Smart meter tariff updates.

[Tinbum]

Does anyone know how quickly a smart meter should update its display of tariffs on the smart meter and the IHD? I seem to remember it took a while when it was a new install but don't know on a supplier change.

I changed supplier, SMETS2 meter, last week and the IHD shows no tariff and the actual meter is showing the cost as it was before the change.

[Stinsy]

I've never heard of one working correctly...

So: infinity!

[Moxi]

Well I never expected to be contributing to a SMETS question but here goes - based on some internet stalking both past and present:

When a new supplier takes on responsibility for a smart meter they have to send out security certificates to the meters to ensure the meters only communicate with their systems. Once this has been done, the supplier can send out tariff information to each of the meters. All of this is done via the DCC Network. Depending on the service provider this can be as quick as the same day of transfer or at the other end of the scale I have read that some of the big six cannot ever mange this simple service (too big to have departments who know what each other does and is responsible for maybe ?

Sounds like you need to call Tomato and ask is the security certificate transfer is complete and if so ask for them to upload the tariff data.

Moxi

[Tinbum]

Well I never expected to be contributing to a SMETS question but here goes - based on some internet stalking both past and present:

When a new supplier takes on responsibility for a smart meter they have to send out security certificates to the meters to ensure the meters only communicate with their systems. Once this has been done, the supplier can send out tariff information to each of the meters. All of this is done via the DCC Network. Depending on the service provider this can be as quick as the same day of transfer or at the other end of the scale I have read that some of the big six cannot ever mange this simple service (too big to have departments who know what each other does and is responsible for maybe ?

Sounds like you need to call Tomato and ask is the security certificate transfer is complete and if so ask for them to upload the tariff data.

Moxi

Thanks Moxi, sent them an e mail with a photo showing 'no tariff info'.

I did speak to them yesterday, they had a look and confirmed I was with them but he didn't seem to know much and said to e mail!!

[Oliver90owner]

My gas meter updates the unit price but the leccy meter still shows unit costs and standing charges from the beginning of the year. Thoroughly useless as a means of checking costs through each charging period - particularly as the monthly values are for each month but the charge period starts at about half way through. Worse still, the reduced rate periods don’t even coincide with the real truth.

[Tinbum]

Got a reply today after resending the email.

"Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, Tomato energy does not support INHD's, hence no updates are available for this."

[Moxi]

So they don't have a tech team then, just a purchasing and sales department ?

Might be time to email OFGEM next to ask who you can go to to get the update done in this instance, although I suspect that may then result in Tomato suddenly finding that they do have that service.

Its all too easy for some lazy or bolshy so and so to try to brow beat joe public - but I guess thats what the regulator is for.

Moxi

[Tinbum]

I've e mailed them back.

They use a web site www.mywatts.co.uk to show what the meter is doing. It only started showing my data on Tuesday but I've noticed when you look at the cost data for a day it's showing my cost wrong. My cheap slot is 1am to 6am but the last bar is showing cost at the expensive rate. I've checked the time on the meter and it's within about 2 seconds.

[Tinbum]

Got an email today headed;
'Visit to replace electricxity metyer - Job ID -xxxx'

Thought it was a scam because of the spelling but it seemed to contain a lot of detail. Did a bit of investigation and came to the conclusion it was real.

Phoned them to find out what it was about to be told 'British Gas have asked us to change it'.

I'm not with British Gas- left them in 2021 to go to EONNext and now with Tomato, and had a new meter last year!

After a bit of a conversation and confirmation of old and new meter serial numbers they said the national database still shows British Gas. Very common, he said, that when the meter fitter submits the data it doesn't get updated.

Don't think this is related to the non showing of my tariff on the meter though as it did show for EONNext.