Smart meter push, again.

[pc1966]

Today I got a note by postcard from SSE saying:

"We recently contacted you about your new smart meter, which can be delivered and installed for you from 10 May"

Now I am not aware of being contacted, certainly not by phone, so it seems a bit disingenuous to tell me this. Also I have a fairly new meter already as they replaced the old Ferranti mechanical meter in 2017.

Personally I don't want one. It offers me nothing much as my estimated usage is very close to the metered usage which I occasionally phone in to them. But I can see several disadvantages to them in terms of privacy and reliability, not to mention the remote disconnection feature that they promise would never be used.

TL;DR: Would folks here bother with this offer?

 

[Lister1987]

If they really want to make the change, they could rally to get Legislation changed to force Installation on customers by virtue of Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, Section 2 [See also Electricity Act 1989 Schedule 6], which while requiring a warrant to enter, would likely be granted. They may also invoke Schedule 7 which is related to meters.

Current industry position is that they won't force Installation if consent is not given bit don't be too surprised if that changes in the coming years, dependant on uptake.