Dear Sir
Re: Your article in the April issue of Mature Times – ‘Smart Meters explained’. I would like to tell you of the experience my wife and I had regarding these:
I was contacted by e.on (our Gas and Electricity supplier) asking us if we would like one installed. I said I would and made an appointment for someone to come and install one. The installer came and he installed a Smart Meter. Unfortunately our gas and electricity meters are on different sides of our house. As the Smart Meter relies on a mobile phone signal the distance between our gas and electricity meters made the Smart Meter unable to connect to both meters and it was unable to send the readings to e.on.
The installer informed us that this was a common problem where both meters were installed at different sides of a house and that it was a problem that needed to be rectified if the Government’s requirement was to have all Smart Meters in every home by 2020.
Yours sincerely
Tony Dawson-Hill, Harpenden
Yes, I have had one for just over 1 year & have no complaints at all, plus they are a great help to let you see what electric you are using so that you can adjust should you wish.
Mervyn Toogood
Hello Andrew
Ref: Issue No 286, April 2016. Page 8, Finance- Smart Meters Explained.
I’m with British Gas and they want to install a Smart Meter but, they have told me that if I switch supplier it will not function as a ‘smart meter’ only as a normal meter as it would be programmed only to their data. A new supplier would have to change the smart meter again. Also Gov.UK, Smart Meters: A guide, states that there is “no legal obligation to have one”.
Kind regards
Howard Edwards
Your article re meters in April issue – a few points as to these objects!
They have no cost – really, since you state that bills are increasing by £200 to pay for them,
And they seem to save a very small amount anyway 2-3% in my case is £3 per month
As I already provide monthly readings and get billed accordingly, little gain from lack of meter readers
I can already assess (not measure, agreed) my power usage – if cooking, gas in use, if computer or TV on, power use….and so on.
So please allow my supplier to NOT install one and NOT increase my bill to pay for it.
Yours in hope,
Brian Hulatt
