks? ???
So how do you know that your meter is on the cheapest tariff or even if it's on pay as you go or on contract? :-\ ::)
Or what happens if the mobile company that provides the sim for your smart meter has no coverage in your area? ::) ;D
Its generally one of the 900Mhz carriers, and generally 2G as that bandwidth is unwanted by genuine mobile customers.
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I don't know as I'll get a choice if my landlords decide they're going to have them in all their properties[not that they have as of yet]meanwhile I've got one of those key meter things-it was here when we moved in-and now as I'm on my own and rarely home I use £4 to £5 a week in leccy.
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SSE fitted one for my electric, which is sending readings in. But i cannot go around the house with the mobile device as the signal to it is often too weak to be of any use and it keeps on giving annoying bleeps when the signal goes. Well it did until I let the battery run out of charge and now it sits in my cupboard silent!
As for the gas meter; they couldn't fit it as the gas main that runs up through the block is too far away from a wall to support a new meter! ::) ::)
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Akin to dieselgate, I can just see it in 10 years time - "Meter"gate! aka all the hallmarks of "government told us to use these x years ago, we all jumped off that cliff, now it's costing us a fortune. Yaddeyaddy ya. When will people stop blindly trusting their government 😏 ?
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I tried asking ScottishPower for one .. I was told a "registered installer" (I assume: knuckle dragger) will be in touch within 14 days.
That was a month ago..
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Call me old fashioned... all three meters get read on the first of the month. The readings are the communicated, by telephone, to the appropriate people. We usually get two bills for each... The initial we think you owe us X followed by the correct one showing you owe us X/2 because we repeatedly and grossly overestimate your usage in the hope that we can fleece you via direct debit and top up our pension fund without you noticing ;D
These corrected bills are then paid by transfer rather than direct debit.
Simples ;)
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Simples ;)
And so very 1960s :P
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Call me old fashioned... all three meters get read on the first of the month. The readings are the communicated, by telephone, to the appropriate people. We usually get two bills for each... The initial we think you owe us X followed by the correct one showing you owe us X/2 because we repeatedly and grossly overestimate your usage in the hope that we can fleece you via direct debit and top up our pension fund without you noticing ;D
These corrected bills are then paid by transfer rather than direct debit.
Simples ;)
Three? ???
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Water, gas, magic smoke dispenser :D
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I tried asking ScottishPower for one .. I was told a "registered installer" (I assume: knuckle dragger) will be in touch within 14 days.
That was a month ago..
Guaranteed. :D ;D