Smart Meters

[Trewithy]

If I get a Smart Meter installed by British Gas and sometime in the future move to another energy supplier can my new supplier use the meter installed by British Gas?

I ask because I am considering getting a smart meter but every 12 months I review energy prices and often change supplier.

[jmurray01]

It depends which supplier you go to.  At the moment a lot still don't support them interchangeably, but if they don't then all you need to do is give the readings to your new supplier manually until they fit one of their own.

[dezwez]

Every body will have one forced on them then we will have to pay for them though your bills

[biff55]

theres no real benefit to the customer for having a smart meter , the power companies want to use them to log / monitor long term power usage - it wont save you a penny

british gas  , my supplier , rang up 2-3 times a week for 4 months trying to get me to agree to an appointment to let them in to fit a smart meter - i wont because its just snooping.

I just ignored calls from any incoming 0800 numbers after a couple of weeks knowing it was them , they gave up by december in the end

[jmurray01]

44 minutes ago, dezwez said:

Every body will have one forced on them then we will have to pay for them though your bills

Not really.  Bills are going up anyway, the smart meter installations will have very little effect on that.  And if that is true, then you may as well have one and get your moneys worth!

[GaryPL]

The companies are installing a standard meter.  Whoever installs it, it's the same meter.  So yes, you change company and they'll be able to use the new meter.

I got one installed when my old meter conked out and although it won't save me money, it's useful as I can see how much energy I am using each day if I wish.  I also don't need to worry about estimated bills.  They are always accurate.

[dezwez]

31 minutes ago, jmurray01 said:

Not really.  Bills are going up anyway, the smart meter installations will have very little effect on that.  And if that is true, then you may as well have one and get your moneys worth!

http://www.energylivenews.com/2017/02/03/smart-meter-rollout-to-cost-1bn-more-than-government-estimates/

guess who's paying for all this