Are Eon sneakily installing Nazi smart meters?

[PS_RalphW]

The problem with the pre-payment meters in practice is the electric companies charge more per kilowatt hour than any other tariff option. Their customers are tied to them, and since they are installed at houses where the customer is in debt already, they increase the costs further, to reclaim the overdue payments. They tax the poor so that the internet savvy can save pennies by tariff surfing.

I save far more money by using electricity efficiently than I ever would by changing to a cheaper tariff.

[Little John]

The problem with the pre-payment meters in practice is the electric companies charge more per kilowatt hour than any other tariff option. Their customers are tied to them, and since they are installed at houses where the customer is in debt already, they increase the costs further, to reclaim the overdue payments. They tax the poor so that the internet savvy can save pennies by tariff surfing.

I save far more money by using electricity efficiently than I ever would by changing to a cheaper tariff.

All of the things you mention are policy problems relating to how prepayment meters are currently used. There is no problem with the technology itself, nor its inherently superior capacity to encourage realistic energy usage budgeting on its users. Thus, what needs changing is not the prepayment meters. It is the regulations surrounding their current usage by energy companies. As it happens, I am not in debt and I still like them.

[woodburner]

Hi Vortex,

If your meter is running well then you can reply them by saying that your meter is alright and you do not want to change it. In case they are replacing meters with modern technology meters, then in that case you have to get it changed. If you are not satisfied you can also contact E.on customer service here http://qwikfix.co.uk/eon-contact-number/

The topic is about 5 years old, and unfortunately Vortex's last post was in December 2010, so I think a reply will be a long time coming. Never mind, there are lots of other boyant posts around.

[kenneal - lagger]

We're keeping an eye on that one for adverts!!

[RenewableCandy]

I need to correct my previous post: apparently you CAN decline the installation of a 'smart' meter.

Citizens' Advice have dug the dirt.

I'm not really in favour: my experience of anything fancy and electronic is that it simply doesn't last long enough to justify the initial aggro or make the 'savings' worthwhile.

The energy expended by man-with-van * 10,000 fitting and (probably) annually checking all this equipment, and then replacing it all in 5 years' time, disposing of it, manufacturing the replacements...er, no.

[kenneal - lagger]

But think of all the anti renewables people it would be possible to disconnect automatically in times of power shortage!!

[RenewableCandy]

It's a nice thought, but it's not going to happen.

Far more likely some hoodlum'd hack the thing and find out when you'd gone away with a view to a burglary.