For those Tattlers who have converted to Electricity Smart Metres how are you finding them? The suppliers claim that they enable us to save money on bills as they are extremely accurate.Do people on here agree or are you finding yourselves paying more? I think this is an important issue in view of the huge increase we are facing in prices.
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I'm afraid the claim that they will definitely save you money is false. They can save you money if your previous bills have been estimating your usage as too high. But if your bills have been estimating too low, then the smart meter will more accurately bill you and your bills will go up.
So it depends how often you normally send your meter readings in. If you send regular readings then you probably won't see much change. If your bills are estimates, then it could go up or down.
Likewise, they also enable you to see the cost of your energy in real-time, so the theory is that you'll see how much using X Y Z appliance costs you at peak times and then in theory you can change your habits to conserve your energy use. In practice (my personal view having had a smart meter for a year), it is unlikely to make a real difference if you're not ridiculously excessive in the first place. But it could help if you're struggling with high energy bills and want to identify where you can cut your costs a little.
But thinking more broadly than this, smart meters are pretty important for the future of the grid as we turn to more reliance on renewables and battery technologies etc. Obviously back in the day if demand was high we could just switch the coal fired power station on, now we can't just generate more wind out of nowhere. So storage is important and understanding demand is also important. Smart meters are a part of this move to a more "smart grid" approach where the balance of supply and demand can be monitored more effectively. Longer term, when we have things like electric vehicles and our own renewable energy sources at home, it'll all form part of a more dynamic grid system where we as consumers can play a part in balancing the supply and demand (for example being paid to generate energy and put it back into the system in times of high demand).
So it depends how often you normally send your meter readings in. If you send regular readings then you probably won't see much change. If your bills are estimates, then it could go up or down.
Likewise, they also enable you to see the cost of your energy in real-time, so the theory is that you'll see how much using X Y Z appliance costs you at peak times and then in theory you can change your habits to conserve your energy use. In practice (my personal view having had a smart meter for a year), it is unlikely to make a real difference if you're not ridiculously excessive in the first place. But it could help if you're struggling with high energy bills and want to identify where you can cut your costs a little.
But thinking more broadly than this, smart meters are pretty important for the future of the grid as we turn to more reliance on renewables and battery technologies etc. Obviously back in the day if demand was high we could just switch the coal fired power station on, now we can't just generate more wind out of nowhere. So storage is important and understanding demand is also important. Smart meters are a part of this move to a more "smart grid" approach where the balance of supply and demand can be monitored more effectively. Longer term, when we have things like electric vehicles and our own renewable energy sources at home, it'll all form part of a more dynamic grid system where we as consumers can play a part in balancing the supply and demand (for example being paid to generate energy and put it back into the system in times of high demand).
I inherited one, no idea how it works tbh. I have the screen gadget thing that tells me how much I'm spending but how is that accurate? I also though it was for gas and electric combined? I seem to spend about £3 a day.
I like that I don’t have to send readings. CBA with that. Not sure I save much as haven’t had it long. It makes you more aware of what you use as the little dial goes to orange or red when you use things 
Definitely think this is where you’re supposed to make your savings. I unplugged my little digital box within weeks as it bleeped and set the dog off barking
I’m PAYG and like being able to top up online. Not having visits to read the meter is good, too. Other than that, no difference in bills.
They turn you obsessive and angry 
The amount of times I've come home and it's saying I've used x amount and I stand there annoyed saying how as I haven't been home! I always turn everything off anyway even the kettle so I'm only saving because of the price of the fixed tariff it came with. I'll notice the orange light on and ask who's left one of the non energy lights on only to realise it's the washer and it's not like I can not use that so pretty pointless really
The amount of times I've come home and it's saying I've used x amount and I stand there annoyed saying how as I haven't been home! I always turn everything off anyway even the kettle so I'm only saving because of the price of the fixed tariff it came with. I'll notice the orange light on and ask who's left one of the non energy lights on only to realise it's the washer and it's not like I can not use that so pretty pointless really 
I still have to send my electric readings in with myne. Edf for whatever reason cant get them from my smart meter so it only sends gas readings. Waste of time in my eyes.
I think they’re a complete waste of time. I have one and could see my daily usage amount so thought I knew what my bill would be…apparently there are charges on top of what showed on the little monitor so my bill was way more. And I still have to be give readings now and again because it doesn’t send them the info all the time. Compete waste of time, I unplugged the monitor as that would just be using more electricity.
How much is everyone paying? British gas are saying I should be paying £35 per month based on my usage which seems ridiculously low considering all the horror stories about people paying hundreds a month
I'm with Eon Next - £36 per month. Fixed until Aug 2023!
I want one but have read horror stories of people being over charged so much.
I’ve started making changes at home, using eco washes, stopped using the tumble dryer etc, I guess we just want one to see where else we could make changes to save a few Bob.
I’ve started making changes at home, using eco washes, stopped using the tumble dryer etc, I guess we just want one to see where else we could make changes to save a few Bob.
I don't think anyone is saving money on them as energy companies charge hundreds extra to everyone to cover the cost of them!
I don't think it's rocket science to know what uses a lot of energy in the home and use less of it to use less energy.
Although I know someone that thought they were saving a fortune charging their phone at work. When even if you charge it every day at home that's around 1 pound of energy in a year.
I don't think it's rocket science to know what uses a lot of energy in the home and use less of it to use less energy.
Although I know someone that thought they were saving a fortune charging their phone at work. When even if you charge it every day at home that's around 1 pound of energy in a year.
Thankyou that puts my mind at ease I've been imagining I've been paying too little and I will receive a sudden bill for hundreds. I'm not au fait with gas/electric rates/fixed rates etc I just receive a bill and pay it
I'm currently -£57 in the red with Eon Next, (we get billed quarterly and I just had my bill) but we figured that in Summer we'll use less electricity/gas anyway so we'll balance it out. I don't think -£57 is anything to worry about at all considering it's winter, we've had the heating on/lights being used more etc. We're out between 8 - 6 Monday to Friday as we both work full time so I guess that's what contributes to our monthly payment being so low!
I think if they wanted to put your payment up, due to your usage being far higher than what you're currently paying they'd contact you to say so
Just checked our gas bill and it's over 280 in debt without a smart meter. I'm not worried as that's almost all heating and for 6 months of the year the use will be very little.
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You won’t save any money but you can enjoy watching the numbers go up on an hourly basis!!!
I live alone in a 2.5 bed terrace and even though I’m on a fixed deal until the summer, they still want me to up my DD to £170 a month. I have the heating on maybe 3 hours a day maximum in the winter and don’t have a hot tub or weed farm in my attic! I have rang them countless times to say it must be wrong but they just tell me it’s not