'Smart' Meters

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, HeHasRisen said:

Oh dear!!

Have you not watched Terminator 2?!  The toasters are going to rise up and destroy humanity!  WAKE UP!!!

[Prettytom]

23 minutes ago, Hecate said:

Have you not watched Terminator 2?!  The toasters are going to rise up and destroy humanity!  WAKE UP!!!

That would be a huge disappointment. Toast is one of my favourite things. Imagine if that friendly supplier of crispy warm toast, turned out to be a cyborg enemy.

 

I’m not sure that I could take that

[melthebell]

so today Dr Tops is THE expert on electricity meters, its like Mr Ben, wonder what he'll be an expert in tommorow

[El Cid]

3 hours ago, BigPP said:

As you do not pay by DD you are overpaying by around 7%.

Under the current Price Cap, prepayment households on standard tariffs pay £2,046 a year for typical energy use, compared to £2,074 a year if you pay by direct debit – about £30 LESS. From 1 October, the annual typical bill for prepay will be £1,908 a year, about £15 less than direct debit. This is due to the Government discounting prepay rates in order to end the 'prepay premium'. From the Martin Lewis website.

[YorkieontheTyne]

3 hours ago, BigPP said:

As you do not pay by DD you are overpaying by around 7%.

Thanks for the input BigPP. Looking back I worded my post wrongly. They invoice me me at the beginning of the month for the amount of electrickery I used the previous month. I then pay that amount by DD.

My point being I’m never several hundreds of pounds in credit because they’ve set my monthly payment too high.

[Jack Grey]

It gives the energy companies very detailed data of when your house is using the most energy 

 

This will allow them to offer tailor made deals where they can charge you a premium during your peak hours

 

Every household will be offered a different tariff depending on their usage 

Edited September 12, 2023 by Jack Grey

[HeHasRisen]

The tinfoil out in force today. 

[BigPP]

1 hour ago, Jack Grey said:

It gives the energy companies very detailed data of when your house is using the most energy 

 

This will allow them to offer tailor made deals where they can charge you a premium during your peak hours

 

Every household will be offered a different tariff depending on their usage 

They won't, but they may offer a  discount in off peak hours. 

[HeHasRisen]

14 minutes ago, BigPP said:

They won't, but they may offer a  discount in off peak hours. 

As they do now kinda with the wholesale pricing tarrifs. People who can shift their usage outside of the 4-9pm window on the Octopus Agile tariff can make decent savings.  Not for me though as I like my dinner between those times. 

[redruby]

12 hours ago, HeHasRisen said:

Pre payment electric isn't any more expensive as normal electric. Standing charges are slightly higher but balanced out by cheaper unit rates. 

It's a myth that pre payment meters are a rip off. 

 

In any case normal meters can also be converted, through a court order and the embarrassment of having a bailiff at the door. Which is the better option? 

 

As for smart meters not being for the benefit of customers - I have been paying 17p a unit on average all summer with mine. What about you? 

I don’t have a prepayment meter but I’m aware they cost more.  The ‘slightly higher’ standing charge might not seem like much but it’s worst off people paying that, and small amounts can make a difference to someone on a very tight budget.  I don’t agree with the poorest and most vulnerable in society having to pay extra.  I don’t suppose anyone wants bailiffs but at least the process buys time to sort things out, especially if there’s been an error. 

As for how much I’m paying and the wonderfulness of smart meters for money saving, I mentioned in a previous post I’ve actually got a smart meter but it isn’t smart anymore. It works but we have to send readings.  It worked for about 4 years before it gave up sending remote readings 🤣.  The energy company were asked to replace it but they are not interested; they met their target getting it installed in the first place.