Octopus Tariffs

[Moxi]

The supply meter is the property of the electric company supplying your electricity and remains so for the life of the meter. Your issue as for many is that many suppliers sub contract the fitting service so that when it goes wrong they can shrug there shoulders and say not our problem BUT contractually they are responsible to you the user if the sub contractor they engaged does not fit and confirm a functional meter. Easiest to address at the point of fitting far harder to enforce if it goes wrong months or years after first install.

Moxi

[Moxi]

I suppose the easiest remedy is to invite them to fix it as it was working as a smart meter and now doesn’t ergo it’s faulty and continue to escalate to the point where you can engage the ombudsman because your supplier is failing to correct a problem with their equipment and this is putting you at a financial penalty as you no longer have access to the tariff they contracted with you to supply.

I was considering one recently having sworn off them for years but again doubt is creeping in, especially now that most newspapers are screaming don’t get a smart meter, I mean if it’s that worrying and obvious to them then it’s got to be really worrying for us the consumers.

Moxi

[AE-NMidlands]

I suppose the easiest remedy is to invite them to fix it as it was working as a smart meter and now doesn’t ergo it’s faulty and continue to escalate to the point where you can engage the ombudsman because your supplier is failing to correct a problem with their equipment and this is putting you at a financial penalty as you no longer have access to the tariff they contracted with you to supply.

I was considering one recently having sworn off them for years but again doubt is creeping in, especially now that most newspapers are screaming don’t get a smart meter, I mean if it’s that worrying and obvious to them then it’s got to be really worrying for us the consumers.

Moxi

But not having access to TOU tariffs really vexes me, and unless you can get the old-fashone "Economy 7" type of contract then you are stuck with the high ex-Manweb rates.
I have avoided having one until now, but money talks...

[Moxi]

Thats what I mean Charlie, tell your supplier that their fialure to instruct their contractor to fit the contracted working smart meter is preventing you having access to cheaper tarrifs which places you at a financial disadvantage, tell them they either fix the meter of give you a tariff equal to that available to smart meter owners, failing either of those options you will take the matter to arbitration with the ombudsman as your supplier has defaulted on their contracted obligations.

Moxi

[nowty]

Does anyone know who it is that has an obligation, if anyone, to provide a smart meter and make sure it works? I've always understood it's the supplier, but both Good Energy (who use a contractor SMS) and British Gas (who have their own people) seem to imply it's not their problem... Can I push back? Or even demand that they install an old-school economy-7 tariff?

If you want an E7 meter they should be able to fit one, I note my own smart meter was pre-set for E7 when it was installed because it was replacing an E7 meter. So if the comms did not work I would still be on a E7 tariff with the smart meter as it has two time based registers which can be read by the customer.


The supplier has installation targets from OFGEM.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy- ... on-targets


There is an obligation on the supplier to fit one unless there is a good reason not to fit one, or the customer refuses to have one.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-co ... mart-meter


The DCC company appears to have the network coverage obligation to reach more than 99% of the population.
But if your in the 1%.
https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/about-dcc/

[CharlieB]

The DCC company appears to have the network coverage obligation to reach more than 99% of the population.
But if your in the 1%.
https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/about-dcc/

Interesting. Britishh Gas meter man said it was a different company. Who interestingly claimed 99% as well though the BG guy thought that was nonsense, in our region at least. We're in Scotland, so possibly DCC only do England & Wales?

Even if it is only 0.3% of the population, if they can't access reasonable tariffs and there seems to be no prospect of coverage improving then there's a real problem.. especially if most of them are likely to be rural, so off the gas grid and really do need a car.

[CharlieB]

I was considering one recently having sworn off them for years but again doubt is creeping in, especially now that most newspapers are screaming don’t get a smart meter, I mean if it’s that worrying and obvious to them then it’s got to be really worrying for us the consumers.

Moxi

Many thanks for all your insight and helpful suggestions Moxi, and AE.

I simply can't understand why you woulkdn't want a smart meter. Is it the 'Utility can see when I get up in the night to pee' thing (ie personal data) or something else? IMO the transition to heat pumps and EVs, both of which are absolutely central to UK transition away from fossil fuels, just can't happen if smart meters aren't standard.

[nowty]

The DCC company appears to have the network coverage obligation to reach more than 99% of the population.
But if your in the 1%.
https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/about-dcc/

Interesting. Britishh Gas meter man said it was a different company. Who interestingly claimed 99% as well though the BG guy thought that was nonsense, in our region at least. We're in Scotland, so possibly DCC only do England & Wales?

Even if it is only 0.3% of the population, if they can't access reasonable tariffs and there seems to be no prospect of coverage improving then there's a real problem.. especially if most of them are likely to be rural, so off the gas grid and really do need a car.

I'm 99% certain the DCC includes Scotland.

[Moxi]

I want one Charlie, but only when its as infallible as the dumb meter it replaces and once there's a code of conduct in place for the suppliers to let us and them know what they can and must not do with the extra functionality that a smart meter affords them.

If I get one before then I will either be "being brave" or " reckless"

Moxi

[CharlieB]

Fair enough Moxi. Hope you get comfortable before long. Or manage to go fully off grid!