Will any suppliers still fit a standard meter?

[electricalusername]

I'm a homeowner. My flat came with a prepayment meter.

I was due to get it changed by Green Network Energy. I even specifically chose them because they would fit a standard meter and not a smart meter...

Anyway, Covid and a company going bust later I still have a prepayment meter.

I'm with EDF now and they're refusing to fit a standard credit meter,

I'm with SSE for gas and they're saying they will not fit a standard credit meter. After coinfirming they would in March. But I couldn't switch until EDF had finished eating Green Network.

I'm phoning round when I can but I can't much in work hours when the call centres are open.

Does anyone know how I can get a standard credit meter fitted.

I don't even mind paying but I'm just being given a flat no.

Not even sure if it's legal to flatly refuse as smart meters aren't meant to be mandatory.

 

[UNG]

I doubt you will find any company that will fit you a standard meter while the push is on to get everyone on big brother meters

 

[snowhead]

Energy suppliers were supposed to be keeping a stock of standard meters to use as replacements for existing meters if they went faulty, or went over their certified life date, where people did not want a "Smart meter".
They probably do have some but want keep them for like for like replacements.
However I beleive that standard meters are now no longer being manufactured so there is probably no real option other than to go "Smart" on a prepayment to credit exchange.

I've recently had comms from my energy supplier saying that as I am on E.7 my existing meter will stop working correctly next year when the Radio 4 Teleswitch signal is turned off (it's supposed to be 2023) and that I must now arrange to have a "Smart Meter" fitted.

What they don't appear to know is that I don't have a Teleswitch reliant meter, I've got a more modern Ampy type which has a built in clock for off peak and does not need the Radio signal to work correctly.
It's going to be interesting to see how they deal with me ignoring them.

 

[electricalusername]

Energy suppliers were supposed to be keeping a stock of standard meters to use as replacements for existing meters if they went faulty, or went over their certified life date, where people did not want a "Smart meter".
They probably do have some but want keep them for like for like replacements.
However I beleive that standard meters are now no longer being manufactured so there is probably no real option other than to go "Smart" on a prepayment to credit exchange.

I've recently had comms from my energy supplier saying that as I am on E.7 my existing meter will stop working correctly next year when the Radio 4 Teleswitch signal is turned off (it's supposed to be 2023) and that I must now arrange to have a "Smart Meter" fitted.

What they don't appear to know is that I don't have a Teleswitch reliant meter, I've got a more modern Ampy type which has a built in clock for off peak and does not need the Radio signal to work correctly.
It's going to be interesting to see how they deal with me ignoring them.

It's all going to be interesting I suspect. At the moment people are chosing smart meters and very for are getting forced replacements.

After all it's only in the last 3 months I've been refused a non-smart replacement.

I'm surprised they'll guarantee the radio signal is going to last until 2023. I thought there were BBC LW transmitters already flagged as DNR if they go down.

 

[electricalusername]

Just to report back for anyone who's found this thread.

British Gas have agreed to fit a non-smart meter for £120.

 

[baldelectrician]

My son (who is blind) moved in to a home with a prepayment meter and SSE made an appointment to change it, they texted him at 4.30 cancelling - he called and they could not give him an appointment.

I told him to wait till the meter ran out (a few days later) and he called them back
Once he said ' I am blind I cannot see the meter - you will need to send someone out'
and then
'What part of blind do you not understand' when they asked another question they sent someone out the same day and the guy put in a standard meter

So SSE have standard meters in the van.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

They keep standard meters as stock to fit i. Emergencies or when smart meters simply wont work.
My grandad was a spark aswell. He used to buy reconditioned meters and old ones. Take out the inner workings and put in his existing meters casing. So when you looked the meter serial number matched the records. Never had a meter reader come round in his village jn Leicestershire. His meter was always very low!
If you were so inclined and had knowledge as a spark you could just take out the meter and fit your own basic one and plead ignorance!! Just give them the reading every month... And point blank refuse a smart meter.. as long as you submit readings.everymonth you are likely to be okay

 

[pc1966]

Recently I had a recorded message left on my answer machine (i.e. the message came from a recording, like the spammy political campaigns in the USA) telling me to make an appointment for a smart meter. This is the same SSE that put in a dumb electronic meter about 4-5 years ago when my 30 your old Ferranti spinning disk went out of formal calibration.

I think I will continue ignoring them.

 

[Rockingit]

Some suppliers have yet to adopt the back-end technology to be able to deal with certain types of meter, and in my previous house we had the crazy situation of having to still give monthly manual readings from a not-so-smart gas meter simply as it was running the wrong software. So absolutely shop around, although personally I don't see the 'big brother' threat like others seem to.

 

[Chris jones]

I'm a homeowner. My flat came with a prepayment meter.

I was due to get it changed by Green Network Energy. I even specifically chose them because they would fit a standard meter and not a smart meter...

Anyway, Covid and a company going bust later I still have a prepayment meter.

I'm with EDF now and they're refusing to fit a standard credit meter,

I'm with SSE for gas and they're saying they will not fit a standard credit meter. After coinfirming they would in March. But I couldn't switch until EDF had finished eating Green Network.

I'm phoning round when I can but I can't much in work hours when the call centres are open.

Does anyone know how I can get a standard credit meter fitted.

I don't even mind paying but I'm just being given a flat no.

Not even sure if it's legal to flatly refuse as smart meters aren't meant to be mandatory.

No supplier will fit a standard credit meter as they will be fined for not fitting smart. You will only be able to fit a dumb meter if you pay. Roughly about £300 for both. If you want to go from pay as you go to credit the supplier will require a credit check and may charge a security deposit.
The only supplier not to charge Is British Gasb although they will charge to fit dumb meters.
Whats your problem with smart meters?

 

[brianmoooore]

Whats your problem with smart meters?

They have zero advantages to an intelligent person, apart from freeing you from the need to occasionally submit readings, and have the disadvantages of allowing your supplier to log your exact energy use patterns, and also to have the ability to remotely disconnect your supply.

 

[electricalusername]

TE="Chris jones, post: 1763499, member: 144734"]
No supplier will fit a standard credit meter as they will be fined for not fitting smart. You will only be able to fit a dumb meter if you pay. Roughly about £300 for both. If you want to go from pay as you go to credit the supplier will require a credit check and may charge a security deposit.
The only supplier not to charge Is British Gasb although they will charge to fit dumb meters.
Whats your problem with smart meters?
[/QUOTE]

"Smart" meters are internet connected devices tracking data which will show when I am home or away that I can't turn off, disconnect, or audit for security.

I do not believe that type of device should exist, let alone be in my home.

One data breach and everyone's rough weekly schedule is pretty obtainable.

Secondly they can remotely cut power. I've seen first hand a case where the mobile signal wasn't connected and the meter shut off power due to bad network coverage.

For the record British Gas have fitted a standard meter many months ago. They haven't charged me yet but if/when they do it will be well worth it.

I'd like smart meters to work for environmental reasons, but I wont just give my data to a private company for the entire future of the property irreversibly.

If I could turn off the network connection myself. I'd have let them fit one, maybe even try it in smart mode if the discount was enough. The fact I'd have to trust a private company to pinky swear to turn of data collection with current models is a red flag and a hard stop for me.