Smart meter. Good or Bad ?

[Mimi]

We are having a smart meter installed tomorrow afternoon.
I always said I wouldn’t be bullied into having one as I didn’t think they could actually save the amount of money the advertising hype would have us believe. In fact independent studies have found the amount saved is actually very small but that is not the reason we are having one.
We have an online account with Eon and with this account I am able to enter my gas and electricity meter readings once a month which means I haven’t had an estimated bill for over 5 years . But reading the gas meter involves me kneeing down on the floor with my bottom in the air and my face almost touching the floor in the effort to take a reading. The electricity meter is a different story. This needs me to use a step stool and a torch . But when I am at the correct height it isn’t all plain sailing.....as I have varifocala glasses I can only read the numbers through the bottom half of my glasses so Ihave to tip my head back so that I am lined up with the screen on the meter.
It was becoming a huge kerfuffle every month so we decided on a smart meter but I am not expecting to save any money with it just my sanity

[Gemini]

You are right to do what is best for you Mimi.

We were set to have one last year, but changed our minds. That was due to what members here had said, and what I read, and heard on the radio, about the fact that the ones they were fitting at that time were due to be replaced soon after, so it was better to wait.
We don't have one, but I have family and friends who do and find them fine

[Nanto2girls]

I can't see the point of having one,for us anyway.
If we had one,and it tells you how much gas/electric you have used, i'm not going to say i can't put the oven on or the heating on, because we have used a certain amount in a day.

But Mimi, i can see your reasons for having one.

[Nana]

OH took it upon himself to have one fitted the other yr. None of us look at the 'box' & have no idea how it works. Our meters are outside so it doesn't matter if it has to be changed. I just carry on like it's not there.🤣

[Daisy]

Mimi - you paint a graphic picture of your antics to read your meters! It's a pity the two boxes couldn't meet somewhere in the middle!

I can see why a smart meter will make your life easier, though.

Our electricity meter's outside but the gas one is in the space we loosely call 'the garage' and reading it involves a certain amount of mountaineering and ingenuity - I leave it to OH, it's his clutter in there!!

[Oma]

No B point blank refuses to have one , he's researched it all and decided its not for us ,
Our meters are outside by the gate leading down the side of the house so every now and then he takes a reading ,

[Enfys]

No, we don’t want one. The main reason because DH likes changing suppliers to find the best deals and the meters dots always work with different suppliers. We read our meters and fill in on line but every so often we get a man round who reads it, so no problem.

[Glammanana]

We don't have one although we are always being asked by Eon if e are interested, we read ours every quater and fill in the readings on line so no estimated bills.
John's friend has one and he is always going on about how much his wife uses in electric he reads it every day and calculates their usage it would drive me mad.

[Mimi]

I don't intend to look at it to see how much power I am using it will only worry me .

[Daisy]

Glamm - that would drive me mad too, especially for the central heating in the winter. If I'm cold I'm bad tempered and proper grumpy - it's worth every penny of the gas bill to keep me happy!!!

[Mimi]

Smart meter man arrived and then left without being able to install ant new meters. Apparently the problem was with natural feed that goes up to the neighbours upstairs. He need to turn it off to check it but that would have meant they would temperately without any power and as no one was in he had to abort the job.
Talking to him we have decided to wait until the new year when the second generation of smart meters will be installed so that would take away any issues with customers who want to swap supplier . He says there are a few energy suppliers who haven't even installed one smart meter so meeting the government target of most of us having meters by 20220 unlikely .

[Gemini]

Mimi, as you are really only having the smart meter to make things easier regarding meter readings, is it not possible to just have the meters moved?

[Mimi]

Gem I am going to get DS to read the meter once a month when he comes up and carry on like that for the time being. I did manage to get a meter reading this morning and I have entered that on to my online account.
When the time comes to having the meters changed I will run it passed my neighbour to ensure she will be in so when her electricity is temporarily cut off .
Who would have thought it would all be such a kerfukkle ?

[Plantaholic]

Mimi that is useful information, the advice I have received from the family is not to get one. My meter is on the wall outside, no problem with reading it but I seem to be having estimated readings.

[Mimi]

Smart meter man arrived and then left without being able to install ant new meters. Apparently the problem was with natural feed that goes up to the neighbours upstairs. He need to turn it off to check it but that would have meant they would temperately without any power and as no one was in he had to abort the job.
Talking to him we have decided to wait until the new year when the second generation of smart meters will be installed so that would take away any issues with customers who want to swap supplier . He says there are a few energy suppliers who haven't even installed one smart meter so meeting the government target of most of us having meters by 20220 unlikely .

Just noticed it should read 2020 . I know that people are living longer but I don’t think any of us will be around in 20220