Disadvantages of Smart Meters for UK Homeowners

The smart meter rollout is taking the UK by storm.

Energy providers are underlining the numerous way that the smart meter is superior to the old meter, as it gives out more accurate readings; therefore, your bills will be more accurate, which will end up saving you money.

While smart meters do, in fact, accurately track your energy consumption, we have put together a list of the disadvantages that you should keep in mind before installing a smart meter.

Crucial Smart Meter Issues To Understand

In spite of the mentioned benefits of the smart meter, many issues may occur from their rollout to the installation phase. If you encounter any of the problems mentioned in this article, you should contact your energy supplier.

Not So Smart Meter

If you have a smart meter installed and you decide to switch to another energy supplier, there is a chance that your smart meter will lose its smart capability.

The reason for that happening is you own a sMETs1 smart meter. The problem with these first generator smart meters is that they can only be read by the energy supplier that provided them.

This is the reason that first-generation smart meters are no longer being installed and have been replaced by the second-generation smart meters, which do not have this issue.

There may be, however, a short adjustment period where your smart meter will lose its functionality for a short time.

Issues With Poor Signal

If you live in certain rural or an area that is infamous for having poor mobile phone signal, you are likely to encounter this problem. Smart meters communicate with energy suppliers using mobile technology (Network coverage), so a weak signal will affect this connection and will prevent your smart meter from functioning.

Delayed Bills Due To Errors in Reporting

In regards to the previous point, if your area has poor network coverage, this may sometimes result in your smart meter not sending readings to the energy supplier. This doesn’t mean that your supply will be cut off. However, it may result in your energy bills being delayed and will cause confusion among households.

Not Renter Friendly

According to the law, whoever pays the energy bills at a property has the right to install a smart meter.

So even if you are renting a property, you are able to have a smart meter installed even if your landlord disagrees. However, some landlords will abuse a loophole.

They will slip a condition in the tenancy agreement that no smart meter may be installed. If that is the case, you won’t be able to install one. So, it is always a good idea to check the tenancy agreement for this before signing and asking for the option to install a smart meter if you wish.

Complicated Jargon and Interface

Understanding how to read and use your smart meter is important. While most customers are able to understand terms like pounds, kilowatt-hours, and other energy terms, these energy terms can be difficult to understand for a number of customers, especially elderly customers. Some smart meters come with a colour display that indicates your energy usage. It is shown on the monitor as the green, orange, and red zone. So, it is important to make sure you understand how to monitor your usage yourself.

Security Risks

Smart meters send meter readings to your energy supplier without storing/passing your personal information (Name, address, bank details, etc..). Although smart meters were designed in consultation with the UK’s top security experts, smart meters are not immune to cyberattacks or altering data. This is something that you have to keep in mind.

Foreign Languages

Smart meters, like any device, are prone to malfunction. It has been reported that some smart meter users in England and Scotland have experienced their smart meter’s monitor screen displaying data in Welsh, even though they don’t live in Wales. You can easily switch it back to English following these steps:

1. Press the ‘OK’ button at the bottom of the in-home smart meter display, then press the right arrow button until you see the text ‘Gosodiadau Wedi anfon yr’.
2. Next press OK to go to the settings.
3. Press the right button until you find the text ‘Dewis iaith Wedi anfon yr’. (If this doesn’t work, you may need to press the next option, which is ‘Clirio Gosodidau Wedi anfon yr’.)
4. Press OK.
5. Select the English language on the left, by pressing the left arrow, followed by ‘OK’.

Energy Suppliers Aggressively Push Them

Despite smart meters being free and their installation being free of charge. You have every right not to switch to a smart meter if you want. Some Energy suppliers have been pressurising customers to get smart meters installed despite their wishes. If you feel pressured by your energy provider, feel free to make a complaint or apply for the Priority Services Register.

Awkward Installation

Replacing your current meter may be a difficult task as a lot of the current meters installed were not designed to be replaced. They are sometimes installed in an inaccessible location. Fortunately, most energy suppliers solve this issue by sending their engineers to do the installation process.

Increased Anxiety and OCD Over Energy

Being able to track your consumption is a helpful tool for most. It can, however, increase anxiety in low-income households and elderly people as they are repeatedly reminded of their usage and how much they are spending.

This could result in people depriving themselves of their basic needs like heating or lights.

An advantage of energy tracking is that the data can be used to help people in need of assisted living. If a smart meter can show that someone’s lights haven’t been turned on or off for a long period, then it might indicate that they need help.