Smart Meters going ...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

Smart Meters going wrong!

11 Posts
10 Users
5 Reactions
117 Views
 aggs
Posts: 360
Free Member
Topic starter
 

So who has a smart meter that needs replacing?

It seems they are not that smart!

A battery goes flat, so no display and now the whole thing needs replacing!

What a system.

Apparently batteries cannot be replaced as it leads to fraud ,so the whole thing needs replacing and that the hard part.

Three months and still waiting. so now no way to check meter at all.

The provider apologies but I am in the queue!

I need the next best way to approach this as the bills cannot be checked!

Does else have smart meter stories?

A recent newspaper article said people are having lots of issue's.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 9:20 am
 ji
Posts: 1415
Free Member
 

If the meter is still working but not displaying, then apps like Loop would probably work to get your readings


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 9:21 am
Posts: 11292
Full Member
 

Raise a complaint and keep pushing it...3 months sounds like a bit of a joke to wait for a replacement unit (based on having absolutely no idea on current demand, reliability and how much stock there is).


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 9:22 am
 igm
Posts: 11833
Full Member
 

Apparently batteries cannot be replaced as it leads to fraud ,so the whole thing needs replacing and that the hard part.

Three months and still waiting. so now no way to check meter at all.

If you are referring to the display, that has no bearing on fraud so someone is spinning you a line.
If it is the meter, then the electricity meter should take its power of the mains - the gas meter is I think battery powered but if that battery has failed then it’s not “checking” the meter that is the problem, it’s is it metering at all.

Also, if you go to the meter itself you can check the reading directly.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 9:50 am
footflaps reacted
Posts: 4588
Free Member
 

In some of the older gas meters, fitted around 2009, as the batteries start to fail they start to measure gas usage incorrectly, measuring huge amounts of gas used when you have used nothing/very little.

We had one of these faulty meters replaced last year, the energy companies customer service teams will deny this can happen,but it does.

The batteries are expected to last around 10 years,so all the first gen meters will now have batteries on the way out


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 9:59 am
Posts: 4315
Full Member
 

If its stopped working and can't tell anyone how much energy you have used I'd just keep quiet and enjoy the free energy.

Had that with a water meter about 7 years ago. Thames Water couldn't read it and so could only charge me the standard waste water charge. I didn't rush them to fix it. Free water for 6 months.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 10:58 am
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

My rental flat has had a non functioning electric meter for 4 years now.  None of my tenants have had electricity bills.  I tried really hard to get the meter replaced.  3 times they made appointments to do it, 3 times they never turned up.  I gave up.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 11:20 am
 JAG
Posts: 2401
Full Member
 

I am resisting the Smart Meter revolution for a few reasons.

The main reason is no standard across all the suppliers which means that if/when you switch supplier you may/will have to have a new meter. Add all of your experiences to that and I'm glad I've held out this far and it makes me more determined to hold out for even longer.

I'm happy to give them a reading once a month just to avoid the hassle.

BUT my meters are easy to get to and therefore easy to read.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 1:18 pm
Watty reacted
Posts: 9093
Full Member
 

I've had the letter 'your gas meter is too old' letter a few times. Tough, I'm happy reading my meter every month and I check use, and I know it's OK.

Given the 'price' of energy, I'd not be happy being unable to see what's being used.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 1:41 pm
 igm
Posts: 11833
Full Member
 

The common standard is SMETS2.  You should not need to swap meters when you swap suppliers.


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 1:41 pm
IHN and footflaps reacted
Posts: 41642
Free Member
 

To be fair on "them", old meters are / were ridiculously easy to manipulate so I'm not entirely surprised that any replacements incorporate more security.

The main reason is no standard across all the suppliers which means that if/when you switch supplier you may/will have to have a new meter

SMETS2 was rolled out back in 2018


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 2:29 pm
footflaps reacted
 JAG
Posts: 2401
Full Member
 

SMETS2 was rolled out back in 2018

Very interesting. I'll take a look, but I may still hold off for a while ;o)


 
Posted : 24/07/2023 3:05 pm

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!