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Thread: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

  1. #31
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    Quote Originally Posted by Lencoboy View Post
    Some people already seem convinced this impending energy crisis is part of some hidden agenda and governmental conspiracy to control us, which I seriously question.

    After all, it's not just a UK-specific issue.

    Back in 2008-09 the UK govt largely got blamed for causing the GFC and talk of them using it as a vehicle to control us, despite it being a worldwide problem which actually affected certain other countries far worse than the UK (no trumpet-blowing intended), and of course the Foot and Mouth Crisis back in 2001, and the endless conspiracy theories/'control' talk that ensued back then too.

    Seriously some people don't know (or even care to know) the true facts and simply like to believe whatever suits their own agendas plus as always, play the 'know-it-all' and the 'blame game'!

    And this is basically across the entire political spectrum.
    Whilst on the subject of the economy, the biggest irony right now is that the BBC published a report last week revealing that job vacancies in the UK are at their highest since current records began back in 2001, but many firms are actually struggling to recruit workers. If we were actually on the brink of a full-on recession then surely this wouldn't be the case.

    Of course, as per usual, many people said in the comments on the BBC website that the job vacancies thing is total BS and that the job situation in this country is actually the worst it's ever been in their opinion.

    They also say the very same whenever we're told crime is down.

    Seriously, where do a lot of these 'know-it-alls' get a lot of their facts and stats from?

  2. #32
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    Locally they are putting out appeals for home care staff for any number of hours you can manage. Apparently there are 140 people waiting to leave hospital because they haven't been able to get care packages in place, obviously this is causing problems.

    Terry - my husband is an oil heating engineer/plumber/whatever else he can lay his hands to, he also worked for a solar panel fitting company for a few years when it was at its height with the incentives, oh and he also did meter fitting for a couple of years when things were bad. So fortunately he has a pretty good idea on fuel economy. Me - I have no idea.

    Fortunately a few years back my husband fitted a solar water heater which is fantastic in summer. We use very little in the way of gas/electric during the summer months. This year we got a new gas boiler so my hope is that it will be more cost effective so we won't notice any price hike.

    As I've said before he is dead against smart meters.

  3. #33
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    I'd rather listen to someone like your husband than to "experts" telling us what's going to happen and what we should all do...

  4. #34
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    Yesterday a bloke I know (who has been a serial pessimist ever since I've known him) was saying that he reckons that this current saga concerning shortages and the impending energy crisis is basically a perfect excuse for another national lockdown, especially if the lights end up going out and petrol/diesel/gas/oil/leccy supplies end up running out this autumn/winter.

    I guess he could be right to a certain extent, as an energy crisis-fuelled 'lockdown' would essentially at the same time help to bring down rates of Covid!

  5. #35
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    Someone posted on FB that people are panic buying petrol. I've only got about 30 miles worth left in my car, I was hoping to string it out until pay day. But the urge to fill up now is strong.

  6. #36
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    Quote Originally Posted by Catkins View Post
    Someone posted on FB that people are panic buying petrol. I've only got about 30 miles worth left in my car, I was hoping to string it out until pay day. But the urge to fill up now is strong.
    I wonder how long it will be before people start panic buying toilet rolls again?

    I can feel a sense of September 2000 'deja vu' right now, but of course Blair and Co can't be blamed this time. It's also speculated that Boris is quaking in his boots over it all right now!

    I do think the media have a lot to answer for right now, as they seem to be fanning the flames as per usual.

    They did reiterate on the BBC website that there's no actual shortages of petrol and diesel, it's just certain garages (mainly BP ones) that haven't been able to get deliveries due to the truck driver shortage, and obviously exacerbated by the sudden frenzied panic buying, which like I said above, has obviously in turn been fuelled by the hysterical 'Armageddon-type' newspaper reports, mostly from The Scum and the Daily Fail!

    The typical 'if it bleeds it leads'!
    Last edited by Lencoboy; 24-09-21 at 16:44.

  7. #37
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    Terry, if you're about later I wonder if you could give me some idea why my gas bill is £178 in debit? I was shocked, surely its a mistake or I've been charged for a meter?
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  8. #38
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    OK I was on the BG website once again today for another marathon session. Yesterday I was told the gas account was £178 in debit. Now, after being passed through several departments, having to join fresh queues ad nauseum, that there was no debt on the account. No apology but lots of indifference. I always come off that website feeling nothing has been resolved.
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  9. #39
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    There could be a few reasons. Your payments may not have been received hence don't show. They could be received but in some way trapped in their systems needing a manual push from their side to get them on your account.

    You've had several meter changes near to each other which can cause your account to go off track until they are all updated. If one of the earlier ones failed for some reason it may get missed and later ones updated first. This could result in some strange issues with balancing your debits vs credits. However that would most likely create a credit unless someone caused a big jump due to putting through a much higher reading against the wrong meter e.g. the 2nd meter started on 00000 but someone bills up the earlier meter (remover on say 18967) to this 2nd meters closing reading (which could be low e.g. 00009) causing it to spin past 99999. Or variations on themes like that. Those usually stick out though as they cause bills to jump by thousands and if they escape any internal bill trapping mechanisms tend to end up in the media.

    This is why I mentioned checking your paper bills reflect all those meter changes.

    But with you being on prepayment you can look at your meter and see you are in credit. So the supplier has to get their billing records (your account) to match what is showing at your end. If it doesn't they need to check all your payments have reached your account from the app or tills. They also need to ensure they have put through each meter change in the order they changed on site and using the closing & opening readings in order. They also need to ensure each new meter change was set up on the correct tariff so that they didn't change your rates.

    Check the price per unit and daily standing charge to make sure it matches the tariff you know you would be on. If you are able to, check each meter change transferred your credit over to the new one. I'm dubious about the last engineer changing you from smart since only suppliers can authorise such changes because it can cause automatic tariff changes at a supplier's end. If you are on a special smart tariff he may have inadvertently changed you to a more expensive tariff.

    You might not be able to work out if your credits have transferred from meter to meter. Your supplier can though since each meter change on prepayment should include the balance at the end.

    Since they say you owe nothing, which you shouldn't, the person you spoke to has probably checked all of the above.
    Last edited by MyNameIsTerry; 26-09-21 at 21:38.
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  10. #40
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    Re: The Continuing Saga of the Smart Meters

    A belated thank you for that reply Terry, life has got in the way again of following all the threads. Right now I've taken the car for its MOT. Anxiety-wise, taking it is the easier part, picking it up is harder.
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