UK Smart Meter rollout delayed by 4 more years

News UK Smart Meter rollout delayed by 4 more years

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Ian

Ian

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Ian submitted a new resource:

UK Smart Meter rollout delayed by 4 more years - The smart meter rollout in the UK isn't going to hit the target date of 2020.

It will come as no surprise to industry observers that the smart meter rollout failed to hit it's initial target to roll out smart meters across the UK by 2020. Energy companies had warned that the technology was not yet sufficiently ready and that it was a complex logistical problem. As of the Sept 2019, 16.6 million smart meters have been installed. A long way short of the 51.6 million required.

The government has now delayed the deadline to a more pragmatic date of 2024. This will still...
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16.6m installed but how many of them actually work as intended. I don't have one but I do know quite a few people who do and I don't remember anyone praising them in any way. They seem to have been a disaster and I'll be happy to remain smartmeterless for the foreseeable future. :D
 
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Do you know what problems your friends are having with them? I don't actually know of a single person with one yet (at least, I don't think I do).
 
Ian said:
Do you know what problems your friends are having with them? I don't actually know of a single person with one yet (at least, I don't think I do).
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They tell me that they simply "don't work." They still have to send in their meter readings over the internet which is exactly what I do. I must say that I don't find it a big hassle sending the readings - it takes less than two minutes once a month.
 
I now live in a flat and my meter is in an electric cupboard down the end of the hall about 30 meters away. British Gas have said in the past they can't fit a smart meter because of the distance from the meter to my flat.
 
Enough big brother crap going on as it is. Waste of time money and effort stay away. You cannot be forced to have one

I'm on prepay electric and quarterly gas. I pay for what I use any way I don't want to look and panic about boiling a kettle more than 4 times a day. Pathetic
 
I have both Gas & Elec Smarties. They work as intended. :)

The gas meter is 3 feet away from the control box, and the electric is 12 feet away.
 
The new SMETS2 are a bit better than the old SMETS1 but they're still not worth the hassle imo, and I've seen reports of companies still installing the v1's.

The usual issues are everything from them failing and going 'dumb' to causing interference with TV and broadband/WiFi.

OVO keep asking me if I want one, I keep telling them I'm not in the slightest bit interested.


Edit: https://www.energylivenews.com/2019...-of-smart-meter-users-report-having-problems/
 
V_R said:
OVO keep asking me if I want one, I keep telling them I'm not in the slightest bit interested.
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What do you think of OVO? I'm just searching for energy companies to switch to at the moment, and they have some good deals on atm.
 
Yeah they're alright, I got a decent 2 year fixed deal so took them up on it. They weren't the cheapest at the time, there were other super cheap providers (Outfox the Market for one), but judging by the reviews they won't be around for long. I hear good things about Bulb too.

The app is good and the CS is great (apart from them keep banging on about smart meters!) and easy to get hold of should you need too. Once the deal is up I shall see what else is out there, but I'd happily recommend them.

MSE Cheap energy club is your friend. :)
 
I went on to Ovo via Cheap Energy Club a few years back and stayed for two years. I found them easy to engage with, customer service was excellent and, at that time, they gave you 3% interest if you were in credit. :eek: Doubt that still applies.

I only left them because Cheap Energy Club found me a much better deal. I always felt that I might go back to Ovo but they seem to have fallen out of the list of cheaper suppliers.
 
Looks like I need to sign up to Cheap Energy Club :D

Cheap Energy Club - Compare Energy Deals – MSE

Join MoneySavingExpert’s energy comparison site, Cheap Energy Club to avoid overpaying on energy bills. Compare gas & electricity prices and monitor to see if you're constantly on the cheapest deal. Many can save £200/yr by switching suppliers.
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Turns out I can't switch without a penalty for another few weeks - but I really want to move away from npower, so won't choose them again.
 
As far as I'm concerned, smart meters are a big con with zero benefits to the average customer. I see them simply as a means whereby the energy supplier could (and probably would) be able to change tariffs at any time of the day or night. I have my own simple energy monitor on my electricity supply which confirms my expected consumption (which varies little on a daily basis) and as far as gas is concerned I can check consumption and expenditure via my online bills. I've had no problem with billing via my own readings submitted on request for many, many years now.

If the Govt and energy suppliers had concentrated more on reducing energy cost instead of wasting resources via the smart meter program I'd feel much happier.
 
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