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British Gas smart meters, a warning.

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garth
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PostPosted: 20:29 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: British Gas smart meters, a warning. Reply with quote

Just had smart meters installed. Property was empty, so no gas being used etc.

Had a 380 payment taken from my account, from a 100 day period. 320 of this was gas... When no gas was used.

Old meter removed so no way of disproving the closing reading taken by the fitter.

If you're having new meters, make sure you photo your old readings!
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Ste
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PostPosted: 20:30 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing

You do not want a smart meter yet.
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garth
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PostPosted: 20:35 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
Laughing

You do not want a smart meter yet.


Renting the house, then selling it, give a fuck Razz
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M.C
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PostPosted: 20:50 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

garth wrote:
Ste wrote:
Laughing

You do not want a smart meter yet.


Renting the house, then selling it, give a fuck Razz

You're already £320 down Wink
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stephen_o
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PostPosted: 21:31 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your tenants will default on the bill and prepay meters will be installed without you knowing about it which you will then find a joy to try and get changed.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 22:21 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

<One upsmanship> I got a quarterly bill for over £3000 after a meter change. Even British Gas finally admitted this was somewhat unlikely for a 2 bed semi. </one upsmanship>

My current energy provider is blicked from calling me after pestering me so persistently about smart meters. It's not even fun telling them to do one any more.
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stephen_o
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PostPosted: 22:33 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had many arguements with my shop supplier, I fell into arrears 2 years ago because the dd wasn't covering the use and they stopped reading the meter. I want a smart meter I said, You can they said - all booked in.

1st engineer cancels - "I haven't got the time" rebooks for his mate
2nd engineer arrives - drags his knuckles around "i am better than all my collegues" "they need my skillset to sort things" turns the electric off - business closed and losing customer for half an hour when the eureka moment comes "can't do this mate - your on a 3 phase supply" to which I say yes I know and so did you! "mmm not got the right equipment gotta go mate laters" and drags his knuckles out.

So a lot of time wasted for nothing and they still don't send anyone to read it so I do it myself for MY records but refuse to give them the reading saying I don't understand the dials going backwards - 3 phase meter they do!

TWUNKS
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Dave70
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PostPosted: 23:12 - 27 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ste wrote:
Laughing

You do not want a smart meter yet.


I've possibly missed something buy, why?
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Suntan Sid
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PostPosted: 00:34 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave70 wrote:
I've possibly missed something buy, why?


It's not in your interest!
Once the supplier has sussed out when your maximum demand is, guess what, the price will rise for that exact time period!
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Ste
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PostPosted: 03:41 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave70 wrote:
I've possibly missed something buy, why?

Because the technology is still improving, tomorrows smart meter is going to be smarter than todays.

Tin foil theories are all a load of bollocks. Laughing

I'll be getting one once the people involved with the infrastructure want them installed in their own homes. Thumbs Up
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 06:00 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Suntan Sid wrote:
Dave70 wrote:
I've possibly missed something buy, why?


It's not in your interest!
Once the supplier has sussed out when your maximum demand is, guess what, the price will rise for that exact time period!


This. And it's the reason i will not have one of these fucking things anywhere near our gaff.

Can't see the point of one, if the house is cold and you need to turn the heating on, what's the fucking point of a smart meter - you know you're burning fuel.

And if your electricity bill is high, either turn some shit off, buy more efficient shit or accept you have a stinker of a bill because you use too much electricity.

Smart meter my arse, it's exactly what Sid says, a sneaky way of making sure they know exactly how to rob you blind more efficiently.

If you really do want to see what eats the most - you can work out using basic maths.

https://www.saveonenergy.com/energy-consumption/

All you need to know is how much your supplier charges per KwH.
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andym
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PostPosted: 07:33 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rogerborg wrote:
<One upsmanship> I got a quarterly bill for over £3000 after a meter change. Even British Gas finally admitted this was somewhat unlikely for a 2 bed semi. </one upsmanship>

My current energy provider is blicked from calling me after pestering me so persistently about smart meters. It's not even fun telling them to do one any more.


Allegedly I couldn't read the 5 numbers from my meter when it was replaced, so I was charged £170 for 11 days, I can't really complain too much though, I got free electricity for almost a year until I felt guilty and let them know
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 08:13 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave70 wrote:
I've possibly missed something buy, why?

Because if it goes right you gain nothing, and if it goes wrong, you're in a world of hassle.

Because it costs £400+ to install, and you'll end up paying for that, one way or another.
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stephen_o
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PostPosted: 10:35 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the ultimate plan of smart metering is to make energy an "on demand" service and price it accordingly as others have said.

With suppliers trying their best to get us to have billing by email it won't be long before rates start being altered just before a forecast cold snap and reduced when demand is likely to slacken.

The benefits to them are two fold
1, if we do nothing and simply turn the heating up or don't economise further then we get wallet raped and there can be no dispute because "the meter says so"
2, by forcing down demand they don't have to invest in infrastructure thus reducing their workload and increasing profits.

Needs renationalising - and prepayment meters need banning.
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Dave70
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PostPosted: 13:36 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rogerborg wrote:
Dave70 wrote:
I've possibly missed something buy, why?

Because if it goes right you gain nothing, and if it goes wrong, you're in a world of hassle.

Because it costs £400+ to install, and you'll end up paying for that, one way or another.


I actually had one fitted about two years ago, both gas and electricity.

Also, changed suppliers from Scottish Power (because they have to be the most absolutely useless company I've ever dealt with and their call centre staff were as thick as the proverbial) to Utilita.

I've had zero problems and my bills are noticeably lower.
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syl
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PostPosted: 14:15 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Re: British Gas smart meters, a warning. Reply with quote

garth wrote:
Just had smart meters installed. Property was empty, so no gas being used etc.

Had a 380 payment taken from my account, from a 100 day period. 320 of this was gas... When no gas was used.

Old meter removed so no way of disproving the closing reading taken by the fitter.

If you're having new meters, make sure you photo your old readings!


I thought the whole point of the smart meters was that they could tell exactly when you were using the gas*, not just how much had been used. The smart meter should be able to tell you how that £320 was spent. If it says it was all used at once on a single day at 10am, then there's obviously a problem.

* so in future they will be able to charge more at different times of day/year.
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Tierbirdy
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PostPosted: 14:23 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Conversely, I love my smart meter.

No more fucking about with meter readings and "guesstimated" bills, or "well we reckon youll probably use this much over a year so well set up a monthly direct debit and WHOOPS YOU OWE US MONEY LOL". I pay for exactly what I use, when I use it. Its brought my monthly bill down from a "guesstimated" £80 a month DD to about £50-ish.
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Blah blah
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PostPosted: 14:43 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Conspiracy theorist hat on...

And having a way that someone can see when you're not using lots of power / gas, like when you're out of the house every Thursday from 7-9:00 (other times are available) taking the kids swimming, will not be used by unscrupulous people to decide that that's the best time to rob you because they know that you won't be there...

And I can't see how changing a meter will reduce your monthly bills... you'll still use roughly the same amount of eletrickery over the same period so you'll pay roughly the same amount. Perhaps those telling us can let us know what the standing charges and price per KwH are before and after this miraculous devise was installed. It's something I check (sad I know) when comparing the meerkat as the "savings of £300/year" aren't there when you actually check.
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andyscooter
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PostPosted: 14:46 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

bloke came to fit an electric one at work the other week

some how managed to wire in an old alarm system which we don't use

after he left we opened the shutter to get van in and the alarms all went off Shocked


we have no codes for them as they were there when we took over the building
phoned the comany who fitted it and got told we couldnt have anyone round for three days

he can only have been ten minutes down the road
Very Happy
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Jmoan
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PostPosted: 20:25 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

What's a smart meter got over basic products like these apart from being
unable to be used with wired in cookers?
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1wBNiLXXXXXaIaXXXq6xXFXXXz/Plug-in-Power-Consumption-Meter-Energy-Electricity-Usage-Watt-Calculator-Monitor-free-shipping.jpg_640x640.jpg
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oldpink
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PostPosted: 21:06 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

why would your supplier want to save you money Laughing
less profit for them Shocked
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M.C
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PostPosted: 21:31 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

oldpink wrote:
why would your supplier want to save you money Laughing
less profit for them Shocked

This. Unless having meter men people costs a fortune. Is anyone thinking of them in all this? Crying or Very sad
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Analogkid
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PostPosted: 21:47 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

We had a meter changed before we bought our house, was 130 year old bungalow, cost a fortune to heat, anyway after some time of paying the bill as normal to the tune of about £400/month, we complained that the price was too high so must be something wrong with meter, they investigated, then we noticed we had around £7.5k extra in bank one morning, from British Gas, turns out our meter was never registered when installed, as they had no record of it, they legally couldn't charge us, so they gave us all the money back, we didn't even have to ask. Smile
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Ste
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PostPosted: 21:53 - 28 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I find it hilarious how much some people love their tin foil hat conspiracy theories. Laughing

Smart meters aren't for your benefit, they're for the supply of things. Nobody cares about your energy usage and what time of day you use the most power because you don't matter. You and your domestic power usage are nothing, you don't even register on the scale so there's no reason for anyone to care about what you're doing.

Get over yourself. Thumbs Up
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