Smart gas meters?

[Big Swifty]

Just had a letter from Br Gas offering to install a new smart gas meter at no cost. Has anyone had one, and is it worth getting one? I'd love to know if they are worth the trouble and - of course - are there any disadvantages?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[chesterbells]

I’ve always avoided them, and will continue to do so.
Plenty of downsides (already well written about online esp re the technology), and for me as a customer no upsides whatsoever.
In fact the last thing I want to see when I’m in the house is some meter ticking over reminding me what me and everyone else in my house is using. Something else to stress and bother about? No thanks.
I think I know when I’m needlessly using energy already.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

If they are offering to fit a Smart Meter to read your meter automatically for you, I would recommend it.

We had a smart gas and electricity meter fitted in February and you can see how much energy you use per hour/day/week etc. It's helped us to see how much we were using. We then did some sensible things (basically turning things off when not in use) and managed to save a few quid on the bills.

 

[East Level 2]

If they are offering to fit a Smart Meter to read your meter automatically for you, I would recommend it.

We had a smart gas and electricity meter fitted in February and you can see how much energy you use per hour/day/week etc. It's helped us to see how much we were using. We then did some sensible things (basically turning things off when not in use) and managed to save a few quid on the bills.

Why did you need a smart meter to turn things of when not in use? OK, it might indicate just how much you'd save, but turning things off will always save money.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Smart meters by themselves do not save you a penny.
They may make you alter your behaviour if you leave lights on in unused rooms etc.
A recent survey by comparethemarket found the average smart tariff is DEARER than the average non smart tariff and smart meter owners have less choice of tariffs when changing supplier.

Energy bills: Are smart meters so smart when it comes to cost?

Smart meter owners have fewer tariff options from which to choose and typically pay more to switch energy deals, new research by comparethemarket.com has found.

www.themoneypages.com

The govt released figures recently that showed only 44% of households and small businesses had smart meters fitted and 20% of those were “dumb”, ie they no longer worked as smart meters.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/968356/Q4_2020_Smart_Meters_Statistics_Reportv2.pdf

Why would you want one?

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

Why did you need a smart meter to turn things of when not in use? OK, it might indicate just how much you'd save, but turning things off will always save money.

Yes I agree. However as you have a screen which shows you have much you're spending which updates every few minutes it makes it a lot clearer that you are saving.

We've also got a hot tub and the meter helped us to find the most efficient way to heat it.

If nothing else, it makes you realise a lot more how much energy you use.

I think they are worth getting.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

We had a elec smart meter installed and ended up with someone coming round to read the meter.

It makes sense for the utility companies to switch to smart but there should be something in it for you.

 

[Fiftyyearsandcounting]

A lot of information on Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert web site -

Smart meters

Getting a free smart meter can help you get accurate bills and save energy – find out how, why and if to get them

www.moneysavingexpert.com

 

[lazerblue]

got gas and electric smart meters when we were with scottish power a few yrs ago, after a couple of weeks i looked at the readout to see how much gas we had used and it read £645 worth! i rang em up and told em and they said they had been ahving a lot of trouble with this happening and someone would come out to it, after fuck knows how many phone calls nobody came so the readout thingy went in the bin and we changed provider on a chraper tarriff, so the meters are useless and i have to send readings myself online

 

[Tuearts right boot]

They're watching you, you know...beware !!