Smart Meters Good Or Bad?...

We have just had a letter come from our energy supplier to ask us if we want to have one of the new Smart meters fitted as it is the governments idea that we all need to be more energy efficient and according to the letter our 15 year old meters are due to be renewed anyway.By 2020 there should be a smart meter in every house across the country according to the blurb that came with the letter.(You don't have to have one according to the blurb if you don't want one)

I think they are a good thing in one way because now it will mean that we don't have to remember to read our meter and send off the readings once a month.The only thing is a couple of years ago I saw an article somewhere(don't think it was the Daily Wail) whereby some of these smart meters were catching fire in America which is not a good thing as none of us want our houses burning down

Would be interested in hearing others members thoughts before Mr Kandy rings up to make an appointment to have one (Not sure if you have one each for the gas and lecckie) fitted.

Thanks

 

Won't be touching them until I'm forced to take one. Too much like big brother knowing when your in when your out what you use when you use it etc etc. Then the data will be sold off to cold callers who will be selling you energy saving this and that at all hours of the day.
Also these things are meant to emit radiation of sort so no thanks

 

We had one, but since it began bleeping every few minutes we have turned it off. No problems with them catching fire now and as for emitting radiation never heard that one. Useful at first in learning what actually uses power. We discovered that the outside light was very heavy usage so now we turn it off instead of leaving it on.
Prefer to have them read the meter without coming into the house as there have been a few reports in this area of impersonation of Meter readers.
Nor have we had any increase in callers selling anything other than PPI and Injury claims.

 

We've had them here for years, nothing negative to say about them whatsoever. I am surprised that they are "new" in the UK though. I don't know anybody here that lives in a house (as opposed to flat) and does not have one.

 

Ours (gas and electric) will be fitted in December although I can't say we will take a lot of notice of it.

 

Think it will be some while before I have to worry about those ... I still have the "dial" style meter which one or two of the meter readers haven't seen before and don't know quite how to read it Progress seems slow here

 

I still like the old meters and i think i will take no notice of the new ones, but if the elecy companys start wanting you to pay for elecy at a higher rate in the peak time then the old ones for me

Some houses here don't have mains elecy

 

My mom had one fitted and it just sits on the wall in the porch. Doesn't bleep, flash, emit radiation or owt else.

She hasn't got to worry about having people in to read the meters anymore. It's basically just a computerised system they sends the information of what you use back to the supplier.
It's nowt to do with big brother at all, it doesn't break down any information, just sends the total amount of units used.

 

Think it would be good to not have to worry about reading the meter anymore, but other than that its just no different.
I tend to know what uses energy and what dont, so any info it might give me is pointless, I dont use energy if I dont need to.

When they say having a smart meter fitted is that both gas and electric?

 

I think it's something like what moblie phone use

 

A very good point.

 

The info is sent using the same method as mobile phones. The radiation threat is extremely low and we are told its really safe just don't sit near one for too long. They say its safe so it must be right? Think I've heard that one before. Some guy reckons some emit 80 times more radiation that a mobile but I really can't be bothered getting into those scare stories as I ain't getting one.

 

I'll be refusing a smart meter - we had a 'clip on the mains cable' energy monitor - and to be honest it didn't reduce our energy usage - just made us worry about it more.

My Mum's neighbour has had one installed and tells us she has had nothing but problems with it.

I don't like the idea of the supplier remotely cutting off your energy - they don't know your circumstances - or the rumours that are going around about the health issues as to how the box connects to the supplier.

Can't really see any benefit to consumers - indeed quite the contrary - we pay for a box through higher bills - putting meter readers out of work - and the supplier saves on their wages.

Another central government hair brained idea.

 

with @shiney on this
OK now but they are gathering information that three years down the line will introduce peak time tarrifs , to make a greater profit
All ending up with us having to put the washing machine on at 03:00 Heat a stack of bricks at 05:00 and freeze to death at 14:00, record TV programmes at midnight and watch them at 13:00 to avoid astronomic pricing