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Smart Meters

Straight answers to factual questions
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gryffron
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Re: Smart Meters

#453193

Postby gryffron » October 26th, 2021, 12:37 pm

What exactly is it you all object to? Direct debits on principle, monthly payments rather than quarterly, or the random* "budget" amounts they take off you?
*Random, but obviously always biased in their favour.

Direct Debit is MUCH cheaper for the suppliers than sending you a bill, and then handling/checking the payment when you make it, and chasing people who "forget". So you shouldn't be surprised that you have to pay a premium for Pay-As-You-Use billing.
Smart meters are also MUCH cheaper for suppliers to read than manual meters.
Clearly, the suppliers are going to charge you extra for the privilege of billing, paying manually, and manual meters

If they offered quarterly PAYU paid by DD would that be acceptable? What about monthly PAYU by DD? Either should be simple (and cheap) to achieve with a smart meters and email billing. Perhaps you should suggest this to the suppliers if that's what you want. There seems to be quite a few of you for which this is a problem.

Gryff

didds
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Re: Smart Meters

#453240

Postby didds » October 26th, 2021, 2:43 pm

gryffron wrote:Smart meters are also MUCH cheaper for suppliers to read than manual meters.


no issue particularly with the other points made but what expense is this above? Ive provided readings for years, approaching decades - i cant even vaguely recall anyone ever calling at our house to physically read the meter... let alone how many times it may have actually happened.

The previous place we lived in was a farmhouse - noone ever called to read it there ever in four years.

didds

kiloran
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Re: Smart Meters

#453258

Postby kiloran » October 26th, 2021, 3:24 pm

didds wrote:
gryffron wrote:Smart meters are also MUCH cheaper for suppliers to read than manual meters.


no issue particularly with the other points made but what expense is this above? Ive provided readings for years, approaching decades - i cant even vaguely recall anyone ever calling at our house to physically read the meter... let alone how many times it may have actually happened.

The previous place we lived in was a farmhouse - noone ever called to read it there ever in four years.

didds

In my case, it's the cost to Scottish Power to send a Morrisons Data Services guy round to our house to read the gas meter. Four times over the past year. And Scottish Power isn't even our supplier!

--kiloran

didds
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Re: Smart Meters

#453265

Postby didds » October 26th, 2021, 4:00 pm

kiloran wrote:In my case, it's the cost to Scottish Power to send a Morrisons Data Services guy round to our house to read the gas meter. Four times over the past year. And Scottish Power isn't even our supplier!

--kiloran


so there's no self reporting availability ? wow!

didds

kiloran
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Re: Smart Meters

#453269

Postby kiloran » October 26th, 2021, 4:18 pm

didds wrote:
kiloran wrote:In my case, it's the cost to Scottish Power to send a Morrisons Data Services guy round to our house to read the gas meter. Four times over the past year. And Scottish Power isn't even our supplier!

--kiloran


so there's no self reporting availability ? wow!

didds

I read my meters every month and report the data to my (ex!) supplier, which is no big deal. The process worked perfectly until they went bust. Every time I get a visit from an MDS chappie, he says he'll report the problem but MDS/Scottish Power still seem to think I get my gas from SP

--kiloran

XFool
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Re: Smart Meters

#453327

Postby XFool » October 26th, 2021, 7:29 pm

gryffron wrote:What exactly is it you all object to? Direct debits on principle, monthly payments rather than quarterly, or the random* "budget" amounts they take off you?

In the first place I object to DD, whatever its frequency. As for paying, I obviously don't want the bother of manual payments every month, or supplying readings every month.

gryffron wrote:Direct Debit is MUCH cheaper for the suppliers than sending you a bill, and then handling/checking the payment when you make it, and chasing people who "forget". So you shouldn't be surprised that you have to pay a premium for Pay-As-You-Use billing.
Smart meters are also MUCH cheaper for suppliers to read than manual meters.
Clearly, the suppliers are going to charge you extra for the privilege of billing, paying manually, and manual meters

Yes, it is very convenient - for the companies - and the regular monthly payment stream fits the current business model of contemporary companies. That's why this model is being adopted as widely as possible.

What is so difficult about consumer supplied figures with a check every year or three years?

robbelg
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Re: Smart Meters

#453501

Postby robbelg » October 27th, 2021, 10:55 am

I'm with Octopuss they do monthly diecrt debit BUT I can choose the amount, can change it every month if I want to. They ask me to post monthly self read.

Rob


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