Smart Meter Pros and Cons for a single occupant

Posted 11th Jul 2023

My friend's landlord is planning to install a smart meter in their two bedroom apartment who is a sole occupant. Based on their ongoing struggles with their current energy provider. They feel the clarity of the smart provider will provide make sense. What is the potential downsides of installing smart meter?

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11th Jul
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11th Jul
There are no downsides. You can monitor your energy usage and lower your usage accordingly as well as being able to get onto a cheaper smart tariff
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11th Jul
Why are so many people against a smart meter?
11th Jul
There is one downside - it is easier to force it into a pre-payment meter; as this can be done remotely without a warrant to enter the house.

However for the vast vast majority of us, it's either useless (you already know your monthly bills....) or useful (being able to have accurate monthly bills). And so I'd definitely get one. (edited)
11th Jul
They dont think they even need to do that.

I think they can switch it to prepaid at the press of a button from their offices?
12th Jul
The biggest downside is the difficulty in avoiding people who will tell you how the aliens will now control your life. Only way to prevent it is to keep quiet about the installation.
11th Jul
You have to plug it in and it uses electric?
12th Jul
No the meters don't. Only the in home displays use it (about £5 per year)
12th Jul
Our tenant asked if they could have a smart meter, looks like their supplier was chasing them. I said OK. The installer arrived, said, oh you've got an E7 meter (supplier was emphatically told about this in advance). Sorry I haven't got the correct replacement meter he said. They never came back and tenant hasn't been approached since. E7 was fitted less than 10 years ago by a big developer with the building refurb.

There seems to be a deafening silence by the 'leccy companies when it comes to replacing meters in E7 circuits. Yet is highly likely that an all-electric flat will have E7.
12th Jul
read this
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/getting-a-smart-meter-installed/
and this
thisismoney.co.uk/mon…tml (edited)
12th Jul
Had nothing but problems with British Gas they had to fit a new one and that isn't working right and it will be months until a new one is available.So still having to send readings in .Also can't take part in off peak deals
12th Jul
We're not far off. I finally got British Gas to come back and get them sorted (after about 3 years of 'oh its Covid, we're only doing emergency'), now I have an electric meter that pings every month, and a Gas meter that 'conveniently' works just before a bill is due. Neither of them talk to my wall thingy.

I still have to send in readings if I want it reasonably up to date (particularly around price changes).
12th Jul
Mine allows me to get half price electricity every Sunday for 5 hours so Sunday is washing day and steam clean all the floors day.
I know last winter people were incentivised to avoid usage at peak times too.
I know some people don't like them and that's fair enough, but not having to deal with estimated bills and then being in for a meter reader is good for me too.
12th Jul
Mine allows me to get half price gas and electricity all the time (octopus tracker)
12th Jul
This is a good list of pros and cons for Smart Meters: smartme.co.uk/goo…tml (edited)
12th Jul
Eon intended to install smart gas and electric meters, but they could not, said my fuse board make was known to trip with smart meters
13th Jul
First problem was when it started smoking couple of days after it was fitted so had to call an engineer to fix and had no electric for the duration. Second was that the energy provider who arranged to fit it in (npower or E-on, can’t remember as had new boiler fit in too) was not getting the readings and charging estimates; then in my final bill back in 2018-19 they took £800 dd and I claimed it back from my bank. I haven’t had them challenge me for it since. Then my new provider (pure planet) couldn’t read the smart meter and I had to still send readings. After they went bust and octopus took over it finally got used like it’s supposed to! They take accurate readings (I have checked) and have been billing me steadily. Got there in the end.