Submit a meter reading today

[otherclive]

Well as it's raining this morning I thought that I would bite the bullet and arrange a smart meter installation via my supplier British Gas. But unfortunately I got the all too familiar message when going onto their website...."Oops we seem to have a technical problem please try again later".

So I finished up buying 5 litres of Prestone -18 deg screen wash concentrate from Eurocarparts, who are only a 10 minute walk away through a gap in the business park hedgerow.

 

[Beachball]

When we brought our bungalow in 2016 we brought a brand new Combi boiler and a Siemens RDH10RF ( it use to control room temperature) but heating came on this morning because we had a frosty morning only for 40 mins when i got back with the dogs it was lovely and warm .

 

[otherclive]

When we brought our bungalow in 2016 we brought a brand new Combi boiler and a Siemens RDH10RF ( it use to control room temperature) but heating came on this morning because we had a frosty morning only for 40 mins when i got back with the dogs it was lovely and warm .

Rather have a frost than rain any day.

 

[Beachball]

Rather have a frost than rain any day.

Hi clive i can agree with you fed up with rain at the moment

 

[Sam Vimes]

I had a call from our suppliers Executive Office this morning with yet a slightly different story.

My area is not constrained by lack of Comms Network but lack of interest to make a visit worthwhile. Apparently all the engineers are booked to go to Orkney instead.

I have been scheduled for March 12th next year. We'll see.

When asked why I wanted one I stated just to get the potential savings benefit of tariffs that are available only if you have a smart meter. I was told I could still request to switch to those tariffs and have the benefits until the smart meter was installed. Mind you they don't currently have any special tariffs.

As an aside.... Digital Electricity Meters, including the so called Smart Meters are capable of measuring Power Factor. Whether or not this is used in the actual calculation is another matter.

 

[RogerL]

I had a call from our suppliers Executive Office this morning with yet a slightly different story.

My area is not constrained by lack of Comms Network but lack of interest to make a visit worthwhile. Apparently all the engineers are booked to go to Orkney instead.

I have been scheduled for March 12th next year. We'll see.

When asked why I wanted one I stated just to get the potential savings benefit of tariffs that are available only if you have a smart meter. I was told I could still request to switch to those tariffs and have the benefits until the smart meter was installed. Mind you they don't currently have any special tariffs.

As an aside.... Digital Electricity Meters, including the so called Smart Meters are capable of measuring Power Factor. Whether or not this is used in the actual calculation is another matter.

Duh! Hit the wrong button and can't get rid of this image. 🙄

The tariffs restricted to smart meters were just an incentive to get people to install smart meters. Some years ago I switched to a dual fuel tariff that had smart meters as a requirement - when they came to fit them, the smart electric meter was fitted ok but the smart gas meter couldn't be fitted due to an issue with the meter cabinet - we remained on a smart meter tariff until last year when we were switched to Octopus variable tariff because Avro went bust.

 

[Tobes]

The tariffs restricted to smart meters were just an incentive to get people to install smart meters. Some years ago I switched to a dual fuel tariff that had smart meters as a requirement - when they came to fit them, the smart electric meter was fitted ok but the smart gas meter couldn't be fitted due to an issue with the meter cabinet - we remained on a smart meter tariff until last year when we were switched to Octopus variable tariff because Avro went bust.

There are smart tariffs that are ONLY available with a smart meter. Octopus Go!, Go Faster!, Intelligent, Agile Outgoing and Octopus Agile are all examples. They require 30 min readings as the price structure is dynamic, varying on 30 minute intervals that are not dictated by the Economy7 or 10 switch times. Any provider who tells you otherwise is hiding the reason for their poor delivery.

I switched provider to Octopus (all be it in 2021 - pre Energy crisis), and asked for a meter from them immediately. They installed me inside 8 weeks.

 

[otherclive]

Since Monday I have tried to arrange a smart meter fitting on four occasions. Each time the BG site tells me there is a technical problem and to try again later. Now I decided to use the chat line and as all agents are very busy it just cuts you off. No different to trying to arrange an audio appointment with the Bath Hospital appointments service. Pre recorded message telling me they have an unexpectedly high volume of calls, please try again later. Probably staff shortages affecting the services.

I showed my grandson and his partner a Canadian Government release that Canada wants 1.5 million immigrants over the next three years given their ageing population. They seemed decidedly interested for when she finishes her degree in two years time. Wonder why?

 

[otherclive]

We had our smart meter fitted yesterday which went quite well apart from one glitch. The installer had to check each gas appliance prior to turning off the gas. Boiler and cooker checked out okay. Three year old gas fire not so great. The technician who fitted it had serviced it in November 2021. But due to health he had retired and wasn’t available to service it. We had tried three local companies who frankly didn’t want to know. So with Christmas and one thing and another we hadn’t fixed a service appointment. So the smart meter installer said he could disconnect it and ban its us but as we explained that we would be getting it serviced he just made a note in the completion report and gave us a sticker. To be honest this is the first gas fire we have ever had serviced. Previous ones only drew attention if they developed a fault. And yes there are CO detectors in the lounge and kitchen.

 

[Hutch]

We had our smart meter fitted yesterday which went quite well apart from one glitch. The installer had to check each gas appliance prior to turning off the gas. Boiler and cooker checked out okay. Two year old gas fire not so great. The technician who fitted it had serviced it in November 2021. But due to health he had retired and wasn’t available to service it. We had tried three local companies who frankly didn’t want to know. So with Christmas and one thing and another we hadn’t fixed a service appointment. So the smart meter installer said he could disconnect it and ban it’s us but as we explained that we would be getting it serviced he just made a note in the completion report and gave us a sticker. To be honest this is the first gas fire we have ever had serviced. Previous ones only drew attention if they developed a fault. And yes there are CO detectors in the lounge and kitchen.

View attachment 4223

Welcome to the Paranoid Meter club.
It's not the electricity that frightens my bank account, it's the gas consumption.

 

[Buckman]

Excellent however are those Lamb & Mint crisps in the background?

 

[otherclive]

Excellent however are those Lamb & Mint crisps in the background?

Our son gave us an all Welsh food hamper at Christmas and included were two large packets of these crisps. In total enough calories to keep us going until Easter. 🤣

 

[Jcloughie]

We had our smart meter fitted yesterday which went quite well apart from one glitch. The installer had to check each gas appliance prior to turning off the gas. Boiler and cooker checked out okay. Three year old gas fire not so great. The technician who fitted it had serviced it in November 2021. But due to health he had retired and wasn’t available to service it. We had tried three local companies who frankly didn’t want to know. So with Christmas and one thing and another we hadn’t fixed a service appointment. So the smart meter installer said he could disconnect it and ban its us but as we explained that we would be getting it serviced he just made a note in the completion report and gave us a sticker. To be honest this is the first gas fire we have ever had serviced. Previous ones only drew attention if they developed a fault. And yes there are CO detectors in the lounge and kitchen.

View attachment 4223

We have ours fitted on the 23rd. There is only a fully serviced boiler to look at for us. Did they do physical checks or just look at the service record?

Many years ago my sister had a new gas main laid to her small estate. Before turning on all appliances had to be checked. The inspection failed the gas fire. This was a coal effect with real flames, (not sold now I believe). The inspector ranted about the dangers and cowboy fitters and condemned it. “Who fitted it he said”. “Your company” she said!

The company had to pay for a complete refit.

John

 

[Buckman]

Our son gave us an all Welsh food hamper at Christmas and included were two large packets of these crisps. In total enough calories to keep us going until Easter. 🤣

Must be an interesting taste.

 

[otherclive]

We have ours fitted on the 23rd. There is only a fully serviced boiler to look at for us. Did they do physical checks or just look at the service record?

Many years ago my sister had a new gas main laid to her small estate. Before turning on all appliances had to be checked. The inspection failed the gas fire. This was a coal effect with real flames, (not sold now I believe). The inspector ranted about the dangers and cowboy fitters and condemned it. “Who fitted it he said”. “Your company” she said!

The company had to pay for a complete refit.

John

The technician physically checked the three appliances; boiler, cooker all jobs and ovens plus gas fire. What I find weird is that with British Gas Homecare you can sometimes go nearly two years between services depending on when they service it in the two annual contracts. Yet get twitched with a gas fire a couple of months beyond service.

 

[otherclive]

Must be an interesting taste.

Great with a glass of Brains.

 

[Buckman]

Great with a glass of Brains.

My favourite beer when we lived in Cardiff.

 

[otherclive]

My favourite beer when we lived in Cardiff.

I lived in Grangetown on the edge of the Taff and just downstream from the old Arms Park and Brains brewery. You got the yeasty smell as soon as you left the house.

 

[Buckman]

I lived in Grangetown on the edge of the Taff and just downstream from the old Arms Park and Brains brewery. You got the yeasty smell as soon as you left the house.

OH was born Llanbradach Street on the river Taff and attended Grangetown schools. Brains brewery was across the road from them. When we came to UK in 1993 we stayed in Broad Street in Canton for about a year.

 

[otherclive]

OH was born Llanbradach Street on the river Taff and attended Grangetown schools. Brains brewery was across the road from them. When we came to UK in 1993 we stayed in Broad Street in Canton for about a year.

A small world isn’t it ?

 

[Hutch]

The technician physically checked the three appliances; boiler, cooker all jobs and ovens plus gas fire. What I find weird is that with British Gas Homecare you can sometimes go nearly two years between services depending on when they service it in the two annual contracts. Yet get twitched with a gas fire a couple of months beyond service.

When we had our Paranoid meter fitted, the tech changed both the gas and electricity meters, he stated that he had nothing to do with the gas boiler,
" Nothing to do with me".

 

[RogerL]

When we had our Paranoid meter fitted, the tech changed both the gas and electricity meters, he stated that he had nothing to do with the gas boiler,
" Nothing to do with me".

I was wondering from earlier posts whether there was a new legal requirement that gas appliances must be serviced every year to qualify for a smart meter.

 

[Hutch]

I was wondering from earlier posts whether there was a new legal requirement that gas appliances must be serviced every year to qualify for a smart meter.

I don't think so as the tech, asked me how old my boiler was, 39 years old, he asked me if I had any problems with it, No. Just not super efficient, he just made sure the smart meters were connected to the remote sensor.
Had ours about a year now. Probably saved a lot of money through being able to see and get ,"Paranoid" about how much power we consume.

 

[otherclive]

I was wondering from earlier posts whether there was a new legal requirement that gas appliances must be serviced every year to qualify for a smart meter.

Don’t think there can be as my BG Homecare agreement does not guarantee annual service and I’ve once had nearly two years between service when it was done early one year, and late the next year. Yet for my daughters house I legally have to have a service at intervals not exceeding 12 months.

 

[Beachball]

We had our smart meter fitted yesterday which went quite well apart from one glitch. The installer had to check each gas appliance prior to turning off the gas. Boiler and cooker checked out okay. Three year old gas fire not so great. The technician who fitted it had serviced it in November 2021. But due to health he had retired and wasn’t available to service it. We had tried three local companies who frankly didn’t want to know. So with Christmas and one thing and another we hadn’t fixed a service appointment. So the smart meter installer said he could disconnect it and ban its us but as we explained that we would be getting it serviced he just made a note in the completion report and gave us a sticker. To be honest this is the first gas fire we have ever had serviced. Previous ones only drew attention if they developed a fault. And yes there are CO detectors in the lounge and kitchen.

View attachment 4223

I hope you be very happy with your smart meter
our gas fire also got disconnected and put outside it was well past it sale date