I have been meaning to write an article on this topic for some time, as I am curious why my energy provider (Scottish Power) keeps hounding me about getting one fitted.
But I have been struggling to find any real information. Thanks to Phil McAvertie and Tom Armstrong for providing views and links.
Scottish Power blurb states:
“Obligated”?
I have received numerous emails, a couple of texts, latterly two phone calls. And now they are offering me £100 off my bill if I have a Smart Meter fitted.
Adverts for energy providers on the radio, always have on their T&Cs for new customers, that a Smart Meter must be fitted as part of the deal for transferring to them.
I believed I had deduced a reason a few months back: providing false figures, when they request meter readings to be taken by the customer.
I deduced that, as I had a meter reader pay me a visit, and I had not had a visit from one of those guys in many years. After having a conversation with him, it turned out he only read my gas meter. But he then made a quip that he is likely to pay another visit the following week to read the electric meter. Stating they are so disorganised.
As far as I am aware he never came back to read the electric meter. I suspect he was sent as we spent a couple of months away in the winter and I had turned off my central heating. My meter readings were provided to me by a neighbour, while we were away. And we had not had the heating on since getting back. So, I get why they would be suspicious of zero gas use in winter. And hence Smart Meters are always going to be accurate, or are they?
On being prompted, the meter reader stated that some of the Smart Meters installed were problematic and effectively the transmission of the meter readings function was disabled. Requiring local reading. Issues included sending out the figures for neighbouring properties!
Further Scottish Power BS:
My query about why Energy Providers are so keen to fit Smart Meters ware never fully answered. This video on X by Bernadette Spofforth (Bernie) may reveal the reasons
Smart Energy GB website listed above:
Further reading
Government pdf, written in 2020:
Do smart meters allow energy companies to cut you off remotely?
https://fullfact.org/online/smart-meters-remote-cut-off-energy-supply
Telegraph article, but behind a paywall: (basically saying that it is technically possible to cut off a smart meter and your power supply, but that will never happen, because there are laws stoppong them. Some might find that comforting. If you want to the full article, say so in the comments and it'll get posted.)
Do you have a smart meter? If you do please let me know what you think of them and how it has affected you. Also, please vote in the poll below.