FighterControl

Hello All.

I have been getting regular letters and emails from my electricity provider, OVO Energy, over the past couple of years, trying to get me to have a smart meter installed. I have resisted so far, mainly because I don't think one is necessary. If I want to save energy costs I switch off anything I am not using. Anything that's on needs to be on.

However, over the past four months or so they have been writing to me to advise that they need to change my electricity meter because its certificate is now out of date. The replacement would be a smart meter.

Is this a sign that their attempts to get me onto a smart meter are getting more desperate/underhand? Apparently the certificate for a meter is held by the energy company, so there is no way I can tell if this is genuinely needed or just bullsh!t.

We had our house rewired when we moved in in 2001, but I don't know if the work included a new meter. If it did the meter is now 23 years old. If not then it's probably a good bit older!

I suggest you Google “Electricity Meter Certification Period” there is lots of information in the answers including how to find the age of your meter.

My elderly father is currently fighting EONs attempts to impose a smart meter on him, they too are stating the meter is out of date!

He has storage heating, the current meter allows him to have day/night rates, however the new smart meter will only allow one rate, hence will increase his costs.

Hope you get things resolved successfully.

It's basically a legal scam. The govt have given the electricity suppliers incentives to get everyone onto smart meters, so the suppliers are writing to customers with the excuse that their calibration has expired in order to get them to change. Whilst it may be true the calibration has expired, there is no evidence that the units are actually out of calibration.

I dug out some parliamentary notes from when smart meters were introduced from Hansard. The minister at the time gave an absolute guarantee that no-one would be forced onto a smart meter against their will. However, without a smart meter the supplier may not offer you their best rate. But you have every right to demand a non-smart meter.

One solution I've seen is that smart metering only works if you get your gas and leccy from the same supplier. So change one or the other to someone different. Or look up "Faraday cage", and see the look on the installers face when he comes to fit a smart meter :-)

FlyingFairy wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 04, 2024 7:21 pm

I suggest you Google “Electricity Meter Certification Period” there is lots of information in the answers including how to find the age of your meter.

My elderly father is currently fighting EONs attempts to impose a smart meter on him, they too are stating the meter is out of date!

He has storage heating, the current meter allows him to have day/night rates, however the new smart meter will only allow one rate, hence will increase his costs.

Hope you get things resolved successfully.

I have an EON smart meter and that differentiates between day and night rates. Not exactly accurate names as one of the so called night rates runs from 1300 to 1600!

I am on the receiving end of constant harassment by Scottish Power to have a smart meter. As a qualified electrical engineer I am smart enough to read my own meter! It now appears that they have blocked my ability to submit meter readings either online or by phone!

Scottish Power are in my area and want to put in a smart meter - no thanks.
I have just taken my readings and submitted them via my account online as usual.

Did mine last week to OVO and didnt have a problem.They actually reduced my D/D by a fiver..

they are just trying to save money by not having Meter Readers I am with EON and refused a Smart Meter for months until one of my Card meters gave up the ghost in the end i landed up having both Smart Meters and they put me on a special fixed Rate for 18 months and classed me and the wife as vulnerable due to age i just pay for what i use sod the direct debits why should i put money up front in there bank, better of in mine!

and while we are on the subject of trying to save money if there are just a couple of you living at home do an online calculation on your Water Rates and if it shows you can save money get onto your water company and see what they can do, i did and my bill was Reduced from £75 per month down to £25. that's a tip for you to try and hope to hear any outcome.

Rule of thumb on that is if there are more bedrooms than people go for the water meter.

Another point on 'smart' meters - a couple of years back there was an item in "Private Eye" explaining that they can be hacked! I have yet to read that this has been rectified.

I had the same situation last year with EDF Energy. They bombarded me with letters, texts and Emails saying my electricity meter was at the end of its life and they needed to replace it (with smart meter). Gas meter was replaced years before due to a fault, they said they had to replace both at the same time.
I relented eventually anything for a quiet life.
In the meter installer's words EDF were using "bullying tactics" to get me to change over to smart meters. I understand that energy suppliers have targets set for smart meters installs, and get fined if they don't hit their targets.
Already poor service from EDF deteriorated after smart meters installation, they even billed me afterwards using some estimated readings!
I am no longer an EDF customer.

As I understand it, smart meters use electricity. Not a lot but more than the current ones.

My father trained me to switch off all electrical devices when not in use. My view is that monitoring my use of electricity is only my business

Big brother syndrome
UPDATE OCTOBER'24
email
Hello Xxxx

The radio service that supports your meter is being switched off. So we need to replace your electricity meter to make sure it continues to work after June 2025.

Your current meter switches rates using a radio signal, helping your meter change between day and night rates. This is often used by people who have electric storage systems, panel heaters or immersion heaters in water tanks – as some of these typically charge up overnight.

You can find out more about what’s happening here.
What this means for you

We need to arrange for an engineer to come to your home and replace your electricity meter. So that you can carry on using your electricity as normal.
Here’s what you need to do

Book your appointment as soon as possible, at a convenient date and time to have your new replacement smart meter fitted.
It’ll take our engineer around two hours to replace your meter. It’s not a messy job, but we’ll be sure to leave the area clean, tidy, and as if we were never there.
Our engineer will set up your smart energy monitor and show you how to use it.

Book today

If we've contacted you recently and you've already booked your appointment, please ignore this email.

Thanks for being with us for your energy,

Your British Gas Energy Team

These cons are getting a bit out of hand, just shows how gullible some people are, and yes if you say Strawberry slowly it actualy sounds like gullible.

C24
I've heard some BS in my life but that lot from British Gas is quite amusing. I had a BG smart meter in my old flat, quite good until it caught fire!

Update

" ... Blah, Blah... your meter needs to be replaced before the end of June 2025..." email and letter.

Panic? No, so why not submit current readings; make note of both meter unit reference numbers, do research for current situation?

Smart meters can be set to be 'DUMB' according to two sites on Web. it gives a reduction in tariff choices but Trump has yet to address this area of expertice

Logged on to see what dates were available.

Sorry we cannot fit Smartmeter to your home.

[This is the short vertion of actions today]

Spanish F1 this w/end, must set m/c to record the Highlight.

I had a Scottish Power guy at the door yesterday telling me he could massively cut my bills as he had done with my neighbour.Asked him how he could tell what my bills were as I am not with Scottish Power.Pointed out he was only at neighbours door for a few minutes so he must be good.Then came the Smart meter conversion attempt.He said he needed access to check existing installation.Never going to happen.Only got rid of him when I asked if it was him or his company who would be responsible for the breaches of the Data protection acts regarding what he told me about my neighbour.Suppose he deserves some credit for trying though.

Good news according to what i saw on TV anyone who was forced to have a ( Smart meter) installed will be paid compensation.

I don't have a Smart meter, but I do have solar panels. Am bombarded with 'Energy Efficiency' calls mostly twice a day. Didn't know there were so many energy 'experts' out there, wanting to check this, wanting to check that!. I can tell that they are working at their full capacity, so don't spend much time on the 'phone with them!.

baz1 wrote: ↑

Sat May 31, 2025 8:35 am

Good news according to what i saw on TV anyone who was forced to have a ( Smart meter) installed will be paid compensation.

Thought that was for anyone who was forced to have a prepayment meter fitted… not the same thing.

I get letters emails and the time of my supplier out fox the market,I just ignore them,same with the water company,tried to fit a smart meter last week told him it's not mandatory and I can refuse,he said fair enough but some1 will contact you to hav a talk?